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Understanding the protests in Turkey

Steve

Well-known member
over the years there has been a real concern that the formerly democratic, secular, constitutional republic. was voting itself into an Islamic totalitarian country that would someday usher in a stria based goverment...

.. that day has come...

"As of now we have no tolerance for them."

not a very nice way to talk about your citizens.. but then again.. many are protesting an elected "dictator"

Turkish protesters challenge authoritarian rule, Islamic law

Striking workers flooded into Istanbul's Taksim Square on day six of protests Wednesday as unions helped lead a major action in the capital of Ankara. Taksim demonstrators issued a list of six demands to the government, hoping that the involvement of hundreds of thousands of strikers across the country would apply pressure to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip and the government.

Throughout the week, protesters have squared off against police forces clad in riot gear, navigating streams of tear gas and water cannons

The protest began on May 28 as a peaceful demonstration against plans to clear out Gezi Park, one of the city’s last remaining green grounds, in order to build a shopping mall modeled after 19th-century Ottoman barracks. It then escalated into a violent nationwide clash between the people and the government

Protesters say the Turkish government, under the control of Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP), which came to power in 2002, is becoming increasingly authoritarian, “trying to impose conservative Islamic values on the officially secular country and infringe on their personal freedoms,” the BBC reported.

Turkish restlessness over the recent direction of the country’s politics has gradually intensified as the AKP has “slowly strangled all opposition,” and “become the textbook case of a hollow democracy,”

In the last decade of rule, Erdogan successfully expanded education, health and housing, and has helped to boost Turkey into a regional power — advancements which allowed him to win three consecutive general elections, with a higher percentage of the popular vote each time. He took more than 47 percent of the vote in his last two elections

Through the uprising, Turkish officials are asking how a government that received almost 50 percent of the vote can be authoritarian.

Experts say social apprehension began with Erdogan and the AKP trying to replace the Turkish Constitution of 1982 with a newly drafted constitution

Coercive measures to quell dissent in Turkey include frequent arrests of journalists, penalization of companies for disagreeing with the government and curtailing of public freedom of expression.

Secular protests began in 2007, pressuring Erdogan not to run in presidential elections because of his Islamist background. In 2008 parliament approved constitutional amendments to allow women to wear headscarves in universities, inciting even more secular outrage. In 2010, a referendum backing amendments to increase parliamentary control over the military and judiciary were seen as an “attempt by the pro-Islamic government to appoint sympathetic judges.”

Turkey’s new alcohol law restricts the sale of alcohol after 10 p.m., limits advertising and bans new liquor licenses from any establishments within 100 meters of mosques and schools.

Opposition of the legislation notwithstanding, the law was written, debated and passed in only two weeks, with Erdogan telling critics they should just drink at home.

how could an elected administration be so totalitarian? ,.. ram through legislation that was decisive, target journalists and companies by using the power of the goverment? and still not expect a violent backlash?

what drink at home... no watering holes? what kind of god-forsaken country is that...

and the Obama administration is shocked..
"We continue to have serious concerns about the reports of excessive use of force by police and large numbers of injuries and damage to property, and welcome calls for these events to be investigated," White House press secretary Jay Carney said Monday.

Later in the day,.. Obama appointed Fethullah Gulen to investigate the claims of brutality among the protestors.. :? :???: :shock:



just something to think about as they crush the "protestors" over the next few weeks...
 

Steve

Well-known member
oh and while it you are thinking about the investigation.. consider a "cleric who lives here and is considered by the administration as a voice of moderation in Turkey..


The case quickly became among the most prominent of dozens of prosecutions that critics say are being driven by the followers of Mr. Gulen, 70, a charismatic preacher who leads one of the most influential Islamic movements in the world, with millions of followers and schools in 140 countries. He has long advocated tolerance, peace and interfaith dialogue, drawing on the traditions of Sufism, a mystical strain of Islam generally viewed as being moderate.

But the movement’s stealthy expansion of power — as well as its tactics and lack of transparency — is now drawing accusations that Mr. Gulen’s supporters are using their influence in Turkey’s courts and police and intelligence services to engage in witch hunts against opponents with the aim of creating a more conservative Islamic Turkey. Critics say the agenda is threatening the government’s democratic credentials just as Turkey steps forward as a regional power.

“We are troubled by the secretive nature of the Gulen movement, all the smoke and mirrors,” said a senior American official, who requested anonymity to avoid breaching diplomatic protocol. “It is clear they want influence and power. We are concerned there is a hidden agenda to challenge secular Turkey and guide the country in a more Islamic direction.”

With its extensive influence in the media and a small army of grass-roots supporters, the Gulen movement has provided indispensable support to the conservative, Islam-inspired government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Some officials and analysts suspect that some elements within the Gulen movement have served as a stalking-horse for the government, which has benefited, too, as the Gulen-affiliated media have attacked common opponents and backed trials that Mr. Erdogan has publicly supported.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/25/world/middleeast/turkey-feels-sway-of-fethullah-gulen-a-reclusive-cleric.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
 

Steve

Well-known member
I found it interesting that one of the key leaders in turning Turkey, a former secular constitutional republic into just another islamic state.. lives in the US,... and runs a bunch of charter schools taxpayers are funding.. schools with a goal of ... spreading Turkish language and culture..


The movement is well known for running a network of schools lauded for their academic rigor and commitment to spreading Turkish language and culture
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/07/education/07charter.html

In 1999 Gülen emigrated to the United States for medical treatment,[13] though arguably it was in anticipation of being tried over remarks (aired after his emigration to US) which seemed to favor an Islamic state.[14] In June 1999, after Gulen had left Turkey video tapes were sent to some Turkish TV stations with recordings of Gulen saying, "the existing system is still in power. Our friends who have positions in legislative and administrative bodies should learn its details and be vigilant all the time so that they can transform it and be more fruitful on behalf of Islam in order to carry out a nationwide restoration. However, they should wait until the conditions become more favorable. In other words, they should not come out too early."
 

hypocritexposer

Well-known member
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSwhite-house-black-flag2.jpg
 

iwannabeacowboy

Well-known member
Steve said:
I found it interesting that one of the key leaders in turning Turkey, a former secular constitutional republic into just another islamic state.. lives in the US,... and runs a bunch of charter schools taxpayers are funding.. schools with a goal of ... spreading Turkish language and culture..


The movement is well known for running a network of schools lauded for their academic rigor and commitment to spreading Turkish language and culture
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/07/education/07charter.html

In 1999 Gülen emigrated to the United States for medical treatment,[13] though arguably it was in anticipation of being tried over remarks (aired after his emigration to US) which seemed to favor an Islamic state.[14] In June 1999, after Gulen had left Turkey video tapes were sent to some Turkish TV stations with recordings of Gulen saying, "the existing system is still in power. Our friends who have positions in legislative and administrative bodies should learn its details and be vigilant all the time so that they can transform it and be more fruitful on behalf of Islam in order to carry out a nationwide restoration. However, they should wait until the conditions become more favorable. In other words, they should not come out too early."

I find it interesting that children can't pray in school, but down town Oklahoma City has a charter school that is a publicly funded school of Islam. It is where mooselums send their kids. From the outside, it doesn't look like a normal school building. I figured if there was one here, the east coast and Michigan were probably full of them.
 

hypocritexposer

Well-known member
iwannabeacowboy said:
Steve said:
I found it interesting that one of the key leaders in turning Turkey, a former secular constitutional republic into just another islamic state.. lives in the US,... and runs a bunch of charter schools taxpayers are funding.. schools with a goal of ... spreading Turkish language and culture..


The movement is well known for running a network of schools lauded for their academic rigor and commitment to spreading Turkish language and culture
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/07/education/07charter.html

In 1999 Gülen emigrated to the United States for medical treatment,[13] though arguably it was in anticipation of being tried over remarks (aired after his emigration to US) which seemed to favor an Islamic state.[14] In June 1999, after Gulen had left Turkey video tapes were sent to some Turkish TV stations with recordings of Gulen saying, "the existing system is still in power. Our friends who have positions in legislative and administrative bodies should learn its details and be vigilant all the time so that they can transform it and be more fruitful on behalf of Islam in order to carry out a nationwide restoration. However, they should wait until the conditions become more favorable. In other words, they should not come out too early."

I find it interesting that children can't pray in school, but down town Oklahoma City has a charter school that is a publicly funded school of Islam. It is where mooselums send their kids. From the outside, it doesn't look like a normal school building. I figured if there was one here, the east coast and Michigan were probably full of them.

Heck, you can't even have anything resembling a prayer, hanging on the walls, in a public school.
 

Steve

Well-known member
iwannabeacowboy said:
Steve said:
I found it interesting that one of the key leaders in turning Turkey, a former secular constitutional republic into just another islamic state.. lives in the US,... and runs a bunch of charter schools taxpayers are funding.. schools with a goal of ... spreading Turkish language and culture..

I find it interesting that children can't pray in school, but down town Oklahoma City has a charter school that is a publicly funded school of Islam. It is where mooselums send their kids. From the outside, it doesn't look like a normal school building. I figured if there was one here, the east coast and Michigan were probably full of them.

locally in south jersey there are not alot of charter schools.. most are in north jersey..

this one stood out on the list...
The Barack Obama Green Charter High School
http://www.nj.gov/cgi-bin/education/charter/charter2.pl?string=agencycode=80-6033&maxhits=1000

maybe they have an islamic school with solar panels that don't work...

it seems most of the charter schools do not have islamic sounding names or curriculum
Dana Teegardin's son was enrolled at Fulton Science Academy for three years before she stumbled across an online article connecting the Alapharetta middle school to an Islamic movement emanating from Turkey.

"The principal said ‘We have no organic connection to the movement,'" said Teegardin, of Roswell.

Tuesday, the Fulton County School Board released a highly critical audit of FSA Middle School. District administrators have also denied the school's application to renew its charter.

FSA Middle School operates in concert with two other Fulton charter schools, an elementary school and a high school. The three campuses are part of a nationwide trend that began with Turkish-run private schools in New Jersey and Brooklyn in the 1990s and rapidly grew with an emphasis on charter schools in the early 2000s. More than 130 Gulen movement-affiliated charter schools now operate in 26 states and Washington, D.C.

Harmony Schools, collectively managed by the Cosmos Foundation, is the biggest network, with 36 schools across Texas. Others are run by such groups as Concept Schools, which has more than two dozen charter schools in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, and Magnolia Schools in California.

American schools influenced by the Gulen movement have no official connection to one another, experts say. Instead, they are part of a massive global social network of faith-based organizations, businesses, and schools run by Turks.

they seem to not want to alarm the public and keep their agenda quiet for now..

the lists show 8 schools in New Jersey

New Jersey (5)

Bergen Arts and Science Charter School http://bergencharter.org
Central Jersey College Prep http://njcollegeprep.com/
Passaic Arts and Science Charter School (Elementary) http://passaiccharter.org/elementary/
Paterson Charter School For Science And Technology http://www.pcsst.org/
Thomas Edison EnergySmart Charter School http://energysmartschool.org

New Jersey
Pioneer Academy of Science http://www.pioneeracademy.org

New Jersey
Nile Language School http://www.nilelanguage.com/
United Career Institute http://ucinstitute.us

This list is not complete. We are constantly adding to it.

to see how many are in your state..
for example Texas has 48.. 43 publicly funded.. and 5 private schools
http://turkishinvitations.weebly.com/list-of-us-schools.html
and private schools..
http://turkishinvitations.weebly.com/private-gulen-schools.html


around the world..
http://turkishinvitations.weebly.com/every-continent-but-antarctica.html
 

Steve

Well-known member
Heck, you can't even have anything resembling a prayer, hanging on the walls, in a public school.

from what I read they do not "openly" teach islam,.. instead they teach about the "cultures" favorably..
 

iwannabeacowboy

Well-known member
Yep, it is on the list- Dove Science Academy- Oklahoma City.


"Dove Science Academy is run by a charitable non-profit organization called Sky Foundation. Sky Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to high quality in education. It was established in Stillwater, Oklahoma in 1999. Sky Foundation promotes science, mathematics, and educational technology in school environments. Founders of Sky Foundation are educators from distinguished universities such as the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University."

Notice how it is tied to "educators" from universities.
 

S.S.A.P.

Well-known member
My computer has been hi-jacked I guess :shock:
Did anyone click on the Obama school web site link?
http://www.obamagreencharterhigh.org/

... the web site using that name, opens a page called "Using Insurance for Securing Your Life" :lol:
 

Steve

Well-known member
S.S.A.P. said:
My computer has been hi-jacked I guess :shock:
Did anyone click on the Obama school web site link?
http://www.obamagreencharterhigh.org/

... the web site using that name, opens a page called "Using Insurance for Securing Your Life" :lol:

they must know from data collection that you are a conservative..

as for BO green schools.. We have one in New Jersey...

http://www.nj.gov/cgi-bin/education/charter/charter2.pl?string=agencycode=80-6033&maxhits=1000

The mission of The Barack Obama Green Charter High School is to prepare students to become informed, engaged and independent critical thinkers and to inspire leaders for sustainable development with a focus on our environment. Students will be educated in a school community that fosters high expectations for both achievement and conduct and facilitates clear connections between the curriculum, the community and the world.
http://obamagreencharterhigh.sharpschool.net/_affiliates_and_supporters

Why is it that when a liberal claims to be independent,.. they all turn out to be like a cult in lockstep with their dear leader?
 

texoman

Member
iwannabeacowboy said:
Yep, it is on the list- Dove Science Academy- Oklahoma City.


"Dove Science Academy is run by a charitable non-profit organization called Sky Foundation. Sky Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to high quality in education. It was established in Stillwater, Oklahoma in 1999. Sky Foundation promotes science, mathematics, and educational technology in school environments. Founders of Sky Foundation are educators from distinguished universities such as the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University."

Notice how it is tied to "educators" from universities.


I am absolutely speechless. I have lived within 2 hrs of OKC for many years and had no idea. I even lived in Stillwater for several years. How does this happen in such an ag-oriented town, or freaking state for that matter? It has been a very long time since I have been shocked by something other than a fence, but I feel like I stuck a screwdriver in a light socket right now.[/quote]
 

Mike

Well-known member
The stealth jihad plan for the West was enunciated by a top Muslim Brotherhood operative in the United States, Mohamed Akram, who explained that the Brotherhood “must understand that their work in America is a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and ‘sabotaging’ its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated and Allah’s religion is made victorious over all other religions.”
 
Akram’s directive came in a Muslim Brotherhood memorandum from May 22, 1991, entitled “An Explanatory Memorandum on the General Strategic Goal for the Group in North America.” In that document, Akram laid out a plan to conquer and Islamize the United States -- as a stepping stone toward the larger goal of ultimately establishing “the global Islamic state.”

In America, Akram explained, it would be extremely difficult to promote Islam by means of terror attacks. Thus the Brotherhood’s priority would be to "settle" Islam and the Brotherhood movement in the United States -- by way of Islamic organizations posing as civil-rights groups -- so that the Muslim faith would be incrementally accepted and "enabled within the souls, minds and the lives of the people of the country."
 

Steve

Well-known member
texoman said:
iwannabeacowboy said:
Yep, it is on the list- Dove Science Academy- Oklahoma City.


"Dove Science Academy is run by a charitable non-profit organization called Sky Foundation. Sky Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to high quality in education. It was established in Stillwater, Oklahoma in 1999. Sky Foundation promotes science, mathematics, and educational technology in school environments. Founders of Sky Foundation are educators from distinguished universities such as the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University."

Notice how it is tied to "educators" from universities.


I am absolutely speechless. I have lived within 2 hrs of OKC for many years and had no idea. I even lived in Stillwater for several years. How does this happen in such an ag-oriented town, or freaking state for that matter? It has been a very long time since I have been shocked by something other than a fence, but I feel like I stuck a screwdriver in a light socket right now.
the list is not a complete list... but...

Oklahoma (4)

Charter holder: Sky Foundation
Management organization: Cosmos Foundation/Harmony Public Schools

Discovery School of Tulsa http://www.discoveryok.org/
Dove Science Academy- Oklahoma City http://www.dsaokc.org/
Dove Science Academy Elementary School http://www.dsaelementary.org/
Dove Science Academy-Tulsa http://dsatulsa.org/

Oklahoma (2)
Organization: Raindrop Turkish House http://raindropturkevi.org/tulsa/
Bluebonnet Learning Center of Tulsa http://www.bluebonnetlearningcenter.com/

with six schools already opened,.. it is likely they will be working on opening more..

but that is nothing compared to the number in Texas.. or Ohio
 
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