"what would you do?"

[hipeter924]

If I was Turkish: Don't participate, if they ask just lie that you killed an Armenian, and keep the truth and tell it to future generations

If I was Armenian: Put on a woman's headscarf, get on a train and get the hell out of there

[lal]

Phantom - in Turkey, all history seem to be mythology.

The country is packed full of worthless "professor doctors" that squat in Turkish schools and universities, spewing out their propaganda year after year. Worse still, I think, are the western organisations and academics who have professional contacts with these people and their institutions yet say nothing - looking on the behaviour as just a slightly embarassing local custom that it would be impolite to actually criticise.

mthT has a point. Why put yourself at risk by publically refusing to accept the propaganda, especially since you will never get a genuine thank-you from Armenians for doing it. But Lal's point is better. For the sake of Turkey's future, and for a better life for all its citizens, these people need to be opposed. If nobody opposes them, these things will continue to exist.

ı signed the apology site. but now that ı listen turks about our apologise, ım really scared. there is a huge reaction against us. one islamic newspaper 'vakit' will write our names one by one tomorrow.

you have been to turkey many times. you know us very well. what is wrong with us. why our people is so much looking everything fanaticly,too nationaticly,inhuman and one sided?

[Steph]

ı signed the apology site. but now that ı listen turks about our apologise, ım really scared. there is a huge reaction against us. one islamic newspaper 'vakit' will write our names one by one tomorrow.

you have been to turkey many times. you know us very well. what is wrong with us. why our people is so much looking everything fanaticly,too nationaticly,inhuman and one sided?

lal, just now there are nearly 12,000 signatures!
This newspaper prints each and every name. No matter what number of turks sign, if you stand straight and together, I truly believe that ten times the number of turks will stand up beside you all. Then ten times that number.
You know from this very small acorn could grow an oak tree that can set free so many.....turks,kurds,armenians,greeks and the truth!
Try not to be scared, many turks are like you and will support you and we do to!
Take care.

[VaheTheGreat(e)]

ı signed the apology site. but now that ı listen turks about our apologise, ım really scared. there is a huge reaction against us. one islamic newspaper 'vakit' will write our names one by one tomorrow.

you have been to turkey many times. you know us very well. what is wrong with us. why our people is so much looking everything fanaticly,too nationaticly,inhuman and one sided?

2 words, lal: GUILTY CONSUISNESS.
The Turkish state is based on BIG LIE, if they stop lying that state will stop to exist, at least the way how it is now.

[bell-the-cat]

ı signed the apology site. but now that ı listen turks about our apologise, ım really scared. there is a huge reaction against us. one islamic newspaper 'vakit' will write our names one by one tomorrow.

you have been to turkey many times. you know us very well. what is wrong with us. why our people is so much looking everything fanaticly,too nationaticly,inhuman and one sided?

I don't think that anything bad will happen from just having put your name online - after all, many people have the same names! And it's only the internet.

It's in the real world that dangerous things can happen. And can happen unexpectedly.

On my first visit to eastern Turkey I had some photocopies of very old maps with me. In Bayburt I was sitting at a street cafe showing them to someone, when another man happened to pass by and see one of the maps and went into a frenzied, arm-waving rant because it showed what is now eastern Turkey but was titled "Armenia". That was my first taste of that "looking at everything fanatically" behaviour you mention.

Now, usually, I don't bother talking about controversial issues with Turks in Turkey - no point in risking a dangerous argument, I'm not going to change anyone's mindset in one conversation, and often people will hide what the are really thinking. But it is valuable to do it occasionally, if only to stop you having a false sense of security, and remind you of how deep fanaticism still runs in many people. Tour guides are my most common targets nowadays, when they recite the lies and fantasies of the official propaganda. But even then, my real contempt goes onto the sheep-like tourists who swallow those lies without question and then go home saying how lovely Turkey is and how friendly everyone was.

So I know how difficult it must be for you, Lal, living in Turkey, and that it needs a lot of determination and bravery to continue to think and act against what the majority think. (Not just over this relatively unimportant Armenian Genocide issue, but in all the other issues you have to confront every day - I bet sometimes you wish you were not "cursed" with an inability to conform!) However, don't take unnecessary risks unless the reward at the end is realisable and worth it.

[Gavur]

Good advice.

[hipeter924]

ı signed the apology site. but now that ı listen turks about our apologise, ım really scared. there is a huge reaction against us. one islamic newspaper 'vakit' will write our names one by one tomorrow.

you have been to turkey many times. you know us very well. what is wrong with us. why our people is so much looking everything fanaticly,too nationaticly,inhuman and one sided?

Well I think of it this way, in a true democratic society you cannot be arrested for your political views, only violent actions. Simply saying you hate someone or something (even if it is against what everything government believes) can't put you in prison.

So really the Turkish government is undermining democracy every time it puts someone behind bars for believing that Armenian genocide happened, it is after all the way of a police state to put someone in prison or kill them for their beliefs.

If I was was arrested that is the way I would put it. It isn't just about whether the genocide happened. By arresting anyone for their beliefs you are undermining freedom of speech and freedom of expression. The best way to humiliate is to show the prosecutors as what they really are, haters and wreckers and tyrants.

[Sako]

Their writing down the names? You sure they have enough paper, lol, because those names are coming in fast. Lal, its funny this happened because just day’s back, we were talking about taking steps forward. Now fate presented you with an opportunity to take one. I guess the saying "Be careful what you wish for" is true.

This is what it feels like after taking a major step forward, your feelings are the proof that you took a step, and I'm proud of you. Can't say it better then that. Don't be afraid and I wish I could've helped you in some way but seeing as I can't, I'll just have to wish you all the best. I'm sure all of us are here for you and don't worry, this will be sorted out sooner or later. Bell's right too, those Turks can't do much, there are lots of people with the same names and if, God forbid, the signers get hurt, I think Turks all around will revolt. I'm serious. No matter how much Turks may not believe us or hate the Turks that do, if the believers, their own kin, get hurt, I don't think everyone will sit peacefully. Many Turks, I'm 101% sure, hate many of the Turkish laws and their looking for a reason to revolt. This petition may be the cause of that revolt although I pray that I'm wrong, many might get hurt if I’m right.

And Peter my man, you forget that there is no freedom of speech in Turkey . You wanna try and go behind bars again?