Conservative ethics based solely on sex

Sex tapes depicting Parliament members from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the former leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Deniz Baykal came to the surface.

They all resigned. They were disgraced.

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In those days...

Some columnists wrote articles that were along the lines of, “Stop it. Don’t hit any longer, they’re already dead.”

“Let’s no longer chew on these tapes” kind of messages.

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Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan resented these comments.

For Erdoğan, these merciful articles were a “serious blow to the society’s ethical values.”

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Prime Minister Erdoğan reacted to these articles, saying:

- There are efforts to erode the Turkish society’s ethical values. This is the greatest danger.

- There are some trying to legitimize these things (he means the actions of Baykal and the MHP members shown in the videos).

- The biggest strength in keeping a nation on its feet is its moral ethics. Some are speculating. Some are playing the victim.

- Excuse me, but I cannot understand this type of approach.

- We can never see one who betrays their wife as a victim.

- This situation is the start of the erosion of the moral ethics of a conservative society, which is dangerous.

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Do you see?

When the issue is sex…

Out come the lectures about “morality, erosion of national values, conservative ethics, etc...”

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When the issue is “stealing,” we see the other types of lectures.

Look at all the lectures from the government.

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The result is this:

- If you betray your wife, you are indeed immoral.

- But if you steal people’s money, you are indeed a victim.

 Perhaps “conservative ethics” is this.

Sexuality and theft in conservative politics

- Sexuality: If a politician is caught in an act of sexuality, this is immoral… He should be ashamed. He should resign. This is not private. He is not a victim. It is legitimate to broadcast the videotapes. It is all right to talk about it during rallies. It is no montage.

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- Theft: If a politician is caught in an act involving theft, he is a victim... it is absolutely a plot… All the blame is on the one who caught him... It is a montage... It is dubbing... It is lies... It is a smear campaign. It is not general, but private. Resignation is out of question. It is unacceptable to broadcast the video.

It is easy to publish a Feb. 28 declaration

A group of intellectuals published a Feb. 28 declaration... demanding the trial of those supporting Feb. 28 (the “postmodern coup” in 1997, when the military forced the Islamist government out of office).

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Dear intellectuals!

- Look, they freed Reza (the Iranian businessman allegedly involved in corruption cases)... Publish a statement for him too!

- Look, the sons of the ministers are free... Where is the declaration?

- Look, some are not even satisfied with $10 million... Where is your declaration?

- Look, the judiciary has come under the control of the judiciary... Declaration?

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Dear intellectuals!

Are you going to wait for 17 years to pass to publish a declaration about today’s issues?

Ahmet Hakan is a columnist for daily Hürriyet in which this piece was published on March 1. It was translated into English by the Daily News staff.