EUOBSERVER - The European Commission has condemned a French parliament vote in support of a law criminalising denial that Armenians suffered genocide by the Ottoman Turks, saying the move is likely to hinder open dialogue on Armenia in would-be EU member state Turkey.
Erkan is a Ph.D candidate at the Anthropology Department of Rice University and a teaching assistant at the Media and Communication Systems Department of Istanbul Bilgi University.
He writes an enjoyable, intelligent blog that is full of information and occasionally includes his thoughts on political events as they occur around him. His blog is very much about his dissertation thesis project on Turkish journalism and the European Union (EU).
This morning, it occured to me that he is an important barometer for Turkish feeling because by virtue of his thesis and his position amongst Turkish intellectuals and media, he can be deemed a voice of reason ... someone who is very much parcitipating in a culture under attack by many European countries ...
When he loses heart, be sure that many others lost heart before him.
Today I discovered that he had written of the recent farce in France ... it's worth reading if you are truly interested in a voice that isn't composed of media spin ... a voice that says, 'Hey we're human just like you and this is how your sad little political games affect the reality of our lives' ...
He writes: Today has been a sad day. Not always do I get sad with broader political happenings around me as I am quite used to politics by now, but I can't help being upset this time. And many people around me seem to be upset.
Anger turned into a kind of despair. A national parliament of a very significant country explicitly takes aim at Turkey. Despite all threats of sanctions, most of the Turks know that they are helpless.
This French arrogance at such an highest level will go unpunished. In our bohemian circle in a super smoky café, our chitchat agenda during card playing was that the West has no standards any more.
Whatever the Socialists of French parliaments babble, it is just too apparent that they serve for a very strong lobbying effort. If only I could believe in that they really aim to do something good in this life, I would be thinking more positively....
This situtation leads to well supported conspiracy theories in the mean time. Even in some intellectual circles some connect the Nobel prize and the parliament vote. Be like Mr. Pamuk and get rewarded otherwise you are condemned...
Who can sto p the anti-western, anti-EU feelings now?
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