Zaman, Turkey
April 27 2005
Europe Should Face Itself in Turkey’s Mirror
NEVVAL SEVINDI
04.27.2005 Wednesday – ISTANBUL 02:05
At this time of the season, purple flowers bloom more fully in all
corners of the Bosphorous, and purple clusters, enchanted because
spring is coming at full speed, twine around.
Being in Istanbul is a privilege under the shadow of purple clusters.
Philosopher, anthropologist and sociologist Edgar Morin, was in
Istanbul last weekend. He showed everyone how an intellectual can do
brain gymnastics, how he shares wisdom and blooms like the purple
flowers in Istanbul.
Morin says, “Love is part of a life poem,” and he himself has proven
the fact that if one does not know anything about poems, he/she
cannot be a scientist. If Turks, who come from a culture whose
Sultans even had a “divan,” are outsiders in Europe, then Europe also
needs to look at itself in the mirror. Morin argues Turkey should
face its history on the Armenian issue.
However, he adds that the same should be done by France and the whole
of Europe regarding the Jews, and Britain regarding the Irish: “How
can one ignore the role of Islamic culture in European civilization?
That small minority did want to include an article about Christianity
but failed.” Honestly, even if he says so, Pope Benedict XVI did not
promise much hope in the first homily he delivered, without
mentioning Muslims. Those who identify Europe with Christian culture
do not want Turkey. Those afraid of a confrontation the most are
against Turks. Have those Westerners, who say Turkey should face its
history, faced their own history? Why did European travelers who
destroyed many great cultures, languages and beliefs, with the help
of their people, want to explore the world? To take all the wealth to
their country! Why are Europeans, who imposed Christianity as the one
and only religion on societies, so anxious that we face our past? Is
it because they failed to face theirs? Despite all efforts by
intolerant Europeans, Turks climb a 200-meter hill on the way to
Saint George Orthodox Church in Istanbul, together with Christians
and Muslims. Countless Muslims, on every April 23, ask the priest to
pray for them, hoping for treatment of their ailments and fulfillment
of their wishes. This is an amazing sense of empathy. The blind
followers, who are against this, have sent the municipal police
there. These officials, who are unaware of the soul of this thing,
are assigned to cut the ribbons! Within the yells and squeals, the
women were saying, “Our wishes will not be accepted because of you.”
It is not our duty to judge the people’s beliefs here, but the
ability to pray side by side and the fraternity among nations.
Europeans are not very familiar with this ability. They have been
after sharing since the beginning of the 19th century. They do not
see the “people” around but only race, religion and discrimination.
Europeans, who are busy setting double standard snares, are now
lagging far behind the idea of humanism.
“We are undertaking an indefinite adventure and the events that
happen every day tell us this is ‘night and fog’ that we are in,'”
writes Morin, depicting our time very well.
This ambiguity has gotten foggy as a result of the rise in
nationalism and racism in Europe. Nationalism waves coming from China
and Russia narrate the adventure of a world, which is becoming more
localized, as it becomes more globalized.
Germans are converting to Islam and establishing umbrella
organizations. The German state has decided that Islam would be
better explained only by them. It is only the Muslim Germans, who can
put a stop to the rise in racism by claiming to be the guardians of
Islam. The Germans think the Turks are Muslim bigots, and say, “This
is not Islam.”
Like the Germans, who ignore humanity’s values, sincerity and
human-centered humanistic Islam, that we have been spreading around
the world, there are many youths who belittle this Islamic approach
and also try to politicize us. These mentalities, which are as far
from the idea of Islam as to say, “Do not even smell a flower that
can awaken your worldly desires,” have tried to break us away from
Islam. However, this soul neither breaks away nor dies.
“You cannot change everything you face and you cannot also change
anything without facing it.” It is time for us to face old dogmas,
old mentality structures. It is more essential for the EU, which
cannot expand or perhaps will even receive a blow from the French.
Swedish Prime Minister [Goran Persson], on his first ever visit to
Turkey, expressed this very well: “It is odd that no Swedish prime
minister had ever visited such an important country until today and
this is the real question that should be asked.” It is time to say
something odd.
*James Baldwin