Baykal should not take a step backward

An important part of this country prefers to cover up, for some reason. You might say it is pressure from families or husbands. But they cover up for whatever reason.    Â

They are being judged by our "silahşör," better to say secularists, who say people who support the chador are opponents of secularism. Under these circumstances the opposition is more solidified.

One front is represented by the Justice and Development Party, or AKP, and those parties close to them, the other by the Republican People’s Party, or CHP.

The AKP’s view and approach is obvious. It uses the headscarf like a symbol. It embraces those who cover themselves. It understands them very well and receives votes in exchange. Those who cover themselves eventually find themselves on the AKP’s side whether they share the same beliefs or not, whether they like the leaders of this party or not. We cannot suggest that everyone who covers up will absorb or prefer the AKP. Among the reasons for these people to lean toward the AKP is being out cast by secularists.

When did we make an effort to understand these people? Never.

We just expelled them. Some of us named them bogeymen or even black beetle.

We described them as enemies of the secular system. We did not think they accepted covering up as a personal preference. We did not think that secularism is not just running around uncovered.

While we expressed such a stringent attitude, an important section of them saw us as the enemy of religion. They did not spend any effort to understand what we meant by secularism. We came this far within a dialogue where we are deaf.

The secular saw the CHP as a castle. They shut their eyes to the admittance of people with a headscarf, but everything changed when those who support the chador tried to force their way into the castle.

Deniz Baykal is taking an historical step today. If he does not give up under these constraints and continues, he might pave the way for Turkey. In other words, if he does not cast out women who wear the chador but embraces them, the speed of separation between those who support the chador or not might slow down and a compromise might be reached in the future. Those with a headscarf or a chador might even find a place in the CHP. They might continue with their preferences and get rid of seeing the AKP as the sole place to run. My biggest hope is that Baykal takes steps with courage and stops the separation of Turkey into unbelievers and covered people. If the CHP includes people who support the chador, it will understand Turkey better.

Let us make a brand new start.

If Baykal fails, we will live through such a separation we will not be able to stop. We will never understand each other.

If Baykal fails, it will be very difficult to find a party to overthrow the AKP. At this rate Turkey will gradually lose its secularism.

For all these reasons I want Baykal to succeed. It is obvious that this is not simply hunting for votes.

If we fight against the admittance of people who support the chador, to the party that we see as the castle of secularism, then after a while even if the CHP does not close its doors we will continue our lives in this immense castle as a small group.

Protecting a castle does not mean to reinforce its walls, but to make them more lucid meaningful, to understand people who do not think the way we do, do not dress like we do or are not like us.

My biggest expectation is to see this immense change in the CHP. Then I will give my blessing with my vote in the upcoming elections, believing I did the right thing.