TURKISH AUTHOR’S NOBEL A VICTORY FOR FREE SPEECH
Arizona Daily Star
Oct 15 2006
Awarding Turkish author Orhan Pamuk the 2006 Nobel Prize in literature
means a $1.4 million prize from the Swedish Academy. It also is an
international statement about free expression.
Pamuk writes about "Turkey’s rich history through modern eyes,"
according to Friday’s Wall Street Journal.
Pamuk’s award comes nine months after the Turkish government
dropped charges alleging that Pamuk insulted the country, the Journal
reported. Pamuk’s charges were not unlike the "insulting Turkishness"
charges against University of Arizona assistant professor and writer
Elif Shafak. She was acquitted last month.
Pamuk’s charges stemmed from comments made to a Swiss newspaper that
criticized Turkey for its treatment of the Kurds and its unwillingness
to address the killing of Armenians during World War I.
The charges were dropped in January.
In our nation, which values freedom of speech and expression and
transparency in government, charging a writer for speaking his mind
is outrageous.
We appreciate Pamuk’s perspective: "My life is a testimony to the
fact that civilizations can combine gracefully and harmoniously if
you have a desire to do so," he told the Journal when responding to
a question about the role of Muslim writers.
Turkey is celebrating: No one from Turkey has ever received a Nobel
Prize before.
We hope that from the celebrations, Pamuk’s attitude of harmony and
tolerance for free expression percolates in Turkey.
In the meantime, we’re saying "thank you" for the First Amendment:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom
of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to
assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."