Comments on: Beautiful Blog Post Responses http://joe.in/beautiful-blog-post-responses/ The Travel, Photo and Video Blog of Joe Taheny Wed, 24 Dec 2008 11:24:00 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2 By: Joe http://joe.in/beautiful-blog-post-responses/#comment-50 Wed, 24 Dec 2008 11:24:00 +0000 http://joe.in/?p=70#comment-50 Derya,
Thank you for your detailed and polite comment.

I agree that burning a country’s flag is immature. However, I believe that criminalising the burning (or other defacing) of a country’s flag is also immature.

The soldiers who fought for Australia against the invading Japanese and other enemies of wars past enabled Australians to enjoy the freedoms we currently enjoy. One of these is the freedom of expression. Burning one’s country’s flag in protest is, in my eyes, a legitimate form of this freedom.

Yes, Turkey’s geopolitics are very different to Australia’s. Despite this, the Turkish people should not be so willing to give up their freedoms in the name of nationalism.

Too many crimes in Turkey are committed in the name of nationalism or inspired by the nationalism whipped up by politicians and other public figures.

It is very easy to get people into line with nationalist slogans and implied threats. It is more difficult and not as media friendly to develop long term plans that address the real issues.

Turkey is not alone in this regard. Many nationalists in the West used to use communism as the bogeyman. Now the most common dog whistle is the threat of Islamic terrorism.

The level of nationalism in Turkey is extreme. All people in Turkey, not only the minorities, suffer from the loss of rights this nationalism brings.

I doubt this nationalism will change until Turkey experiences long term economic stability, leading to her economic relationships with neighbouring countries becoming too important to sacrifice in the name of nationalism.

]]> By: Anonymous http://joe.in/beautiful-blog-post-responses/#comment-51 Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:47:00 +0000 http://joe.in/?p=70#comment-51 Hey there you really know how to push the button of nationalists :))
Well What Can I say what he commented on burning flags, have to agree; not the way he swears or get upsets though, but while Turkey is surrounded by Iran, Syria and Iraq not the greatest countries after all:)) to be neighbor with, you have to teach your nation to be nationalist. Respecting whoever flags being thought in the schools, because it’s symbol of that nation, if you burn it they will take it offensive like swearing.
Give you a small story; When Greeks left Izmir after 1919 burning whole city behind (because they were upset) when Ataturk was entering Governor’s building they put Greek flag at the door way so Ataturk can walk over it to celebrate the victory, like Greeks did when first time they enter Izmir, walking over Turkish flag. But Ataturk asked them remove it and said; whoever your enemy is or soever but respect the nations flag.
Human rights and giving opinion shouldn’t be with burning flag of the nation. Burning flag is immature, or using young kids to protest is immature as they can not be arrested:)

Derya

]]>