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To my non Turkish speaking friends:
As a Jew originally from Turkey this is my personal assessment of the latest happenings in Turkey.
My personal inclination in the beginning was not to side openly with any of the parties even though naturally and logically I was supporting the "gezi parki" demonstrators. My logic behind not showing my support openly was that at the end of the day no matter what, both sides would naturally blame the Jews. It's natures law as gravity is.
But after the last days I decided to write my personal opinion which for some of course is no more valuable then the paper it's written on.
This is also my personal call to spread the word of the struggle in Turkey to the world.
Anyhow:
The world at large and specially the western world has to realize that the uprising in Turkey has nothing to do with the so called "Arab spring" that is going to result oppressive radical Islam taking over secular oppressive regimes. The so called policy makers in the west and among them my Jewish brethren are behaving as perfect "useful idiots". Uneducated Arab and most of the Islamic nations are going to be manipulated no matter what. That's the fate of ignorant that is sunk in the deepest form of ignorance. A secular tyrant - from the point of the western civilization - is a more controllable one.
It's sad and may be one would argue it's very un-Jewish to think this way but its the truth and it has to be said. Radical Islam breeds on ignorance and once the leadership is from radical fundamentalist Islam's ranks the whole combination is the most dangerous one.
At the collapse of the Ottoman Empire Turkey was forced into a secular system. And generally it worked. One can just look east and south and see the results if it wasn't forced and Turkey was left to be ruled by the caliph and sharia. You don't need a wild imagination to realize what it would be looking like today. Wasn't there problems in the beginning and further down later? No doubt, but which "start up nation" or "developing country" didn't? To face the reality bravely and take responsibility is a must and will come out gradually.
For Turkey really there is one bad way and one hard way to choose. Unfortunately in elections the ignorance and poverty are the deciding power. And they did decide. They choose the way that looked good and promised a lot but was leading the country towards middle ages. That's where you might have some doubts regarding elections' real results in a country that ignorance is fed with temporary carrots.
Today Turks gathered in Taksim, in "Gezi Parki" and many more town squares all over the country are the last bastions. They are the last strong holds of the civilized, future promising secular and also to some extend traditional -- which is beautiful -- Turks that the forefathers of the Republic dreamed of. The forefathers that the current Prime Minister called as "drunkards".
Beside Israel these pockets of civilized strongholds of Turks are the last ones against radical-Islamization of the middle east and the near east. Nobody should have a doubt once Turkey goes sharia all the Balkans are going down the drain.
There are a lot of my Jewish friends that still have the opinion -- that I had in the beginning -- that it doesn't matter who will rule, the relations with Israel and with Jews is so much damaged that it's impossible to repair. It may be true.
But the chances are zero with the current regime and it will just get worse. I have more faith that a secular and civilized government will have more calm decision makers on the issues between Turkey and Israel.
A secular Turkey with all the freedoms to the followers of all the faiths is the only thing thats good for Turks. They have tasted the light, don't throw them back into darkness.
Today we can't really depend on US administration as a well balanced superpower that could come to the help of these "Turkish Delights". The only thing we can do is to spread the word, to talk into the eyes of the world public opinion and let them know that "THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ARAB SPRING". Just the opposite. This is the last fight against the tyranny.
Support the awakening...
