Our generation will not reach it

The secularist-pious attitude that splits the society. The Turkish-Kurdish dispute filled with a danger of civil war.

The great tension regarding the independence, European Union and Western camp É Who represents the state? The military or Parliament, which we elected?

We are not able to reach a consensus on these subjects.

We couldn’t in the past. Some of us were on the left wing some on the right. We were wounded by intolerance regarding a consensus in democracy and diversity. Now concepts and attitudes have changed. We have not abandoned polarization, for, with various world views there is a huge gap between beliefs that is impossible to bridge. At least our generation did not manage to do it. We have created such fears and adapted to them we have become their victims. The worst part of it is that as years pass we don’t even believe that people change; on the contrary, we stir up these fears. Let’s take a look at the secularist-pious fight.

Perspectives are so different that no dispute can be made without being followed by a fight.

Each step taken in the name of piousness is viewed as a game of those who want to bring sharia laws to Turkey. We possess such deep doubts that we don’t trust anyone. We don’t even wait until the opposite is proven.

We perceived secularism totally different. We perceived it as a mile stone in our lifestyle. Of course, examples from the past, especially the Islamic revolution in Iran and the Erbakan term has stirred these doubts and worries. We imagined everything on our own. But while doing this we have exaggerated.

Remember, when Özal came to power, we first accused Motherland Party, or ANAP, of "those with wooden sandals having started an Islamization operation of the country." Even further, when Özal applied for full membership in the EU, Çoskun Kırca a foremost actor of the secularist front who thought this was a game persistently pursued his theory; "We know we will be declined. He only applied, so Europe can deny us and Turkey can be easily carried into the Islamic world." He branded Özal with wooden sandals and we could not tolerate it.

Today we are craving for it. To tell the truth, it is important to take steps in order to cease worries. For example, the Republican People’s Party, or CHP’s, "opening up" is important in this regard. To prove that this is not a political maneuver, undergoing a sincerity test would be a historical step. But no matter what the CHP does it is not trusted and is encountered with doubt. As you see, we failed. Maybe the next generations will get closer.

Same solid attitude toward the Kurdish issue

The Kurdish issue is another example of mistrust mutually felt by two different worlds.

This time it’s not the secular-pious issue but the different views regarding what will be best for Turkey and carry it to a healthier democracy.

On one hand we have great fears: The West split the Ottomans and now wants to split Turkey. In the name of democracy, for the sake of the EU and in the name of conforming international agreements and respect for human rights, they play around with the Kurdish issue.

Was the chicken first or the egg, or vice versa?

The answer to this question is our biggest dead end. With the fear of splitting in the back of our minds we are unable to see democracy or human rights.

Again education given to our generation has brought into prominence the "fear of a split and the indispensability of independence." These values are stuck in our minds. Even if the world changes we haven’t. But I do underline that independence is an indispensible value and continues as such. But what we have not been taught is the experience of diversity and cultivated democracy. The real solution was here. However we cannot say that we gave it a chance.

When we squeezed the Kurdish in such a tight frame, we arrived at a point where we could not find a solution. Fifteen or 20 years ago we could have solved this problem easily but today because of our bigotry it has come to a point where we cannot find a way out.


The military

Fear of "splitting" and "political reaction" penetrated us so deeply that we perceived the military as security since the early years of the Republic. We entrusted it with the duty of "protecting the state from splitting and political reaction because you are the state." A survey conducted by Konda called, "Who are we?" shows that even today 48 percent of 7,000 respondents approve of a military coup.

As a result we trained officers accordingly. And they in return adapted to this role fastidiously. With the influence of the secular part of society and their own criteria, the military made three military coups. Each intervention caused deep wounds in democracy.

Despite the closing of military coup terms we still do not leave the country in hands of the elected ones. We still push the military.

In summary, our generation does not tolerate change.

It did not look for a compromise.

It did not try to understand others.

I wonder if generations after us will be able to compromise. Yes you’ll see, in the end the wish of the majority will prevail. A mutual balance and compromise will be reached.

Ali Kalkancı at 32.Gün

The fake sheik of Feb. 28 Ali Kalkancı has been caught. And what’s more, in his factory while producing drugs. When I saw this story for one second I went back in time. I remembered Emire Kalkancı, Fadime Şahin and Müslüm Gündüz, the sheik of a religious sect, called Aczimendi. Afterward it was claimed that this was all cooked up by the "Ergenekon" suspect Veli Küçük. Ali Kalkancı was announced sheik when he was an alcoholic youngster and forced to marry Emire Kalkancı. A later newsflash said, "How a religious sect sheik deceived the daughter of a famous businessman." Guys at www.32gunhaber.com thought the same thing and posted invocation images of Ali Kalkancı in his sect monastery. Those of you who would like to remember those days can take a look.