Who dares to call it the AKP?

-Published in Hurriyet Daily News on June 16th, 2009-
-Hurriyet Daily News'te, 16 Haziran 2009 Tarihinde Yayinlanmis Makalem-


http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/opinion/11872866.asp?yazarid=336&gid=260

Would you only wish to console the cheerleaders, backers and thus the liars, or to wrangle with the challengers and debaters, cavaliers? Today, sadly, powerful ones love to be surrounded by hollow-footed soldiers. The ones, who cannot tell the truth neither bellow the sappiness nor dare to object. However, leaders are one of us. Leader depends on us.

The one who speaks his/her mind anytime and anywhere. He/she is the one who can say "no," can stand up and argue. That is the one who can call it the way it is supposed to.

The other one, who always loves to abide, is willing to serve and please.

This one can disagree within only specified limits. S/he can only ask by the given length. This one can only call whatever name he or she is told to use.

Some can only follow the leader, love the leader, adore the leader.

Others watch the leader, question the leader, care for the leader.

Some only see the good sides, blind to perfection and strive to rationalize the leader’s inconceivable faux pas. Others, at least, weigh all sides, question the perfection and respect human nature with its fault lines.

Preferring one or the other makes you who you are.

You either desire to be with a ’yes’ man or to be challenged by a ’maybe’ man.

Would you only wish to console the cheerleaders, backers and thus the liars, or to wrangle with the challengers and debaters, cavaliers?

Today, sadly, powerful ones love to be surrounded by hollow-footed soldiers. The ones who cannot tell the truth neither bellow the sappiness nor dare to object.

If you have read it so far, you will recognize that I am not dwelling on leaders.

This is because,

Leaders are merely one of us.

Leader depends on us.

While fairly rarely, if we are lucky occasionally, and helped by extraordinarily,

We come across great leaders.

Those great leaders have no nationality, particular identity and ideology.

They might appear anytime and anywhere, may be from somewhere or nowhere, could be part of whatever religion or non-religion.

Though there is still much common ground: They may rise above us while respecting us; yet they are shaped by us and descended upon us.

They are from us.

Here is the bottom line: I read last week that the prime minister of Turkey said his party should not be called the AKP.

And he went on to say that those who call the AKP as the AKP are the ones who have no shame and those are a shameless bunch.



My personal response

It is inexplicable and such a riddle: How can a leader call us "shameless" simply because we fail to meet his holy summon and fall short of naming a party as he wishes?

Moreover, why, in return, should people not slap him back or the intellectuals who ought to be the conscience of the masses remain silent?

The prime minister believes that thereby he brings the lexicon of the people to his own level!

How can one divide people so easily, yet so arrogantly and hurtfully, when his mission ought to unify the people very carefully and dutifully? Here is my response to those who wish to pigeonhole me, treat me as a slave and consider me an inferior being.

As long as I am mindful of the base lines, who can decide, I ask, what I may or may not say, what I believe in, what I can tell and yell?

If someone else decides, then why should I write?

Or why do all writers write,

And journalists ask?

I can only be loyal to my own writings and can rest easily, if I delve

Into what I think,

Hence, here I am daring to call it the AKP.

I slap back.

I can’t be hushed anymore.

I can’t be scolded anymore.

I can’t be pushed around anymore.

Times have changed.

We, the people, govern.

We, the people, question.

We, the people, slap back.

The prime minister made a grave mistake.

If he really wants to educate! People,

He better start with an apology.

Every day and all the time.

Simply by calling it the way as they wish.

For they know that "AKP" is just a name.

Whoever is a free man, with a free will, will call it as he wills.

It is easy, just three letters.

It is the AKP.

Though this call frees the soul,

Makes one calm and happy.

Integrity is such a virtue.

I swear I will protect it as long as I can write to you.