Six Arrows

Happy New Years

2007-01-02T00:08:00.000-08:00

Happy New Years everyone. Sorry I haven't been posting lately. I haven't had access to the internet lately, and the accessI have now is pretty temporary. I'll be posting regularly once again in about a week. Until then, just take it easy and enjoy the New Year. And good luck with all your overly optimistic resolutions (I know I'll need something more than luck to stay on task with mine).

Finally, Some People in the EU with Sympathy for the Oppressed People of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

2006-12-14T07:51:00.000-08:00

As you probably all know, S. Cyprus has been trying to keep up a blockade of the Turkish Cypriots so as not to lose any bargaining chips for a possible future agreement. They have blocked any EU aid to N. Cyprus (which the EU had promised them). Now, finally, some EU countries have decided that it might be a good idea not the continue the unfair situation in Cyprus. Sweden, Estonia, and Belgium have all adopted a tough stance towards S. Cyprus's proposal that more Turkish accenssion topics be shelved, and then followed that up by backing a document that would pave the way for direct trade with the Turkish Cypriots. Sweden and Estonia also have expressed a wish to open up representative bureaus on the north side of the island. The office Estonia will open is supposed to be like the representative offices countries have in Taiwan. Estonia even went so far as to say they want to help Turkish Cyprus get international recognition. In addition, German Foreign Minister Steinmeier expressed his commitment to beginning direct trade with N. Cyprus during Germany's term as EU president. Also, apparently the Foreign Minister of S. Cyprus went ballistic when the British Foreign Minister referred to the "Northern Cypriot Turkish Republic." Finally, some developments in the EU I like.

Some links:

Hurriyet English on Estonia and Sweden

JTW News on Estonia

Hurriyet English on tension at metting

How to Silence the Greek

2006-12-12T13:35:00.000-08:00

Because of finals I have been unable to dedicate too much time to blogging, but I have been commenting on some other people's blogs lately. It has been interesting, because there have been some words between Greek fascists (I don't mean that all fascists are Greeks, I mean these particular Greeks, or at least one of them, are actually admirers of fascism) and some Turkish bloggers. One thing I noticed was that when I brought up the fact that it was socially acceptable for a man to molest a boy in ancient Athens and Sparta, I got no rebuttals. I brought this up because the constant emphasis of their posts was Greece being a "cradle of civilization" (they were beat to it by China and civilizations in Africa) and Turks being "barbarians." To this charge though, they had not reply. So if you ever get into an argument with a Greek who is getting all high-and-mighty about their ancient civilization, remind them that Socrates would be one of those guys on those Dateline specials if he were around today.

Oh, and as some of you may know, "Greek Love" is a euphemism for pederasty (man-boy sexual relations) or even homosexuality in general.

Anti-Soad.org

2006-12-10T20:49:00.000-08:00

In my post about anti-Turkism by the band System of a Down, I talked about a great site, anti-soad.org. I had been unable to access the site for a while, and was worried it was gone. Well, I have good news. The site is up, and looks great. I urge everyone to check it out, I've provided a banner with a link on this blog.

Recent Turkish Read

2006-12-09T08:17:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading the book Kopru, by Ayse Kulin (in Turkish too, I'm so proud of myself). It was an interesting book that delved into a lot of the social problems facing the economically deprived eastern part of the country. The book is about the governor of Erzincan trying to get a bridge built to connect a small, secluded part of the province. The government will not do it because it is too expensive and, in their opinion, not worth their while. So the book tells about how the governor goes about trying to get this bridge built with private funds and whatnot. At the same time there is a parrallel plot about a man who lost his wife in child birth because he was unable to cross the river in time because of the absense of a bridge. The governor sends him to a couple who also just had a child, so they can look after his child and the woman can breast-feed him. We then find out about the couple, whose lives are like a textbook of social problems. The book gives us insights into such pressing matters as Kurdish terrorism, abuse by genderme, religious conflict, "blood" feuds, and so much more. I'm not going to say its the best book I've ever read, but it was interesting. I'd give it a 7/10.

On Anti-Turkism, Part II

2006-12-08T10:50:00.000-08:00

I'm sure you all know of Armenian-American group System of a Down. They are extremely popular. A year or so ago I stopped listening to them because a website, anti-soad.org, pointed out the blatant anti-Turkism in their song lyrics and poster art. I used to be a fairly big fan of their music, but after reading the lyrics of "Holy Mountain," there was no way I could ever listen to them again. There is no way I could listen to a group of people who called me and all my people a liar, killer, demon, murder, and a sodomozer, who had no honor.

Here is one excerpt from the song:

Back to the River Aras!
Someone's blank stare deemed it Warfare.
LIAR! KILLER! DEMON!
Back to the River Aras!

Then later in the song:

They have returned resting on the mountain side
We have learned that you have no...
HONOR! MURDERER! SODOMIZER!

That's just the begining. The posters for their Souls benefit concerts (one annually from 2004-2006) were blatantly racist, attempting to show Turks as barbarians. The concert did not benefit any worthwhile charities, instead the money went to Armenian propaganda efforts, including trying to get legislation passed in the US Congress to recognize the so-called genocide. Here is a nice video which points out System of a Down racism.

Unfortunately, I have been unable to access anti-soad.org recently, so I fear that the site may done with. However, I hope to carry their message here to some. If you are a Turk, or are just plain against racism, don't support them. If you hear them on the radio, change the station. If your friend begins to play them in his/her car, respectfully ask them to play something else. That is what I do. As much as I used to like thier music, I just wouldn't have a clear conscious listening to people who probably want me dead even though they don't know me.

Turkey Offers Concession on Cyprus, Still not Enough for EU

2006-12-08T07:08:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Turkey offered what I think is a very fair agreement. I even think Turkey may have offered too much here, honestly, yet the EU was quick to shut it down. Apparently the EU has a "my way or the highway" attitude that very much resembles the Bush administration many of its members have critisized. Turkey offered to open one port and one airport to trade from Cyprus for a year, on the condition that the EU would open trade to one N. Cypriot seaport (Famagusta) and one airport (Ercan). After that, Turkey would commit to intense talks with the UN aimed at ending the Cyprus standoff. I think this deal is more than fair, but Cyprus has already ruled out allowing any traffic to Famagusta or Ercan. They don't care that they will get to trade with Turkey, denying any economic opportunity to the deprived Turks in the North is much more important to them. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Turkey's chances at EU membership died the day the Greek Cypriots voted against re-unification and the EU still let them in.

On Anti-Turkism, Part I

2006-12-05T13:48:00.000-08:00

When I started up this blog, my intention was to bring news having to do with Turkey from the perspective of a Turk. In my opinion, what I have seen in the American and European media makes me believe that these stories are often reported with a strong anti-Turkish bias. Anti-Turkism is defined as hostility towards Turkish people and culture or the Republic of Turkey. In some countries I honestly believe anti-Turkism is almost as strong as anti-Semitism was prior to the Holocaust (the atrocities of the Holocaust are often seen as the most important factor in curbing anti-Semitism in America and Europe). Looking at the negotiations between Turkey and the EU, it is apparent that many in Europe aren't even bothering to hide their biases. The argument that Turkey is too culturally different from Europe is no different than saying that, because of their culture and religion, Turks will never be able to modernize to Europe's standards.

Anti-Turkism dates back hundreds of years to the Crusades. Throughout the Middle Ages publications depicting the Turks as bloodthirsty savages were spread. Martin Luther claimed that God had sent the Turks to punish Christianity for allowing the corruption of the Holy See and the Church. In some parts of Europe to equate someone to a Turk was to curse them, and Turks were associated with such vices as being un-cleanly, barbaric, and crude. Voltaire claimed Turks were "tyrants of the women and enemies of arts." It would be great if we could blame these misconceptions on the ignorance of that time. However, in 1926 the Venerable Cardinal Newman (venerable means that he is two steps away from sainthood) wrote in his book The Blight of Asia that Turks were, "The great anti-Christ among the races of men." And in 2004, in a international soccer match between the Turkey and England national teams, a very large number of English fans chanted, "I'd rather be a Paki than a Turk." There were enough fans chanting this that it was easily audible to viewers watching on television.

This post is basically my introduction to the concept of anti-Turkism as an actual racist movement that actually exists and is more prevalent than most would think. When I see an example of anti-Turkism worth noting, I will write about it in this continuing series.

Turkey and Iran Decide to Improve Trade Relations

2006-12-03T07:43:00.000-08:00

While Turkey's chances of joining the EU are looking less and less likely, Turkey's relationship with Iran is improving. This is both what I had expected and feared. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad agreed that trade between the two countries should be increased to an annual level of $10 billion. The proposal apparently originiated from Erdogan, and would increase trade from around $6 billion annually according to the article. The article also states that in 2002 the countries agreed to increase trade from $1.2 billion annually to $5 billion annually. All this means that relations between Turkey and Iran are improving almost as fast as relations between the EU and Turkey are disintegrating. This is all expected though. Does anyone doubt that if the EU continues to push Turkey away it will push the nation right back into the Middle East?

Iran, Turkey Decisive to Boost Exchanges

1st Muslim US Congressman Already in Controversy

2006-12-01T13:45:00.000-08:00

Keith Ellison, who became the first Muslim elected to the US Congress only weeks earlier, is already in a controversy over his beliefs. The controversy is that he wants to take his oath of office on the Quran, not the Bible. Some conservatives don't feel this is right, with Dennis Prager leading the charge. He likens Ellison's taking his oath on the Quran to someone taking their oath on Mein Kampf. First off, Ellison has a right to take his oath on any book he wants. Second, don't you want an elected official to take his oath on a book he believes in? Isn't that the entire idea? I don't usually talk American politics here, but I think this story illustrates the mentality that is partially to blame for the rampant anti-Turkism in Europe. Maybe Sarkozy should share some of his crayons with Prager, the guy seems to be irritable.

It's Been a While and More on the EU Not Wanting Turkey

2006-11-30T14:25:00.000-08:00

Due to Thanksgiving break and a lot of school work to catch up with, I haven't posted in a very long time. Sorry for the few of you who may have missed me. A lot of news in the last couple of days from Turkey. The pope is visiting, and some people protested in a peaceful fashion. Yup, peaceful Muslim protesters. Take that Islamophobic Europe.

The much bigger news is that the European Commission recommended 8 of the 35 areas of negotiation between the EU and Turkey be suspended. Tony Blair, probably the only European leader who actually wants Turkey to join the EU, has condemned this decision, Germany has said the decision is appropriate, and *surprise surprise* officials in France and Cyprus don't feel the decision is harsh enough.

Cyprus is threatening to straight up veto the EU-Turkey negotiations, thus ending Turkey's EU bid. The reason is that Turkey has failed to open its ports to ships from Cyprus, a measure the EU has demanded repeatedly from Turkey. Turkish officials have repeatedly said they will open ports to ships from Cyprus when the EU ends the economic isolation of N. Cyprus, as it pledged to do. So, if the EU pledged to end N. Cyprus's crippling economic isolation, then why hasn't it? Because Nicosia has vetoed any attempts at doing so. Therein lies the folly of the EU, one of the biggest foreign relations blunders in recent memory. By allowing Nicosia to enter the EU whether the island was unified or not by the deadline, they took away any incentive Greek Cypriots would have to negitiate and thus doomed the extremely balanced Annan Plan. Now, Nicosia can use its EU position as a bargaining chip to obtain all concessions it wants from N. Cyprus without conceding anything itself. Turkey needs to play hardball instead of keeping the soft stance it has now, or else there will never be a fair solution to the Cyprus problem. Turkey should threaten annexation if the economic isolation is not ended. This will ruin Turkish chances for EU membership, but I think those chances were ruined the moment Greek Cypriots voted against the Annan Plan.

At the same time France's interior minister and presidential hopeful Nicholas Sarkozy wants EU negotiations with Turkey completely suspended as well. Of course Sarkozy's argument is even more ridiculous than the Cypriots. Sarkozy says negotiations should be suspended because Turkey is not geographically in Europe. This is the type of argument a third grader would make for his one page paper on why Turkey shouldn't join the EU (I'm sure French third graders are given such assignments). Never mind that parts of Turkey actually are within the generally accepted geographical definition of Europe, or that Cyprus is no more geographically European than Turkey is. The real issue here is that the EU is an economic and political entity, not a geographic one. Nobody argues that the Israeli football association shouldn't be a member of UEFA or that the St. Louis Rams shouldn't be in the NFC West, because geography is pretty irrelevant to soccer/football or football/American football, just as they are to economic and political relationships.

The worst thing about this is that the Turkish people will suffer, especially those who value democracy and secularism. As we are shunned by Europe, many will join those who argue Turkey should look to ally itself with its neighbors in the Middle East. I am against this. Certainly Turkey must look for economic and political allies in this globalizing world, but the Middle East is not the place. Europe would have been nice, but they'll never have us. I personally think Turkey should look to improve relations with Russia. Sure, we've had our problems in the past, but as of late relationships have gotten much better. And although Putin's Russia is more than questionable when it comes to democracy and civil liberties, I wouldn't be too quick to call some EU members as liberal democracies either (remember, no free speech in France or Netherlands). Plus Russia is a big market and a growing economy.

Cyprus veto article

Give Sarkozy his crayons

Oh, and here is some nice anti-Turkish propaganda. Apparently Turkey's entrance into the EU will mean the Islamization of Europe.

Ecevit, Former Turkish Prime Minister, Dead at 81

2006-11-06T13:29:00.000-08:00

Bulent Ecevit, until recently leader of the DSP and an important politician from the 70's until his party's large defeat in the most recent elections, died at a hospital in Ankara yesterday. He had been in a coma due to a stroke since May of this year.

To me Ecevit has always been one of the most interesting Turkish politicians. My father has told me about how he at one point, in the late 70's/early 80's thought Ecevit was the only politician in Turkey who had a vision for the country. He had represented the hopes of many, and his influence in the politics of the country helped steer Turkey in a more secular and liberal direction. We can thank Ecevit for authorizing trade unions and giving workers the right to strike. His mix of liberalism and nationalism was extremely appealing to many Turkish voters.

Unfortunately, Ecevit lost touch with the public in his last years in office. He refused to step down, despite his old age, declining health, and the fact that many blamed the economic crisis on him. Many joked that Ecevit was becoming senile. Ecevit failed again when the threat of the AKP become apparent. He refused to form a liberal coalition and many members of the DSP resigned the party and created the Yeni Turkiye Parti (New Turkey Party), attempting to form a coalition themselves (an effort which also failed). This turmoil allowed the AKP to take control of the government, and could be remembered as Ecevit's legacy as the new government may take Turkey in a completely new direction.

To many Ecevit was a beacon of hope, a leader with the vision to get Turkey into the European fold. Unfortunately, Ecevit accomplished much, but in the end his failure is what will probably be remembered most. Hopefully someone with Ecevit's vision will come along again and lead us to the Turkey he promised us.

On Islam and Its Ties to Terror

2006-10-31T15:03:00.000-08:00

I recently recieved an e-mail forwarded to me by a yahoo group I'm in called American Turks. The author of this e-mail at one point used a quote which to me has always exemplified the way Islam has been stimatized by the West. "Not every Muslim is a terrorist, but evry terrorist seems to be a Muslim." I'm sure we've all heard that quote a million times. It suggests that there is something inherently more violent in Islam than in other religions, as other religions don't have terrorists.

Now, I am by no means a religious person. At best I'd be described as a secular-thinking, non-religious, Muslim. I'm probably more likely to be described as an agnostic. Religion just has never been that important to me. I do, however, have many friends and family that are practicing Muslims, so I find myself defending Islam in relation to other religions often. I really do not believe that Islam is any more violent a religion than Christianity or Judaisim.

Back to the quote at hand. First, we can look at America's history with terrorism. Before 9/11, the most well-known terrorist attack on American soil was not carried out by a Muslim, but rather a Catholic, extreme right-wing, white man who was a registered Republican and member of the NRA. Besides his extreme anti-government views, he's pretty much like any other average Joe in the US. Then we can cite the Basques in Spain. Us Turks know well about ASALA, the Armenian terrorist group that assasinated many prominant Turks. And then there is that fact that many organizations with Muslim members are actually non-religious. Many are, for example, socialist/communist like the PKK and DHKP/C.

One would expect some to counter that religious terrorists are exclusively Muslim. That again, is not correct. The struggle between the IRA and Britain can be charactarized as religious, because most of the Protestant population of Ireland actually welcomed British rule over the Catholic IRA alternative (which is why N. Ireland is still a British possession). In the US, the KKK was a Christian Protestant/white supremacist group, as they targeted Catholics as well as Afro-Americans. The Jewish Defense League is a terrorist organization, most well known for the Hebron massacre in which 29 Muslims were shot to death while praying in a mosque. There is even such a thing as Buddhist terrorism, though Buddhism is often praised as being the most peaceful religion by many. Aum Shinrikyo, a Japanese Buddhist terrorist organization, is most known for its sarin gas attacks on the Tokyo subway system that killed 12 and injured 54, affecting 980 more to a lesser degree.

The point here is that Islam is not the only religion to be perverted by those who wish to use it for evil. Sure there are more Muslim terrorist groups than Christian terrorist groups, but there are other factors that may have something to do with it. Muslim countries are generally poorer, and many of these countries are ruled by foreign-imposed autocratic dictators. The West can't ignore the fact that much of the violence we are seeing from the Muslim world is a backlash against Western imperialism of the past (and in some cases present).

Yes, I Love Futbol

2006-10-31T08:48:00.000-08:00

I figured I'd start the day off with something a little lighter than usual. I am actually a huge soccer fan, and especially a fan of the Turkish League, so I figured I'd put a little poll up. In the interest of full disclosure, I'm a Besiktas fan myself (yes, I voted in the poll, only once though).

By the Way, Happy Belated Republic Day

2006-10-30T14:39:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm an idiot. Yesterday I made a mental note to myself to say a little something in honor of Turkey's Republic Day. Of course I never got to it, then today got wrapped up in some news about tourism being down, and so I forgot. So anyway, I'll talk a little about the important national holiday that was celebrated yesterday. October 29th, 1923 was the day the Turkish constitution was amended in order to make Turkey a republic, and thus October 29th is celebrated every year as Republic Day in Turkey. This is an important holiday in Turkey, especially for those of us who are still in love with Kemalism. So happy belated Republic Day everybody.

Turkish Tourism Woes

2006-10-30T13:55:00.000-08:00

Accoriding to numbers from the World Tourism Organization, in 2005 Turkey ranked 8th in the world in income from tourism with a total income of $18.2 billion. Story Here. Unfortunately this news only serves to punctuate the significance of a much more significant statistic. In the third quarter of 2006, consisting of the important tourism months of July, August, and September, tourism income is down 8.9 percent when compared with the same months last year. Overall, tourism has been down by 5.8 percent from 2005. Story Here.This is a major problem because of the importance of tourism on the Turkish economy. When I was in Turkey I could tell there was a problem with tourism. I go to Turkey almost every summer, and this summer I saw far less foreign tourists than I usually do.

There are probably several different factors playing in to this. Most important is probably the resurgence of Kurdish terrorism. The terrorists staged several attacks in popular touristic locations this summer, often targeting foreign tourists. At the same time, the uncertainty in Iraq and Iran can not help. While the events there really do not have much of an effect on safety in Turkey at all, many people in Europe and America are fairly ignorant about Turkey. Any percieved instability in the region would predictably have an effect on people to whom Turkey would be an otherwise attractive vacation spot. And, of course, anti-Turkish propaganda and sentiments can not help. With Turkey's attempts to enter the EU, anti-Turkish lobbies have stepped up efforts to demonize Turkey.

I urge anyone who has not been to Turkey to give it a chance (I don't have to say a thing to those who have, the great majority of them would love to go again). It is, from my personal experience, one of the best vacation alternatives out there. With such a rich history and culture, you can't go wrong. Not to mention that it is far more affordable than most other comparable vacations.

EU Creates More Troubles for Turkey, Is it Worth It?

2006-10-26T13:54:00.000-07:00

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso is saying that Turkey has slowed down its EU reforms, and he is worried that this could result in a breakdown of the accession process. Maybe there is a reason for this that the EU does not want to awknowledge.

In this insightful article, Michael Radu argues that many of the EU's demands are irrational and would have a negative effect on Turkey. He first talks about the Cyprus issue, noting that Greek Cyprus was allowed to enter the EU without the Turkish North Cyprus, even after the Greeks rejected a unification plan which the Turkish Cypriots overwhelmingly approved. Prime Minister Erdogan had pushed for Turkish Cypriot approval of the plan, and in doing so risked much of his political capital in a losing effort. Besides the embarrasment factor, the EU membership for Greek Cyprus means they will have even more bargaining power for future negotiations and will have virtually no reason to compromise. After all this, the EU has continued to punish Northern Cyprus through isolation while demanding Turkey open ports to Greek Cypriot ships.

Radu then goes on to talk about another European contradiction, the Kurdish situation. He points out that while the Turkish government has provided Kurds with the right to use their own language and have their own media, the EU is not satisfied. Given the recent backlash in Europe against multiculturalism and the similarity between the Kurdish case and minority struggles in Spain and Belgium, the EU is being quite hypocritical.

Radu also talks about the EU's call for the elimination of the military's role in politics. He says they are contradicting themselves on this issue as well, given the EU fears of Islamicism. Islamicism has been on the rise in Turkey in the past 5 or so years, and the military have the traditional role of protecting secularism. Many Turks embrace the military as the protector of secularism, and to take it away from this role would alienate seculars from the EU, as well as give Islamists a chance to legislate Turkey back into the stone age.

I would like to see Turkey in the EU, but at what price? What is to say that the EU knows what is good for Turkey? The EU has its own goals and is working towards them in these negotiations. Turkey needs a leader who can stand up to the EU an point out that these negotiations should be a two-way street, not just a chance for the EU to demand any concessions it wants. I strongly encourage you to read Radu's article. It is very interesting, and I'm sure my summary does not do it justice. It is linked above, but I'll provide another link here anyway.

Erdogan Rushed to Hospital, UN Lists Turkey Amongst Nations Considering Nuclear Programs

2006-10-17T09:04:00.000-07:00

Apparently PM Tayyip Erdogan was rushed to the hospital today (Tuesday) after fainting. Doctors said his blood sugar fell rapidly due to his tired and fasting during Ramadan. They say it is not serious and he should be fine soon, but that they are going to keep him under observation for a while.

In a much more interesting story, Mohamed ElBaradai, head of the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency, has listed Turkey amongst nations that are considering nuclear programs in the near future. As far as nuclear energy is concerned, I am all for Turkey having a program. Nuclear energy really is the best current energy production method, as long as necessary safety precautions are taken. Now on the possibility of weapons, I'm not so sure. On the one hand, such a move could alientate Turkey from the West, as Europe and the U.S. would likely not support such a move. On the other hand, as more and more nations acquire nuclear armaments, it may be a necessary step to protect Turkish borders. This is an issue which should be discussed at length, and by much smarter people than myself.

Pamuk Critisizes French Genocide Legislation

2006-10-13T14:12:00.000-07:00

According to news I read on the website of Turkish newspaper Hurriyet, Nobel winning author Orhan Pamuk critisized the French decision to pass a law punishing denial of the so-called Armenian genocide. He said the law goes against the French culture of freedom and that it was a disgrace that did not suit the nation. He also said that Turkey should not retaliate with similar legislation, because responding to the wrong actions of another nation with similarly wrong actions would be like "burning our own blanket because of a flea." That is a nice Turkish saying. It is similar to the English saying "to cut off one's nose to spite one's face." Anyway, I agree with what Pamuk is saying here, and its good that a universally respected author like him is speaking out on the disturbing law passed in France yesterday.

Interesting Images

2006-10-12T16:52:00.000-07:00

Here are some interesting examples of images doctored as proof for the Armenian genocide.

This is a painting by Russian painter Vasily Vereshcagin, "The Apothesis of War" painted in 1871. Vereshacagin died in 1904, 11 years before the alleged genocide began.

This painting was shamelessly made to look like a photograph and put forth as an image of the "genocide."

Of course the most offensive example is this one of the beloved Mustafa Kemal.

The original photograph shows Mustafa Kemal posing for a photograph with some adorable puppies at his feet. Someone very creative and vindictive decided to alter to photo to make it look like he was sitting with a child's corpse at his feet. And then the photo was used to promote what to me seems to be a lecture about the genocide at UCLA by several Armenian academics. I'm sorry, but that is just wrong and offensive.

Turkish Novelist Wins Nobel Prize

2006-10-12T15:06:00.000-07:00

Famous Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk has won the Noble Prize for Literature, becoming the first Turk to win a Nobel prize. This is great news for Turkey. I have heard Pamuk's writing is very moving and powerful, and I plan on finally reading one of his books soon. I know that the first thing coming to the mind of many people when they hear about this will be that Pamuk was charged with the crime of "insulting Turkishness" for his acceptance of the so-called Armenian genocide (which is not much different than the ordeal many will face if the new French law is enforced). This is unfortunate. The fact is, most Turks do not even really agree with that law. It is a creation of the conservative government in power, which gets its base of support from the segments of the population becoming increasingly dissallusioned with the process of European integreation thanks to tireless efforts from France and other European nations to not only keep Turkey out, but to weaken Turkey as much as possible. I plan on talking about French and Greek efforts to promote instability within Turkey on another day. For now, congratulations to Orhan Pamuk. I look forward to reading some of your work.

Freedom Loving French Repeal Freedom of Speech

2006-10-12T08:25:00.000-07:00

The French have done it. It is unbelievable, but the French have actually passed a bill outlaweing denial of the so-called Armenian genocide. In a 106-19 vote the French parliament passed the bill punishing denial of the so-called genocide with up to a year in jail and a 45,000 Euro fine. A last minute proposal that would exempt historians, scientists, and academics from the penalties was not passed, thus meaning that academic debate on this issue is closed. That is correct, apparently the French government has the right to close debate on academic issues. Can't wait until they decide who wins the evolution vs. creationism debate (Armenian genocide claim is kinda like creationism, there is no proof but a lot of people want to believe it).

There is also a law in Turkey that can punish someone for claiming there was a genocide, another law which I am against. It is interesting that France has been the most outspoken critic of this law, yet they decided to respond with basically the same law except taking the other side. The fact is, now the French can no longer legitimately claim superiority. There is no more freedom of speech in France than there is in Turkey.

I think it is riduculous for legislative bodies to decide academic debates like history. The fact is, there are many historians and academics who do not believe the relocation events involving Armenians during WWI were a genocide. Many American scholars are of this opinion, including Bernard Lewis who created controversy by saying, "The issue is not whether the massacres happened or not, but rather if these massacres were as a result of a deliberate preconcieved decision of the Turkish government," and that "there is no evidence for such a decision."

Lastly, while I don't believe the genocide happened myself, I'm not going to discount that possibility yet. Not all the facts are known as of now and many academics are still in disagreement. I think it is premature to end the debate way France is attempting to. I think history should be decided by the historians, not politicians who maybe took one Western Civ. class or French History class in college.

What Turkish Super League Team do You Support?
	Besiktas
	Galatasaray
	Fenerbahce
	Trabzon
	Other

Free polls from Pollhost.com