'You were Charlie, you were Paris. Will you be Ankara?’ post is widely shared

[Kalis]

@Kalis
The problem with the term ME is its a bit vague. ME often refers to region with colonized/underdeveloped nations in West Asia and North Africa. Turkish people do not consider themselves to be in ME due to bad annotation carried with the term and since Middle East's reference point is Europe, Near East is nearer than Middle East. I am not arguing the contemporary use by the way.

English does not care what terms people use for themselves, or what terms they do not like to use for themselves, it is what it is. Turkey is in the Middle East, Cyprus is in the Middle East, they are in it whether or not they like it.

Near East and Middle East refer to the same thing, so saying Turkey is in the Near East is just the same as saying Turkey is in Western Asia, it is still the Middle East, no matter what you call it.

[Kuntantee]

@Kalis
It might be the case, as I mentioned, I do not argue the contemporary usage of the term.

[Acidbaron]

Considering how Erdogan is going about things, it's hard to bring up sympathy for the country. People effected yes, country nope.

Vote a dictator in power, expect these events to increase.

[Akakishin]

Considering how Erdogan is going about things, it's hard to bring up sympathy for the country. People effected yes, country nope.

Vote a dictator in power, expect these events to increase.

^^
You can't expect sympathy when the very president they voted, tries so hard to aoe taunt every country around them.

[Jessicka]

It's pretty sad that people are arguing over the semantics of Geography as to whether we should care or not; like it's okay to not give a shit because "They're only middle eastern, not European." Like that actually makes any difference that civilians going about their daily business were the target.

I'm no fan of Erdogan and his media censorship and slide toward despotism, nor his policies of escalation in regards to dealing with domestic terrorism, and certainly not his active support of IS and other Islamist groups in Syria. He is for me, very much a bad guy. It's that that makes this difficult to show support, for appearing to look like I'd be supporting him.

[Kalis]

It's pretty sad that people are arguing over the semantics of Geography as to whether we should care or not; like it's okay to not give a shit because "They're only middle eastern, not European."

Who is doing that?

[Belize]

I'd have empathy, if Turkey had had empathy for France.

Remember, they boo'd the minute of silence after the Paris attack. Oh well.

[Jessicka]

Who is doing that?

Quite a few people, which is why I didn't quote anyone specific.

[Akakishin]

I'm no fan of Erdogan and his media censorship and slide toward despotism, nor his policies of escalation in regards to dealing with domestic terrorism, and certainly not his active support of IS and other Islamist groups in Syria. He is for me, very much a bad guy. It's that that makes this difficult to show support, for appearing to look like I'd be supporting him.

How many turks you've met and talked to? about anything but spcly politics? normal ppl...

[Acidbaron]

How many turks you've met and talked to? about anything but spcly politics? normal ppl...

None of them i know here support his ideas, there are groups that do but they are simply following the populist nationalist rhetoric. Hardly what i would call the intelligent crowd since they'll eat up anything anti-PKK and follow blindly.

[Super Kami Dende]

I don't care as much, because it is Turkey. They basically let extremists chill in their country. France wasn't actively at war with the people who attacked them.

[Deleted]

How many turks you've met and talked to? about anything but spcly politics? normal ppl...

I've met a bunch through studying. They're really friendly, a bit like the polish and russian, strange but friendly. The ones i still talk with have moved away from Turkey, most live in the UK. They're all pretty angry at Erdogan and how the country has turned out.

[Akakishin]

None of them i know here support his ideas, there are groups that do but they are simply following the populist nationalist rhetoric. Hardly what i would call the intelligent crowd since they'll eat up anything anti-PKK and follow blindly.

I agree with you, yes, there are turks that don't support/like his ideas. But, one of the problems in middle eastern countries (and not just Turkey) is some kind of cultural behavior that forms around their nationalism. And in such culture they live, many of them (and I won't be wrong if I say most of them) hate other factions and races of the same region, for no reason, except that cultural feel they're surrounded with. It's really hard for me, as someone living among them, to have sympathy over nationalists in such level that makes me puke. I'd show my sympathy if I'm introduced with the actual families, but sympathy with Turkey or any other middle east country? no! I personally don't like nationalism tbh. And none of us should imho.

[Jessicka]

How many turks you've met and talked to? about anything but spcly politics? normal ppl...

I started to try to answer this, but then wondered what that has got to do with my opinion of Erdogan and his policies?

[caervek]

9 pages in and some people are still trying to deny Turkey is in the middle east, no wonder politicians can never get anything done lol.

[Akakishin]

I started to try to answer this, but then wondered what that has got to do with my opinion of Erdogan and his policies?

Relevancy is that his supporters are "The majority"! that says alot. 50% percent of them support him directly and half of the other half support someone if not worse, equal to him. Cool individual turkish friends that we all might have are the minority and even tho we might care about their safety or ppl like them, doesn't mean it should cover the country. It might look like a politic argument to you but it's the ppl that support parties. Caring about a country that is filled with extreme nationalists that support Erdogan or any other extremist should be something hard for all of us imho.

[GrinningMan]

[Deleted]

huge picture

There's a big debate about this with some people saying that sure, Twitter and Facebook wont help anyone, but before this age it's not like there were a large amount of more civil courage in people then it is today. So for it to be recognized instead of forgotten, i don't know why you would argue against that.

[Deleted]

The difference is that Turkey is an islamic state, with islamic values, with a government which supported islamic terrorism.

[Kuntantee]

I agree with you, yes, there are turks that don't support/like his ideas. But, one of the problems in middle eastern countries (and not just Turkey) is some kind of cultural behavior that forms around their nationalism.

Voa, wait there! Nationalism is far more prevelent and widespread in Europe. Claiming ME is more nationalis (safe for Armenia) is hilarious...Arabs put sectarian differences above national/ethnic differences. Kurds are half pan-Islamist and half pan-Kurdist. Iranians are different as they are composed of both Turks and Persians. I personally haven't seen an Iranian nationalist in my life but then I haven't talked with an Iranian from lower levels of their social strata. Turks are nationalist but it's a different form compared to what you have in Europe. Turkish nationalism is similar to what you cal Patriotism. You are pretty much clueless regarding both Turks and Europeans. I must add, the form of nationalism present in Europe is far more dangerous compared to its counterparts because it also involves racism.