Ertugrul Ozkok: Totem walks on the podium

Should I laugh or should I cry? Or should I say whatever comes into my mind and leave myself in the arms of lust style?

Let me tell the ones who didn't see yet.

A 'tesettur' (Islamic clothing) firm organizes a fashion show.

Former speaker of the parliament Bulent Arinc's wife and daughter are watching the show. A podium lies just in front of them.

First, models with headscarves are walking flirtatiously on the podium.

Their clothes are tight. New-fashioned bags are in their hand. Their make up just exceeds the limit of exaggeration.

At first, you just say it is an ordinary "tesettur" fashion show and you don't think about it.

But after a while one of the most terrible "dramas" in my life begins.

***

First, a girl without headscarf wearing jeans walks near the covered girl. Then they walk arm in arm.

And, in fact this symbolizes that there is no problem between girls with headscarf and the ones without headscarf in society.

But what is that?

A red line was drawn in the middle of the podium.

What does this symbolize?

"The red line of the secularists."

Of course poor girl with headscarf can't cross that red line and gets very upset.

What does this symbolize?

That the girl with headscarf is not allowed to universities.

Later somebody comes and removes that red line.

I think this symbolizes the "reasonable policy" of AKP.

After the red line is removed, the girl with headscarf and the girl without headscarf are walking arm in arm towards the end of the podium.

At that time, there are happy expressions on their faces.

Society made a deep cut in a problem created by the deep state.

****

Bulent Arinc was not at that fashion show.

But I am sure that he must have cried when his wife told about this story in the evening.

Because that drama was as meaningful as (Erdogan's) white sheet words.

Or just like fighting with the "Armenian murderers" in Askale.

In my opinion the obsession of symbol reflects two characteristics of a society.

One is underdevelopment.

The other one is totalitarianism.

And the most dangerous results show up in structure that combines underdevelopment and totalitarianism. And if you add rhetoric-passion leaders, the problems becomes more difficult to solve.

Here, because of that it comes into question to solve the problem that turns turban totemism.

If you turn this problem into a war, that will be the victory of a primitive symbolism that paves the way of any kind of totalitarianism.

*****

A few days ago a friend of mine from AKP phoned me and said something interesting:

"You are writing that you are uncomfortable with the angry rhetoric of our party leader. But don't you have a similar style too?

I asked: "Does it look like so from outside?"

He replied: "Yes, we see anger in your style resembling his."

I take serious all the critics behind which I don't see any bad intention.

A primitive symbolism, rhetoric leaning it and lust style; spreads all parts of the society rapidly.

Prime Minister, soldiers, general chairmen of opposition parties are joining this chorus of lust.

Can journalists stay out of this chorus? For sure, they are joining too.

It is nothing if only this lust mania and totemism spoil our styles and rhetoric.

But it spoils our social chemical, too.