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Originally Posted by hi_im_god
i'm not sure how restricting access to information on the armenian genocide or youtube video's contrary to the national legend about kemal ataturk winds up being interpreted as the reason a secular military establishment candidate lost to an islamist.
it took us 90 years from our founding to mention in our constitution that owning other people as property wasn't allowed. it was another 50 years after that before lacking a penis was no longer a good reason to stop you from voting. it was another 45 years after that before there was actual enforcement of voting rights for people other than caucasians in states where that seemed like a bad idea.
turkey is 90 years into an experiment where a complete autocracy has been introducing the idea that people should govern themselves.
people in established democracies sometimes imagine what they were born into happened overnight. it didn't. and it won't happen that way elsewhere.
turkey will need to deal with it's past. it'll probably struggle with the aremenian genocide the same way we still struggle with the aftermath of slavery in our society.
but they remain the best example of a secular democratic islamic society. i think you're premature in writing off that experiment. and i don't share your pessimism.
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I agree 100%. I know folks like to translate my viewing things with a historical perspective as an attempt to justify evil behavior...nothing could be further from the truth, evil is evil and must be confronted, evil doers can NEVER justify their behavior by pointing the finger at others, past or present BUT it isn't fair to expect instant democracy (what, just add blood and stir?) nor is it fair to single out one race, religion or culture as being "worse" than others simply because they are earlier in their evolutionary cycle and going through the same growing pains as others did in the past (therefore the historical perspective). Islam has far too many rules for my taste but then so does Christianity, Judaism and others...not attacking them ( no I am NOT anti-Christian, simply prefer another path), but rules often translate into law and failure to abide by said laws often leads to hate, fear and violence...today, it's a young woman being sentenced to lashes and jail for being raped, yesterday it was the Salem witch trials or the Inquisition...I think that instead of pointing fingers, we'd be better off if people of all faiths demonstrated a bit more tolerance and maybe even followed the basic beliefs of their chosen religion regarding same!