Turkey has been a NATO ally since 1952 and is in the process of EU accession talks. I think this tells a lot...
Turkey has a lot of differences from other Islamic countries. The first and important one is that Turkey is secular government. So freedom of belief is the important part of daily life. Christians, Muslims and others have equal rights. And the other important differences, in Turkey women and men have equal rights and women play more important roles in the life day by day. Since 1936, Turkish women have equal social and political rights with Turkish men. It's a good reference I think to explain the securalism in Turkey. Wearing, education and other important parts of the lifes are managed by modern laws. Religional rules or traditions cannot intervension. So because of this features Turkey is not ordinary Islamic country. A lot of Muslims who live on different Islamic countries say that Turkey is anti-Islamic country. Because people on the world are used to mention Islam and terrorism, Islam and autocracy , dictatorship and religious fundamentalists. On the contrary Turkey maybe is the best place to live as a Muslim human. In Turkey people know that "all of us are different but all of us are same"
Nope. Only Istanbul is civilized..... a bit. The rest of the country lives with next to the Islamic sharia law mentality. If they can get rid of Islam they'll do much better. ...... This option is about xxx years ahead. Islam is not a liberal religion, that's what muslims tell me. So logically Islam and democracy don't have much in common. Hence no muslim country should be accepted in the EU for incompatability reasons.
See this is where I differ. I think they should accept them into the EU. They're the ones with "peace in their time" no? Our towers told us different. Hey, Boyos, you there in your fucking sand dunes.... want to fuck with our city skylines anymore???!!! Heh!!!??? Now hear this.... Now hear this.... Boom
By what standard is Turkey a "muslim country?" Yes, most Turks are Muslims -- but most Americans are Christians and America is not a "christian country." It seems to me that accepting Turkey into the EU might be another step towards the goal of Turkey achieving modernity.
The rest of the country does not live under Islamic law. Have you even been to turkey? The same could be said about christianity. If america could get rid of it they might do much better.
There a lot of Christian countries (with more than 50% Christians population) that are democratic. Can you tell me how many muslim countries (with more tan 50% muslims) do you know?
Alright, let me just make a few points: Freestuff didn't say that Turkey is ruled under Islamic law. He said that the majority of the country has Islamic sharia law mentality. While I don't agree with this completely but anyways. We are not talking about other Muslim countries, we are talking about Turkey. I mostly agree with Will here. Turkey is a Muslim country because most Turks are Muslims. But, the county has never been rules by the Islamic laws since the day of its establishment. Just the fact that EU is even considering Turkey as its potential member means that there is something much different about Turkey.
Turkey still has a long way to go - This countries government is still not letting it's journalists having freedom of expression in their writings on political matters. A country such as this is not the kind of country the EU should accept.
How did you come up with this? I live in Turkey and I know this better than you. Our many well known newspapers are sometimes criticizing our prime minister with a hard language, they even kid with him once with caricatures. In fact most of the newspapers are against to current government, and using their media power as hard as they can. I don't think there is something else that can be more free than this, if you know what I mean.
Jawash Jawash You may be a Turk and live in Turkiye but that is not enough for you to say "And i know this better then you..." LOL, in this particular matter though. Orhan Pamuk is perhaps someone that did not get your attention? If it not was for the desire to be part of the European Union the trial would not been halted as you can see. An image of the BBC article that speaks volumes, these Turkish journalists don't express themself like this because it's carnaval A more recent event where two Turkish professors charged with inciting hatred and enmity� in a report they wrote on minority rights in Turkey.... Or what about these columnists that had to go on trial? Is there something else that can get more free then THIS Leet? Your country still have to evolve in a MORE democratic society then it is today. And please don't say that it already IS because these type of changes do not occur under one year. Time will tell...
I didn't say we were completely democratic. The message above was for only about freedom of our media. And I still think the same..
The above examples IS the MEDIA Leet and the TOPIC was the media! You said: The question clearly indicates how i come up with this idea that journalist thus the Media does not hold full freedom of speech in Turkey. I provided the evidence and it looks like you want to ignore it. Or would you want us to believe that Newspapers aren't part of the media I'm very curious how you would like to respond to this. The newspapers (Media) in Turkey are completely free right? You still believe the Press in your country is free? I know what you mean but sadly this is not in Turkiye arkadaÅŸ There can be consequences as you can see. Do you really still think the same after reading the FACTS on freedom of speech in Turkey Leet?