A new social contract for Turkey
The most dishonorable thing is the illegal tapping of people’s voices. When technology put this capability into the hands of the bad entity called human beings, we came face to face with a new dishonorable type of person: the ones that post illegal tappings on the Internet and try to wage war with them.
Look how these people have transformed our country.
Politics have become an arena of gladiators and there is no possibility left for an honorable struggle.
For the past seven years, Turkey has been engaged in one of its most disgraceful political struggles.
Because they have gotten hold of two immoral weapons in their hands: illegal taps and secret witnesses.
For the past seven years, these two weapons have been used inhumanely against people. The honorable members of the Turkish army have been victims of these secret witnesses, of imaginary coup attempts, of despicable plots, imaginary scenarios.
Some even committed suicide. No one said a word.
Those learning to be unmerciful against another, they will show even less mercy against their old allies.
That’s why I am not curious about the outcome of the elections.
As long as we cannot get rid of these “parallel disgraces,” the election outcomes have no importance.
How can we get rid of this swamp?
Through a gentlemen’s agreement. The first thing to do is to draw a line on the past and look ahead. If we don’t follow Spain and forget the past, there won’t be an honorable winner of the elections.
Questions for Gülen and Erdoğan
Daily Hürriyet writer Sedat Ergin asked a simple, but very important question about Fetullah Gülen.
“Can a leader of a cemaat [community] be so active in political issues?”
I agree 100 percent with this question.
I also agree to the answer he gave: “He should not.”
Being so involved with politics does not look good for a man of religion.
It is neither good for Turkey, nor good for Islam.
That’s why I agree with Sedat Ergin.
But the question lacks a dimension.
We need to look at the other side of the equation as well.
“Should a politician be so active in religious issues?”
I look at what Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan says in campaign rallies, on TV screens.
The first part of his rally in Istanbul was full of religious rhetoric...
Religiosity has entered the political arena in dimensions never seen before in our political history.
Never before has the concept of “using religion for politics” become so disturbing.
It would be unfair if we refrain from asking the same question to Prime Minister Erdoğan.
If we are to set up a new Turkey, we need a new social contract enabling the cemaat to go into their corner and politicians to go to theirs. A unilateral act won’t be useful.
