prcscct wrote:I don't read much about what is going on there but those of you in Europe probably do. The below BBC article is an eye opener
for me.
An historically Islamic country trying to discard that image in the midst of many other Islamic countries and people trying to expand that image,
aggressively.
Why? Is it only the desire to join the EU, or do they really want an open and free democracy? Pete
I can write a few hundred pages about the reasons why, but would like to give a short answer.
First of all this has nothing to do with the EU membership. Turkey has been the first secular Muslim country and government in the world, since 1923. Most of the EU countries are NOT secular. The President of Turkey is the head of the Government not, Mosque, Church, Synagogue, Temple or any other religious belief.
After fighting a long battle during WWI against the countries (GB, France, Soviet Republics, Germany, Italy, and a few more) want to slice&share and as well as a civil war against the ruling Ottoman Empire rulers who are willing to take their share in that mayhem.
This is the main reason why it's a blood-red flag with a crescent on it. One night the founder of Turkish Republic Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was on top of a mountain, looking at a valley which was covered with blood and there was a clear sky and a silhouette of a crescent and a star next to it.
Lots of people (in millions) lost their life in that multi-national and civil war, who were ruled under Sheria and strict Muslim/Arabic rules for 700 years.
They just wanted to protect their land, families and kick-start a new life without having to be sold neither to occupying countries nor their rulers. It was a new beginning for an un-educated, under the thumb, broke farmers’/villagers’ country.
After all the sacrifices the civil war was won with against all the odds.
In one year, all the (700 years of) remains of Ottoman Empire were removed.
The new Turkish Republic was born 19 May 1919.
A new alphabet (not Arabic, but Latin), the new clothing (not Arabic, but European i.e., trousers, jackets, ties, skirts), new army and police force (not dictating Sheria Laws only), new schools, (not only Quran and religious studies, but Universities), freedom of speech and publishing, new parliament (23 Apr 1920) and democratic elections.
After what people went through those years, which is only a few decades ago, there are still a lot of sons, fathers, grandchildren still living and have been carrying that secular spirit.
The modern Turkey welcomed 30+ ethnicities belonging/believing to sorts of religions during the war. Since then, all are living under the same flag and this election will jeopardise this sacrifice given by all those millions during the Turkish Independence war.
So, it's not really about a guy (Abdullah Gül) or a party (AKP) pushing for the presidency election this year, it's repeating the same Ottoman game again, but thanks to the people who fought during the war and created existing laws to protect their own religious freedom (not only Muslim but freedom of believers and non-believers) and built the foundations of the Turkish army which will be there to protect it for years to come (hopefully).
Yes, Turkey is Muslim country (90% of the population) but still, has the main Christian sites to become a pilgrim as a Christian, the most revered Orthodox Church in the World (no not in Greece, not in Russia) is in Turkey, the 3rd highest Jew population lives in Turkey, most of the ethnic communities who lost their homes during the WWII in Soviet Unions still live and are welcomed in Turkey.
