Through that saying, you reveal you’re not aware of the real meaning of latitude of thought or freedom of speech. Freedom of speech in democracy does not mean unrestricted freedom. If you attempt to seriously insult others (like burning a flag, hatred speech, etc..), then you are breaking and interfering with their rights. This is where freedom of speech ends and the others’ rights come into the picture.

Since you’re living in prosperity, you cannot even imagine the ardous and tough circumstances under which your ancestors struggled to establish the country and acquired the national flag. You are also not even aware of how many millions of people had to die to acquire that flag, which mainly symbolizes indepencedence. So burning that flag would be a rather contemptible way of disrespecting your ancestors and their great effort. I would expect you to also think this way rather than giving a completely superficial justification based on the freedom of speech.

some of this state of mind is attributable to the ottoman-breakup trauma which has not been healed in turkish society and some of it is consciously solicited by the military and bureaucracy through education, conscription etc.

how this can/will be healed i have no idea.

i’m turkish for the record.

Seems like there was quite a debate going on here. Have no idea how i came across this site.

Personally, for those of you who took the time in reading this crap. I know you all have absolutely no sense of Unity nor respect. Especially you gutter mouth above.

You sit there and use foul language, it shows ur angry? or maybe that you are a revolting person who knows only what he/she thinks is the answer to a topic u know nothing about..
your statement: “After the disguisting and in-humane actions of turkey during the years of 1915-1918 towards the Armenian people I think that the turkish flag should be burned”.
Firstly everyone should have their say/opinion, each to their own i believe, but you who is weak should not! Turkey just like every country on this gods given earth has a flag. You think or feel the importance of revealing the love and respect of one country is impractical or is ridiculous for making an issue about the flag which has value, history, love and identity.
War is heartbreaking, words can not explain the effect war has upon all.
Your bringing up the history here, the past is the past. Move forward and stop being so vengeful! You sound pathetic and weak. Stop living in the history, incase you haven’t noticed theres more shit to worry about in the present.
I assume your talking of experience and are from the years 1915-1918,in which you feel “the in-humane actions of turkey” were applied
You know nothing about honor, self-importance, harmony, u especially do not know RESPECT. Just broaden your mind with nonsense cause people like you will think only that.

I think what Joe means just is that forbidding the burning of the national flag doesn’t solve the problem. Also I think he sees it more as ‘freedom of speech’ restriction.

I personally don’t agrea with this vieuw, but I think he has the right to say what he thinks.
He’s sincere. When he critizises Turkish internal affairs it’s not like he strives to install anti-Turkish feelings into his readers.
He’s a friend of Turkey and has the right to speak, even if he does not agrea with the Turks.
I can understand some Turkish readers might be offended and think he touches affairs that are not his.
Because:
Joe lives like a foreigner in Turkiye,
(it’s his right)But it can only be his personal choice if he wants to live with a Turkish heart.
But simple as an ‘outsider’, he also has to accept then that some Turkish readers might speak up and critisize what he touches uppon is not his affair. If they’re friendly remarks I think that’s okay.

But they should understand that people who critisize may also do it because they seek to be convinsed. They seek good counter-arguments. I do the same thing to my Turkish friends. In the end I understand more deeply how Turks think and their position.

I believe Joe is good person, and certainly has no malecious intentions, and wants only good things for Turkiye. But being from Australia he might not understand some cultural differences and values at first.

He looks at Turkey from his own foreign perspective.
He has different moral values, education and background.
He shouldn’t force his ideas to others. However I don’t think his blog could be interpreted this way. This is not a place of anti-turkish propaganda.

I think Turks generally should find it interesting to read his blog from his own perspective. This is freedom of speech and is good for the country.

In Turkiye, insulting is not a freedom, and it’s in this perspective I see the restriction on the liberty to burn national symbols. The opposite of being a ‘restriction on freedom of speech’. Like I guess that is how Joe has seen it.