A new view of Islam?

[rvg]

Dude, have you even been to Turkey? The current political process is a setback to say the least, but it's still a far cry from an "Islamic autocracy". Come on now.

There is Turkey, and then there's Turkey. Istanbul is no different from any other European metropolis, Izmir is pretty lax as well (basically any tourist spot is). The heartland is very different though: that's where you see men with scruffy beards and headscarved wives.

[Papewaio]

There is Turkey, and then there's Turkey. Istanbul is no different from any other European metropolis, Izmir is pretty lax as well (basically any tourist spot is). The heartland is very different though: that's where you see men with scruffy beards and headscarved wives.

Based on that definition the U.S. is an Amish country...

[Hax]

There is Turkey, and then there's Turkey. Istanbul is no different from any other European metropolis, Izmir is pretty lax as well (basically any tourist spot is). The heartland is very different though: that's where you see men with scruffy beards and headscarved wives.

Yep, and the last time I was in Turkey I was not in Istanbul or Izmir. But okay, let's go along for now, who the hell cares if someone has a scruffy beard or wears a headscarf? Just the fact that there are religious Muslims in Turkey who make up a part of the electorata, doesn't mean it's some kind of "Islamic autocracy". To suggest anything else is simply ridiculous.

I was too overreaching with my point. My apologies. Nevertheless it does seem as if the secular old guard are losing control over the government.

No harm done. If anything, I'm the first to express their concern about the changing situation in Turkey. Interestingly however, Erdogan's AKP actually lost their majority position in the last elections (:

[Pannonian]

Yep, and the last time I was in Turkey I was not in Istanbul or Izmir. But okay, let's go along for now, who the hell cares if someone has a scruffy beard or wears a headscarf? Just the fact that there are religious Muslims in Turkey who make up a part of the electorata, doesn't mean it's some kind of "Islamic autocracy". To suggest anything else is simply ridiculous.

Someone representing them has won a majority in the last few elections though. And that, after we'd been pressing the Kemalist establishment for more freedom and democracy in Turkey. In the future, perhaps it would be better if we were to wait until the majority were more like us in our belief in liberal democratic ideals, before pushing for more democracy. Pushing for majority rule where the majority are hostile to us isn't the cleverest of foreign policy directions.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

I just wanted to pop back in to point out that Crander said Greeks don't pay their taxes/are good at avoiding paying taxes.

According to him, that's racist, which undermines his point in this thread.

[Crandar]

I just wanted to pop back in to point out that Crander said Greeks don't pay their taxes/are good at avoiding paying taxes.

According to him, that's racist, which undermines his point in this thread.

The author claimed, without presenting any evidence, that the Persians (the people, not the government) always endorsed torturing, while I said, supporting my statement with anecdotal evidence and statistical researches available in the Internet, that a great part of the modern Greeks refuses to pay its taxes.
I think the differences are quite obvious, aren't they?