I will refer to this sentence in the future

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan complained to the journalists aboard his presidential plane on the way to Qatar from France about the negative coverage in the Iranian press about himself and his family.
 
In one their conversations, he told the journalists that he has told Iranian President Hassan Rouhani: “How come a Muslim slanders another Muslim?”

As far as I know, no matter what one’s belief or disbelief is, nobody should slander anybody else… Let us assume we are talking exclusively about Muslims… Even if we only refer to Muslims, I have noted this sentence and will use it in the future. 

In the future, if the pro-government media again brings up 100 leather-wearing men harassing a headscarf-wearing lady in Istanbul’s Kabataş square, the stories about people drinking alcohol in a mosque or the “terrorist” accusations against Aydın Doğan and us, I will refer to this sentence. 

I will tell them, “Would a Muslim do this to another Muslim?” 

I wish to consider President Erdoğan’s words as an assurance for the future. At least, let us free our future from disgusting slander. 

Why did journalists onboard not pay attention to the PM’s words? 

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, on his way back from Brussels, in the Prime Ministry’s jet, spoke to journalists aboard about the opposition. 

“We are rivals; we are not foes; we are not enemies. If a governing party said that it will clear up the opposition, then the essence of democracy is lost,” he said. 

Well, what about the opposition media, opposition social institutions, non-governmental organizations and individual opposition? Doesn’t trying to destroy them also mean that the essence of democracy is lost? 

Nevertheless, again, these are very nice words to hear… 

If their sincerity is reinforced with acts, then we can be very hopeful for the future. 

Would you share your wife and your house with a refugee? 

I have never seen such an interesting refugee debate and interpretation in my life. 

Fellow journalist Eyüp Can told me two weeks ago he was at a debate in London. Some 2,000 people paid 60 pounds each to watch the debate between two guests.  

One of them was former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis and the other was Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek.

The debate, at one point, landed on the refugee issue. 

As the moderator was frequently interrupting them, Zizek and Varoufakis started talking to each other.
Zizek said, “[I have been] brutally interrupted. I feel like a refugee.” 

Varoufakis laughed and said, “I will take you in.” 

“You will take me in,” Zizek said, playing it up, “You’ll share your food with me? You’ll share your wife?”

Varoufakis, laughing, said, “I’m a socialist, but I don’t share my wife.”

“I’m different,” Zizek quipped, “I’ll share my wife, but I don’t share food.”

Well, what happened afterward?

Nothing, they laughed it off…

And 2,000 people also laughed and applauded this humorous talk.