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The omertà (Sicilian for manliness) is the vow of silence taken by members of the Italian Mafia.
Particularly, it means that mafiosi will not involve the police or the government in the affairs of the mafia. Joe Valachi was the first person to betray the omertà when he publicly spoke out about the existence of the mafia, when he testified before the United States Congress. Within mafia culture, breaking the oath of omertà is punishable by death.
In a song by Thrash Metal group Lamb of God entitled "Omerta" (Ashes Of The Wake, 2004), the following words are recited: "Whoever appeals to the law against his fellow man is either a fool or a coward. Whoever cannot take care of himself without that law is both. For a wounded man shall say to his assailant,'If I live, I will kill you. If I die, you are forgiven. Such is the rule of honor."
The album Viva Emptiness by swedish melancholic metal band Katatonia features a song named Omerta as well.
Omertà is also the title of the last novel written by Mario Puzo.
Omertà is also the name of a Text-based Massively Multiplayer Online RPG.