Re: Erdogan Finally Admits Turkey Practiced Ethnic Cleansing
Am I superior than you, i don't know. If I am, it is not bcoz I am a Turk, that I can say. I know who I am and I definetely know where I come from. The point is being Turkish in Turkey is not a racial thing. You are trying to impose it and I am rejecting. And yes, it was M. Kemal who I respect deeply created Turkish nation from disappearance not physically but practically as the result of treaty of Sevres. Turks were the last members of tebaa (they were masses not citizens) who were liberated from Ottomans by the foundation of the Republic. There was no other way of liberating the muslim masses of Ottomans in Anatolia without putting them together under an umbrella which I call the Turkish nationality.
Did assimilation take place in Turkey, yes. Were masses (we can not mention citizens before the republic) forced to speak Turkish, yes. I don't deny any of these and I think they were bad and sad things and TO A CERTAIN EXTENT they were necessary. A revolution took place in Turkey by demolishing all the old beliefs of the muslim community and giving them a new identity and citizenship. This identity made us us. This identity provided us to be enjoy our independence. None of this could've happened without the independence war and the actions of the Republic. Some of the Muslims of Anatolia (Arabs, Circassians, lazs,...) might know their origins and some might not. But be aware that all of them are glad bcoz their grandfathers faught and died for them. And all are happy being called Turks. Right now, it is totally wrong to prevent people speak their mother tangue (my parents' native language is not Turkish and in 1980's due to the coup d'etat, my grand parents must have had some bad time.) People should be able to freely enjoy their cultures, religions etc.
What I am simply saying is that apart from Kurds (assimilation is for sure not ok in 21st century), people regardless of their ethnicities call themselves Turks in context of Turkish nationality, I am an example of this. Saying that people in Turkey do not have a culture is ignorance. If there is one thing which will make this nation survive, it is the culture this nation possesses. It is Turkish people's love for independence. As long as you do not threaten my nation, I am your friend.
As a clarification: I do not approve my country's stance against Kurds. I do not approve my country's denial for many things. We were taught as if no armenians or Greeks lived in Anatolia. We still have a propaganda machine running. We still have problems with free speech. Military is still influential in politics (decreasing). We have stupid laws like 301. People are taught to love Ataturk (we should teach students what he did, let the student decide what to do), he still can not be criticized,............
Originally posted by UrMistake
View Post
Did assimilation take place in Turkey, yes. Were masses (we can not mention citizens before the republic) forced to speak Turkish, yes. I don't deny any of these and I think they were bad and sad things and TO A CERTAIN EXTENT they were necessary. A revolution took place in Turkey by demolishing all the old beliefs of the muslim community and giving them a new identity and citizenship. This identity made us us. This identity provided us to be enjoy our independence. None of this could've happened without the independence war and the actions of the Republic. Some of the Muslims of Anatolia (Arabs, Circassians, lazs,...) might know their origins and some might not. But be aware that all of them are glad bcoz their grandfathers faught and died for them. And all are happy being called Turks. Right now, it is totally wrong to prevent people speak their mother tangue (my parents' native language is not Turkish and in 1980's due to the coup d'etat, my grand parents must have had some bad time.) People should be able to freely enjoy their cultures, religions etc.
What I am simply saying is that apart from Kurds (assimilation is for sure not ok in 21st century), people regardless of their ethnicities call themselves Turks in context of Turkish nationality, I am an example of this. Saying that people in Turkey do not have a culture is ignorance. If there is one thing which will make this nation survive, it is the culture this nation possesses. It is Turkish people's love for independence. As long as you do not threaten my nation, I am your friend.
As a clarification: I do not approve my country's stance against Kurds. I do not approve my country's denial for many things. We were taught as if no armenians or Greeks lived in Anatolia. We still have a propaganda machine running. We still have problems with free speech. Military is still influential in politics (decreasing). We have stupid laws like 301. People are taught to love Ataturk (we should teach students what he did, let the student decide what to do), he still can not be criticized,............
Comment