Thursday, September 21, 2006
Sometimes i wonder if Turkey is ready for the EU
Given this case. I am of the view that Turkey should not be allowed into the EU, until it deals with it's responablity's to the past. In this case, the genocide that took place in Armenia.
Nationalist's deny it took place and that to say Turkish ancestors were killers etc is wrong and that while the West may take that line, Turkey should not. We in Europe have faced upto the Holocaust and have taken steps to prevent that sort of mass murder from happening again in Europe. The most obvious step from that process would be the EU itself.
So i'm at odds with Turkey entering the EU, while some Turkish people want to ignore what happend. It may well have been nearly a century since that event took place, but the past has a way of biting you in the backside, unless it's dealt with. So the case against this artist/author collapsed. But i don't believe it merited a case in the first place. Art is there to challenge your ideas and perceptions of the world. It is sometimes uncomfortable, but i think an important part of any culture. If you repress the arts, you repress freedom of thought. And that leads to stagnation and decline.
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8 comments:
I've opposed Turkeys involvement in the E.U.. for a while now.
I know this will sound INCREDIBLY stupid, but I don't remember why.
I have been to Istanbul and what I have seen of Turkey (though it is a narrow, but positive view, like judging America by viewing only the nicest areas of NYC) I have enjoyed. Of course I have seen the historical sites of Istanbul and only glanced at the poorer areas between the airport and the historic site. I do admit my fondness for Turkey is more related to how much history is there.
I do agree that Turkey has much to answer for, though I look forward to the day that they are in the EU, but I realize the steps must be earned. Turkey is economically in the mostly unfree index, and I think the first step is to advance to the mostly free index, and strive for being as economically free as Ireland, which will be a great feat.
I woudl support giving Turkey some kind of probationary initiate status in the EU as an incentive to become EU worthy, and I should also learn more about the EU to determine what constitutes EU-worthiness.
I think if Turkey can meet these goals and perhaps if say Morrocco and Tunisia start on a similar path, a gradual process can be laid out for reform and liberalization in the Middle East, and showing, through a gradual process transforming the Medieval to the Victorian, and keeping Victorian fashions as they progress further :)
You are talking as if being part of the EU is
a) a good thing and
b) requires certain moral standards
In fact:
- Turkey will never be allowed to join whatever they do, because French et al really hate Muslisms.
- It is better to be outside the EU SSR than within. Swiss and Norwegians seem to do just fine.
- If any morality whatsoever were to be required of the members, France wouldn't be a founding member.
""""- Turkey will never be allowed to join whatever they do, because French et al really hate Muslisms.""""
Good.
madbadturk:
I am curious - why would you vote against EU membership?
Shlemazl:
I agree with you 100%.
Being English i don't trust the French political elite as far as i can throw them. Not to say that all French people are bad, we have a common history after all.
The EU as an idea is a good one. It's just that the reality of the EU is a bad one. The political elite of Europe are pressing ahead with the federal europe plan. Even though the French people rejected the EU constitution (sp?). Though i'm in no doubt that a future Tory government in the UK would pull the UK out of the EU.
As for Turkey i think it would probably do better by staying out of the EU. It is the bridge between the west and the east.
Nice blog!
gayofsun:
Thanks!
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