Teacher shares lessons learned in Turkey

Daily Herald ^ | 12/17/2001 | Erin Holmes

[a_Turk]

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[a_Turk]

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[a_Turk]

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[a_Turk]

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[Libertarianize the GOP]

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[crazykatz]

Pure propaganda and agi-prop.....liberal school teacher kisses turkish @$$!!

SOOOoooo, What else is new for liberals....they will ki$$ @$$ anytime it suits their needs for all that "diversity" crap!

[a_Turk]

Pure propaganda and agi-prop

No it isn't... Yes it is.... No it isn't.... Yes it is........

So nice to be able to count on your worthy observations. Won't you please never spare us the pleasure.

[Tailback]

Hmmmm...I was stationed in Turkey for a year back in 87-88. It was the best year I had in the army, I made many friends and saw some absolutely fantastic places while over there. The Turks were the most friendly people I met overseas with the possible exception of the Danes.

[AppyPappy]

With all due respect, Turkey is the most Westernized of the Islamic countries. It's hardly a fair representation.

[a_Turk]

It's hardly a fair representation

So what do we gotto do to be fair Pappy? Ain't it true that everybody's got one (a-ho that is)? You touched on a subject that could be discussed at great length. What, would you say, is a fair representation of *western* culture? aids? HS condom stores? Or maybe the Boston Philharmonic? The Mormon Tabernacle? Should we, like some Arabs, concentrate solely on the crap? Shouldn't we consider the whole spectrum?

Know what I mean?

[Malesherbes]

In the year I spent in Turkey, living in Izmir and Adana, and travelling regularly to Ankara, I was always treated with the greatest courtesy, and often with extraordinary kindness. The writer is right, the food is great (and so is the beer, e.g. Efes Pilsen,)the culture is deep, and the country is fascinating.

An anecdote: my wife and I were living in an apartment in Adana during an election. Two people from the Welfare Party, a party that might be termed fundamentalist, came to the door to solicit votes. When the saw my wife, an obvious westerner who spoke only a few words of Turkish, they smiled, handed her a rose, and went away.

[Mortimer Snavely]

The author writes his article in an historical vacuum, and seems not to realize that he went to a country where Islam is actively suppressed by the government. Neither does he mention that he travelled to a NATO country. It is not instructive to portray Turkey as anything less than a member of the NATO alliance, and it's just plain silly to lead folks to believe that it's a "typical" Middle-Eastern country.

It would've been a better article had he gone to a Taksim college crowd watering hole and watched strange youths drinking too much, with abrasive rock bands on stage and poorly illuminated posters and decorations on the walls. Or he could've just gone to Bodrum for a look at some "typical" Islamic sea-side resort bar and nightclub action.

The purpose of this article was to generate sentimental sympathy for Islamic society by portraying a secular democracy as Islamic. This is either the result of ignorance, which is what I suspect, or deliberate disinformation, which may be what the editors had in mind. He could've written a "what we're fighting for" kind of article, showing Turkey on the frontline against Islamic weirdness; instead Turkey is portrayed as Islamic herself. That's something that can't be left unchallenged.

[Ray'sBeth]

All right, you guys. You've finally done it. You've broken me out of my years of lurking--years of luking before even registering, and months of lurking without posting. Now I'm ready to learn how and ready to brave the storm.

The teacher in this article is my friend. He's absolutely genuine and very deeply committed to helping people learn about other countries. Crazykatz, I'm very sad that you decided to judge him so quickly, call him names, and insult him. He truly tries to help his students understands other people. I'm really proud of the fact that he decided to go there even in the midst of all the turmoil at the time, and you all will have the opportunity to see the show in a few months if you so desire.

[a_Turk]

instead Turkey is portrayed as Islamic herself. That's something that can't be left unchallenged.

You have a point. We are for the most part, however, Muslims for sure.

I never could get the meaning of the word "Islamic." Would the Christian equivalent be "Christianic?"

I did argue an American college professor I had on whether Turkey should be called a Muslim country. I contended that it should be called a secular country. We argued. Then when I cockily asked if then we should characterize the USA as a Christian country, he very matter-of-factly said "Yes!"

Does Muslim and Islamic mean the same thing? If not, then what is the Christian equivalent characterization of Islamic?

[crazykatz]

I have been to Turkey... Istanbul,actually...it stinks worse than a sewer and the people that I saw and met, were NOT WESTERN AT ALL.

The service rendered in our SUPPOSED 4 star hotel was so poor and lacking in courtesy that I thought for awhile I was in cheap hotel in Paris!!

I am so glad that I had to be there for ONLY a week....it was such a rotten experience, that I have come to PREFER PARISIANS to Turks, ANY DAY....even if they share the same NON-DEODORANT policy as do the French....at LEAST THE FOOD IS GOOD IN FRANCE!!

If somebody offered me a FREE trip to Turkey .....I would laugh in their face!!

Turkey has a long way to go before it can be called the most European of all islamic countries.....A LONGgggggg WAY!!!

[LarryLied]

He truly tries to help his students understands other people.

Oh geezzz...

[dandelion]

My father, who worked in Turkey in the late 1970's, was absolutely impressed with the people there. Completely hospitable and helpful, quite mindful of the needs of visitors. If half of what he experienced 20 years ago still stands today, the teacher is telling the truth.

[dandelion]

BUMP for truth; there are good people in the world! In Turkey, the native name for their country is "Anatola" - Land of Good Mothers. How beautiful to think that it may still be true - in all this world, there is a place where their greatest treasure is their "good mothers"!

Welcome in from lurking, Ray'sBeth...

[crazykatz]

I do not care if he is trying to pave the way to _____ with those good intentions of "DIVERSITY TRAINING"...Turkey is a rotten backwater country that I absolutely cannot stand. I HAVE BEEN THERE too! Have you????

If he is your friend....good for you....are you a liberal "diversity" freak too?????