The idiots who terrorized the public
It was Thursday this week that all communication tools were full of the same information. It was in all social media, message groups and email chains.
It was about so many Kalashnikovs that were apprehended in a police raid in a certain neighborhood. It also said that it was very dangerous to stay in Istanbul on the weekend; if possible, one had to get out of town.
The intelligence service of a country warned its citizens residing in Turkey “not to go to crowded places.”
There were recommendations that you should not send your children to school, or not go to work Friday.
Occasionally they would add a “precise information” note at the top of these scraps of paper so that people would take them seriously.
All of this reached a peak after the German diplomatic representatives and the German High School were closed for one day.
The Istanbul Governor’s Office issued a statement telling people not to believe in these rumors and not to play into the hands of the terrorists, but the statement had no effect.
Those who spread, with major irresponsibility, these pieces of information of unknown source on social media should know that what they are doing is nothing different than a non-armed terror act.
Yes, they are not killing anybody, but they are terrorizing society just like those who have shed blood.
This is an environment that terror organizations adore because this is exactly what they want: Spread fear, paralyze society with that fear, force them to change their lifestyles and shake confidence in the administration.
We should all come to our senses. What has been done has no other meaning than succumbing to terror. Yes, there has been a horrible attack. We have experienced a major sorrow. But we have to stand up and show that we have not been defeated by terror.
Downhill toward an authoritarian regime
The independent Turkish justice, the one that somehow rushes to carry out orders, has arrested three academics because they signed a declaration.
It did not stop there.
Because there was a leaflet in his bag, a British academic who has been living in Turkey for 25 years has been deported.
When the U.S. State Department deputy spokesperson was asked a question on this, the answer was extremely polite: “We see the development about academics as part of a troubling trend in Turkey.”
Yes, Turkey is now experiencing a dangerous trend. The U.S. spokesperson said it with diplomatic kindness, but let us name it:
Turkey is tumbling down a slope toward a heavy authoritarian regime. This is the desired result of what is being done under the image of anti-terror. New regulations are being prepared to fight terror where democratic rights will cease to exist.
Even before these regulations have been formulated into a bill, prosecutors and judges have started practicing them.
Even a demonstration organized in the southern city Adana to protest the terror attack in Ankara was dispersed by police using tear gas and seven people were hospitalized.
And the talk is that such a country will be accepted into the European Union and new chapters on accession will be opened.
Nobody should fool anybody else; this will not happen.
The current government does not have such a vision anyway. Even children will not believe that while there are ongoing preparations to suspend freedoms, there will also be wheeling and dealing to enter the EU.
Watering down the subject
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu made a challenge the other day. No, not for oil wrestling. It was to debate, altogether, 506 files to lift the immunities of deputies in parliament. In our “male politics,” such challenges are common.
All opposition parties got on board.
Unfortunately the issue has been watered down. As a matter of fact, all parties have the same opinion.
Except for chair immunity, the political immunity of deputies should be lifted. Somehow they have never come together to solve this issue.
Legislation is a serious business; its requirements should be met.