I will not shirk to do this work, for those who post and those who lurk: the Turks are irked. The Turks are irked. What kind of jerk would irk the Turks? One who smirks, "No Muslim perks."
"The Europeans want to strip off our Islamic identity. We don't want to join the EU if the price will be deserting Islam."
But Islam, as I have noted many times, is not just a system of individual piety; it is a political and social system. This political and social system is not in power in Turkey; but the Turkish government is under constant pressure from its adherents, many of whom, indeed, hold positions of power in that government. How then can they join the EU if they don't desert Islam, or at least parts of it? How can they enter into an alliance of equals with non-Muslim countries? What will be their future intentions toward Europe -- particularly if political Islam returns to power in Turkey?
The Turks are irked, eh? So am I. Why would they balk about ID cards and religious courses, unless it were because they balk at granting full equality to their non-Muslim citizens?
From IslamOnline, with thanks to Nicolei:
ANKARA, February 18, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – European recommendations for Turkey to free citizens' ID cards from religious reference and to stop compulsory religious courses at schools, raised suspicions and drew criticism in the dominantly Muslim country, with some saying the EU recommendations aim at "neutralizing, then swallowing" the Turkish people, and others believing they hurt the country's unity."The recommendations of the European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) demonstrate an interference in Turkish affairs and aim at harming the unity of the Turkish people," Ali Ozdmer, a retired officer, told IslamOnline.net.
"We are proud that our ID cards highlight our Islamic identity," he said.
The ECRI has urged the Turkish government to drop any reference to religion on the ID cards and to stop the compulsory religious courses in the Turkish schools, alleging such measures would "bring the country's standards into line with the European standards"....
"Rights of minorities in Turkey are protected. The non-Muslim minorities live with complete freedom in Turkey .
Ordinary citizens also reacted in anger to the European recommendations."I don't know what the European Union has to do the religion of the Turkish citizens. What is Europe 's problem with Islam in order to try to impose such demands," said Mohamed Dogan, an employee.
He further stressed that such demands were put forward for political reasons and aimed at blocking Turkey 's membership in the European Union.
Mostafa Gul Safan, a driver, agreed.
"The Europeans want to strip off our Islamic identity. We don't want to join the EU if the price will be deserting Islam."
Funny thing: Muslims in Europe don't seem to have any problem demanding that Europeans strip off their own cultural identity.
Ah .. Amazon link .. what a foul trick .. I'll get you for this, Mr. Spencer, I will!
What I meant is, of course, that it's in bad taste to sprinkle advertisements across your articles in a misleading manner. Not that I'm complaining.
It is interesting that Turkey, which spent most of the 20th century trying hard to get rid of its non-Muslims and thought it had almost solved the problem when its Greeks, Armenians, Assyrians, and Jews dwindled to just about nothing now has to face the descendants of the Ghazis becoming Christians.
Now that Turkey is almost without an appreciable population of Greek, Armenian, Syriac, or Jewish Dhimmi, it must put up with Muslims becoming Christians. I love it.
This is an important stage of the struggle against entrenched Islam. The European Parliament had given an ugly signal when it deliberately removed an article against religious persecution from the treaty with Turkey. Now it seems that other European authorities have more backbone, if they can only stick to it. The truth is that the so-called secularism of Turkey has only survived down the decades thanks to a structure which effectively entrenched Islam in the culture and marginalized and persecuted non-Muslims in a way that had nothing to envy to outright dhimmitude. Now the Turks can either deal with what is really - and not just in Kemal Ataturk's decades-old dreams - is implied by being a secular and democratic state, or sink back into the swamp of Islamic stagnation. They have demanded access to Europe for decades: now they have it within their grasp, and it is their turn to prove that they are up to it.
"Greeks, Armenians, Assyrians, and Jews dwindled to just about nothing...."
They didn't just dwindle, the Turks murdered around 1.6 million of them in 1915-17. One those little World War I tidbits they don't teach us in history class. Allowing Turkey to join the EU will bring Europe one step closer to actually becoming Eurabia. Representation in the EU's governing body is based on population. Turkey's representation would only be exceeded in the EU by Germany, which already has 4 million Muslims living within it's borders. Old Europe better give this some very serious thought.
Oh happy quirk
If Turks are irked
And E.U do not join
We'll feel free most happily
To push a pork sirloin
Down the gullet
Of that big Turkey Erdogan...
Oh by the way there some guy down at the Marion county jail here in Indianapolis who is supposedly linked to Al Qaeda....don't know the whole story, but people around here are shocked...except me.
In the sixties the Turks came to Germany as 'guest-workers'- the idea was to have them there for a few years (as needed) and to send them back.(Ludwig Erhard's 'economic miracle')
In 1969 Germany elected the first socialist government (after the war,) from then on the gates were open: Many Turks came with the intention to stay. For a while there was something you would call 'tolerance', but never acceptance. For the Germans are not open to immigration like some other European countries. In the eighties the problem was seen as what it is, or rather what it became today:
An ever increasing number of people from a foreign culture demanding more and more while contributing less and less to the economy of the host country...
Programs were offered to resettle them in their home country, generous rewards were offered and in many cases the money (up to 100.000.00 DM 'indemnity') (or call it dhimmi-Jizia) was paid out, only to see the 'repatriated' Turks come back like a boomerang a short while later.
The irony of the story is that the Turks, (and the Moroccans, the Algerians, Tuesians, Palestions, Egyptians, Nigerians and all the other North African Muslim varieties) really started coming in the mid eighties. They didn't come 'to do the dirty work'- as some might have us believe, but they came in large numbers to steal, to deceive, to rape and rob us, to parasitically attach themselves to a host whose blood they could suck. The same time they spread themselves over many European countries, Spain, France, England. Denmark, Sweden, Finland- whatever it took, they had nothing to lose, and I'am sure they did exactly what their Imams told them to do.
Germany did a 'good job' getting rid of Ron Hubbards "Church of Scientology"- China did the same with 'Falun Gong'- even for different reasons, it just goes to show that if something is seen as a threat to the political system something can be done about it.
Islam is not only a threat to the political system since it is more totalitarian than communism ever was, but as we all know by now: A seditious, subversive cult, an ideology which demands domination, subjugation, submission and feeds only on indoctrination and intimidation, without it it can't exist.
Therefore it is more criminal in nature than anything we are presently confronted with. For that reason I think there is a fair chance to have this cult outlawed in court, if only we make the case.
Dear Bastardos:
"I'll get you for this, Mr. Spencer, I will!"
Sir, you'll have to get in line and wait your turn.
Cordially
Robert Spencer
why would they want join the EU anyway?...if its agenda does not match yours then why bother?...it is the mustard seed that once planted, thrives and multiplies.
the false facade they present is well known by some ignored by most.
I wanted your impersonation of a top-hatted cat or Hop on Pop not to stop, not to stop. What about doing a new version of Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose, except that in the retelling, the unwanted guests nestling in his antlers are not gotten rid of when Thidwick moults (antlers and guests, properly stuffed, were then exhibited on the walls of a hunting lodge), as in the original, but in the new version those "guests" settled in his antlers stab and shoot Thidwick from their safe perches. He twists and turns his head in anguish, but he cannot shake them off, for they are sitting in the one place where he cannot either get to them, or flee from them, and they keep on attacking, and attacking, and eventually Thidwick dies at the hands of his malign "guests."
Better not pitch this as a children's book.
I was recently at a book signing party for Bat'Yeor for her newest book, "Eurabia." She was asked a question about Turkey. Her belief is that Turkey will eventually be allowed to join the EU, despite so many reservations, and that the acceptance of Turkey will be the end of Europe as we know it. Those were frightening words from someone who has studied the situation for years and is a true authority on the subject of Islam and Europe.
As I said before, I hope and believe that Turkey will only be accepted if they seriously accept the principles of European life, beginning with freedom of thought and worship. It is not the only country that is finding this sort of thing difficult: Serbia and Croatia are both being kept out of the Union because of the intolerably nationalistic tinge of their politics. I was worried about Turkey, and frankly I still do not want it in Europe, but the fact is that if one joins Europe, one joins a number of supranational institutions - most important of all, the European Courts of Justice and of Human Rights - whose word overcomes the national law. Turkey would have to join a whole number of real and powerful institutions, and accept (as Britain was forced to) the European Human Rights Act, which would impose on it, willing or unwilling, the same standards as any civilized country. I believe that the persecuted Orthodox Greeks, for instance, are aching for access to the European Court.
"I will not shirk to do this work, for those who post and those who lurk: the Turks are irked. The Turks are irked. What kind of jerk would irk the Turks? One who smirks, "No Muslim perks." "
I trust there will soon be on the market a Spenceresque solution, cloth or preparation suitable for cleansing off coffee spit on computer screens after reading unexpected 'Hop on Pop-isms' early mornings????
Or should the above cleaver ditty be considered a new literary endeavor? LOL
Wow - on top of all his other accomplishments and qualifications, I never until right now realized that Robert Spencer was such an able pupil of the great Dr. Seuss.
This puts my hopes for the next book in a whole new perspective . . .
Dear Mr. Spencer:
"Sir, you'll have to get in line and wait your turn."
After posting my comment (which was supposed to be a half-humoristic, and completely friendly piece of criticism), I immediately realized that you likely *do* get a lot of messages like that - which are not at all humoristic - which is why I made the second comment.
Please forgive me.
Bastardos