A popular transsexual Turkish singer went on trial charged with trying to turn the public against military service.
Bulent Ersoy could face more than two years in prison for saying during a live television show that if she had children, she would not want them to join the army to fight Kurdish rebels.
Military service is obligatory for men over the age of 20 in Turkey, and it is a crime to speak against it.
In an indictment against Ersoy, prosecutor Ali Cakir accused the singer of “alienating the public toward military service” and of affecting the morale of the soldiers and their families. He asked that the singer be punished with between nine and 30 months in prison.
Turkey thinks they’re modernizing their legal system enough to be welcomed aboard the EU. Europeans remember plenty of warlovers in their own not-so-distant past.
The interesting thing is, Turkey is a hard core Muslim country. But they have a popular transsexual singer? While it doesn’t butter my parsnips, I’m glad they are that open minded.
#1, That’s exactly what I was thinking!
Either something’s fishy here, or Turkey is a vastly more tolerant society than we thought.
Aren’t the Muslims supposed to stone people like this? After all, Ahmadinejad said that Iran doesn’t even have any homosexuals, while Turkey has a popular transsexual? Doesn’t Turkey border Iran?
It’s making my head swim…
They are majority muslim in religeon and culture, but have a secular government. Or are supposed to – thats been eroding recently due to religious influences.
Sorry Calin but you are mistaken, Turkey is not a “hard core muslim country”. There is a growing fundamentalist muslim population in Turkey but it is by no means the majority. Also, turkish culture is substantially different than that of the muslim arab countries (turks are not arabs) and their attitudes towards homosexuality – and just plain sexuality – is different and AFAIK more accepting.
Yes, there are a large number of people quite proud of their secular government..but not enough to keep a fundamentalist out of their highest office..so the tide is likely turning there also. (oh wait..am I talking about Turkey or the US?)
However..from earlier posts..this is where “sedition” laws lead to John. If you read at least the BBC article on it..you find this..
“Article 318 of the penal code – dissuading people from military service – is frequently used by the military against its critics.
Meanwhile critics say a separate article, making it a crime to insult the Turkish nation and its institutions, is used to stifle free speech. ”
So..this is for all of you he believe “sedition” is a crime of some sort, and not just free speech taken to a logical conclusion (and a good example of why it is a dumb law and how it can be used against freedom)..and also all of you “anyone who says something bad about my country should be shot” nationalists of the MikeN stripe. It must be galling to find a transgendered Muslim has more balls than you do…^_^
A popular transsexual Turkish singer
Please define: popular
#1 Calin.. since WHEN is Turkey a “hardcore muslim country?” Do you make this stuff up as you go along? Have you been there? Turkey has laws like this one — very strict — to PREVENT itself from becoming hardcore. Read about Ataturk and get a clue before you post out-and-out BS based on your imagination. That said, freedom of speech in Turkey is limited.
I see my sense of irony isn’t shared. People refer to any country with a majority population of Muslims as “harcore Muslim country”. This is a popular stance which is used to play on the minds of those not willing to do research. Turkey’s population is Muslim, therefore they are savages. U.S. is “secular” therefore the freest country in the world. This is what we are told by the U.S. media.
My point was, in a majority Muslim country, they have a popular transsexual singer. Can you name the last popular transsexual anything in the U.S. outside of RuPaul? To me, it is ironic because popular media in the U.S. will tell you that this couldn’t happen in a Muslim country. And they would be wrong.
#6 – Google is your friend. Do some work on your own.
#8
Ru Paul is a transvestite or female impersonator or drag queen, not a transsexual (sex change – pre or post op.).
I get your point though and agree with you about stereotyping. Some people on these boards would rather feel superior than have a constructive conversation. Do not be disheartened.
Everyone, do research Turkey and educate yourself on how moderation can work and secularism and Islam can coexist.
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was the founder of modern secular Turkey. As an Australian I remember him for one of the most beautiful things I have ever read regarding an enemy. In the 1914-1918 war he commanded the fight against Australian and New Zealand troops (ANZACS) at Gallipoli, Turkey. This is the foundation of ANZAC day, the national remembrance day for fallen Australian and New Zealand soldiers.
The Gallipoli campaign cost the lives of more than 100,000 allied and Turkish soldiers with another quarter of a million wounded (Gallipoli was a horrible defeat and is symbolic of the atrocious nature of war and is remembered partly due to that and also due to the bravery shown under the futile conditions).
Regarding those that fought against Turkey (at the time The Ottoman Empire) Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is quoted as saying…
“Heroes who shed their blood and lost their lives. You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours. You, the mothers, who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.”
Thank you #10…I’ll have “And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda” in my head the rest of the afternoon.
Freedom of speech in Turkey is a bad-taste joke. Especially when considering the law that guards one’s ‘turkishness’. The sad thing is that the country struggles between fascism (current regime with the Grey Wolves and other paramilitary fascist organizations in control) and mohamedism (mullahs). The result has been catastrophic not only for the minorities (Armenians, Kurds, Greeks, Syrians etc) but also for the Turkish people. However, the West needs Turkey for the next 100 years so no one discusses anymore about the human rights or the Turkish Genocides (Armenians, Syrians and Greeks in Pontos and Asia Minor). We are talking about huge populations that have been systematically eradicated but it is no event for CNN and FOX. Moreover, modern systematic violations in terms of religion (crypto-christians), nationality (Greeks, Armenians, Kurds) or sex (‘honor’ killing is on the rise) are easily forgotten. Hopefully the recent case with the singer will wake up some Western ears…
#10
Oh please! Enough with the national mythologies. Mustafa Kemal was a spy from the West to undermine Turkey and Islam. He brought ‘nationalism’, the stupid latin alphabet and a promise of European future. But at what cost? Our religion. Our faith. Allah (PBOH)! The good news is that young Turks nowadays are not stupid anymore. They see where this is going and they want their tradition and culture back. Our true alphabet will once again get established and we will come to our Islamic roots.
Regarding this ‘gentleman’ singer he/she/it can go to France or he will be a great fit to Greece to live. They welcome them over there.
#13
Ataturk was a western spy and fought against England, France, Italy, Greece and all other countries from.. Mars?
Your “true” Arabic alphabet does not have enough number of vowels for Turkish.
The bad news is young Turks, like young people of all countries, are confused, if not stupid.
I hope this is a joke and I am making a fool of myself.
#13
1. What part was mythology? Is the quote innacurate? Was the attack successful? Did Mustafa Kemal Atatürk not command the defending army?
2. You do not have Islamic roots you have caveman roots (like everyone else). Arabic existed before Islam and Turkey is not Arabic and had no true alphabet before the Arabs gave you their alphabet (and gave us our numbers).
3. I think history is full of lies so I will look into your claims. My point was that the effect of the quote attributed to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk had a positive impact on those that had family and friends who died and were never recovered from Gallipoli.
4. I think you should probably attack those that really threaten your culture like the European Union and concentrate less on insulting a Drag Queen that really does not effect your aspirations significantly. Bulent Ersoy has as much right to remain in Turkey as you do (by the way, did you notice the article is about removing the right for Bulent Ersoy to go anywhere but gaol).
Good luck with your struggle to reclaim whatever period of history you would like to get stuck in and hopefully you will not face any environmental or technological disaster that does not fit in with your ideological dogma. Peace be upon you.
#13
1. What part was mythology? Is the quote inaccurate? Was the attack successful? Did Mustafa Kemal Atatürk not command the defending army?
2. You do not have Islamic roots you have caveman roots (like everyone else). Arabic existed before Islam and Turkey is not Arabic and had no true alphabet before the Arabs gave you their alphabet (and gave us our numbers).
3. I think history is full of lies so I will look into your claims. My point was that the effect of the quote attributed to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk had a positive impact on those that had family and friends who died and were never recovered from Gallipoli.
4. I think you should probably attack those that really threaten your culture like the European Union and concentrate less on insulting a Drag Queen that really does not effect your aspirations significantly. Bulent Ersoy has as much right to remain in Turkey as you do (by the way, did you notice the article is about removing the right for Bulent Ersoy to go anywhere but gaol).
Good luck with your struggle to reclaim whatever period of history you would like to get stuck in and hopefully you will not face any environmental or technological disaster that does not fit in with your ideological dogma. Peace be upon you.
I was glad to see that MIT reads to this blog. Perhaps it’s better this way. In any case your panic shows that you are worried. The movement is here and it is strong. Turkey is coming back but before we the – young Turks – need to pull up all foreign weeds and their domestic slaves. You have to fight them and get rid of all the brainwashed you have suffered. True Turkey my brothers is not Kemal and it is definitely NOT latins! Once we ruled the world and we will again but only if we stick to our heritage.
My brothers. We do not want to fight with you. We know the controversy about Kemal, the so-called (initially by West) ‘Atatürk’. Many brothers are confused and some of them even worried. It is normal. Our kids learn for years and years how great he was. Our kids are consistently brainwashed about him and others. The fact of the matter though is that he destroyed our culture, our alphabet (the ONLY TRUE TURKISH ALPHABET), and he moved us away from the ONE AND TRUE GOD. Allah (PBOH)! Kemal and his Western friends (the British and French that time) found the right time. Our beloved country was in despair…we needed a hero. Someone to turn things around. So they brought him as a savior…but at a great cost. From one hand he was supposed to save us and organize the genocides of Greeks, Kurds. Sirians and all others giaours and I must admit that he was extremely successful. But at the other hand he destroyed the soul of true Turkey. But guess what. We are back my brothers. Stronger than ever and we want back what is rightfully ours: OUR COUNTRY. OUR TURKEY!