Why don’t they bear any resemblance to us?

PARIS

I was in Paris over the weekend where I lived in a completely different world for three days. Two scenes prompted me to write about them. 

The first was the Chelsea vs. Bayern Munich match you may have also watched, I’m sure, astounded. Can you imagine? The British, before the eyes of thousands of Germans, won back the match they had lost. 

You also saw what they did after this, didn’t you? 

In the middle of the pitch, they danced maddened by the joy, hugged each other and did everything they could to drive the German spectators mad. They took out their flags, they threw their jerseys to the stands and as if all of these were not enough, they took their victory lap after they received the cup. 

Not a bottle was thrown from the stands and not a jeer was heard about the mothers and the families of the British players. The Germans bit their nails but they only watched with sad faces.

Gosh, don’t these people have any pride, brother? 

The Fenerbahçe-Galatasaray match came to my mind. I just wanted to remind you. I’m sure others have written on this, but I also wanted to mention it.

Also, French televisions were full of programs on Sarkozy’s departure and Hollande’s arrival. As the residence of the Elysee Palace changes of course the cabinet also changes. 

After the elections, as Sarkozy was leaving the palace, he neither mentioned he would come back soon, nor did he explain that he had lost the elections by a very narrow margin. On the contrary, he was escorted to the door by new President Hollande and was seen off with complimentary words. 

I told you they are a bit weird!

Really, these guys have no resemblance to us, whatsoever. 

Fazıl Say and Orhan Pamuk are our prides 

Artists, men of letters, thinkers, inventors, etc. who are above a certain line, who have qualities and powers rarely matched even in the international arena are capricious. 

They have given so much from themselves, they are so similar to a precious flower that they dislike that their opinions and movements are restricted. They want to speak as they wish to, behave as they wish to, dress and live as they wish to. They have the luxury of saying what others cannot say. 

They are justified because they are special people doing what others cannot.

A quick example from our own selves: Which one of us can be Fazıl Say? Which one of us can be an Orhan Pamuk? These are our uniquely gifted people.

Then they should have a difference, some privileges. Then, we should regard these people differently. 
I’m not talking about fame. Fame is easy and does not call for such privileges. Every country has local celebrities. But the “big names” a country has raised are never forgotten. 

Let me give my own example: Mehmet Ali Birand will be forgotten but not an Orhan Pamuk or Fazıl Say. 
I’m writing this because I’m angry at the vulgarity stemming from some segments of our society. 

One was excommunicated because he expressed his view on the Armenian issue. The other was sued because he re-tweeted a verse attributed to Omar Khayyam and a citizen tipped him off for committing the crime of “provoking people for grudge and hostility.” For both of them, stories printed and statements issued reached such a level that they thought of leaving Turkey and moving to other places. 

Of course, everybody is equal before justice. Those who commit crimes will be punished. But, what is important here is that our society has not been able to accept these people. 

Please, let’s look after these people of ours. At least, let’s not treat them so coarsely.