Column: State mind in fight with Europe

Kemal ÖztürkBY: Kemal Öztürk*

Let’s grasp the severity of the situation.

These are not the reactions of minority racists and populist politicians alone.These incidents will not remain limited merely to the Netherlands, Austria and Germany.

The bans will not stop at restricting politicians from holding rallies and organizing meetings.

This tension will not end once the elections are over this year; they are going to continue for a long time.

So, the matter is not limited to our referendum period or the elections in the Netherlands and Germany.

It is not over.

Europe’s outburst of hatred is not a fleeting one, it is characteristic. It is not scientific but emotional. It is not a kind of hatred that is developed afterwards, but one that exists from birth.

Also, this is not a reaction toward the Turks alone, but toward all Muslims. Not only toward Muslims either, to all foreigners who are not from among their own kind.

We are talking about an incident that has spread to vast masses across all of Europe, that has been gradually stirring and long brewing.

In my opinion, this is the issue in a nutshell.

State mind, individual rights

There is case we are entirely right about here: Europe is discriminating and being racist, it is fueling the hate discourse and breaking the law. In other words, it is actually committing a crime.

Let us also note the violence committed by the Netherlands using horses and dogs.

But how will we react toward this? We have actually been showing all kinds of reaction the last few days.

Here, we need to separate the reactions into two:

  1. Reactions shown with the state mind.
  2.  Reactions that are individual rights.

The state mind works differently. Statesmen also speak differently. Citizens like us speak their mind, react as they wish, are blunt and do not give any thought to their position. But the state and statesmen cannot behave in this way. They have liabilities and responsibilities on their shoulders.

Okay, we might show a slightly emotional reaction – for the sake of the referendum – against the events that took place in Europe. However, the state mind makes long-term plans, thinks big and helps its country overcome a crisis with the least damage and greatest profit.

The president’s projection

As I was thinking all this and annoying myself, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gave me relief with a statement he made during his speech the previous day.

“We are going to call to account through law those responsible for what they did to us. We will certainly show those who think they can get away with a simple apology just how wrong they are. The steps taken yesterday and following steps will continue. We – and particularly the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) – are going to further intensify the fight against xenophobia, racism and Islamophobia.

This issue is no longer Turkey’s issue. This fascism is negatively affecting all foreigners living in Europe. I remind all my brothers and sisters in my country of this.

I see the OIC’s support message as the right step. Turkey has the strength and means to ruin all kinds of challenges and dirty schemes.

This is exactly what we have to do.

The issue is no longer Turkey’s issue. It is a problem that will have serious impact on the Muslim world, followed by all foreigners living in the U.S. and Europe.

So, we need to tell everybody willing to listen about this danger, include the matter on the world’s agenda and then develop strategies and form alliances.

We can experience a new Andalusia

I wouldn’t want to be pessimistic. But Europe will not stop here with the racist hate discourse embedded in its genetics. Sometime later, it will start to first impose economic then physical sanctions against those who are not from among their own kind.

This matter has already started to be implemented in an even harsher manner in the U.S. in the hands of someone as aggressive as President Donald Trump. The executive order imposing a ban for six Muslim countries has been re-issued. Unfortunately there has been no new reaction against this. Soon, they will be increasing the number of countries, broadening the bans and introducing tighter executions.

The European Union has an approximate population of 496 million. As many as 6 percent of this population, approximately 25 million, are Muslims. There are 8 million Muslims living in the U.S. The theory of the racist movement wreaking havoc is the West is to kick out these people from Europe and the U.S., and make their lands “Muslim-free.” As they did in Andalusia.

Now, we are in a position to see the situation clearer and make plans accordingly.

While the state mind is taking care of this, there will be many to crack a “tulip” joke to the Dutch prime minister, don’t you worry.

*Kemal Öztürk is a Turkish columnist. He writes for Yeni Şafak Turkish newspaper

     (Published in Yeni Şafak daily newspaper on Thursday, March. 16, 2017)