| From the European Heritage Library | | | | would love to see occur, but rather a |
| | | | celebration of separate Turkish culture and |
| | | | heritage instead of affiliation with "Arab |
| | | | terrorists". Illegal in Islam as well, beer |
| This is an inside look at the current | | | | is legal in Turkey and is drunken by many |
| cultural, ethnic, historical, religious, | | | | Turks (though many refuse it), the most |
| historical, social, and linguistic dimensions | | | | famous of which being Efes, a very strong |
| of Turkey. It also analyses the issue of | | | | lager-type beer. During Ramadan or even |
| Islam in Europe as well as their | | | | during prayer-time, many stores and bars |
| controversial entry into the EU. Is Turkey by | | | | which normally sell beer refuse to do so as |
| any means European? Do the Turks have any | | | | Muhammad demanded. |
| right to merge with Europe as the US and EU | | | | |
| encourage? Click the link at the bottom and | | | | From these conclusions, the liberal goals the |
| top of this article to view the photos that | | | | European Union has embraced as imported by |
| go with this article. | | | | the post-war victorious powers of tolerance, |
| | | | freedom, complete social and political |
| Turkey -- | | | | secularism, and social rights are rejected in |
| | | | every sense of the word in the possible |
| English name: Turkey | | | | Turkish membership and merger with its former |
| | | | victims of its Jihad. Turkey and the Turks |
| Population: 71,158,647 | | | | are by no means European - culturally, |
| | | | ethnically, politically, historically, and |
| Religion: Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other | | | | socially - and thus have no right to merge |
| 0.2% | | | | with Europe. This reality by no means |
| | | | denigrates the Turks nor their proud and |
| Language: Turkish, with near-illegal Kurdish | | | | glorious Islamic nation. |
| minority, Armenian | | | | |
| | | | The Turkish national founding father, Mustafa |
| Ethnic groups: Turkish 80%, 20% Kurdish, | | | | Kamal Atatürk (Father of the Turks) is |
| minute Armenian | | | | virtually mythologized in Turkish life. |
| | | | Having brought the Turkish Ottoman state from |
| Average fertility/woman: 1.89 per woman | | | | complete economic and political collapse into |
| | | | a powerful and proud new Turkish nation and |
| Migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population | | | | military power that conquered its neighbors |
| [none leave, none enter] | | | | in less than two years (and successfully |
| | | | assaulted the new Greece to return "lost" |
| Per capita average income: $9,000 | | | | land), this culture-creating leader is |
| | | | celebrated with a portrait in nearly every |
| Unemployment: officially 10.2% | | | | major building, every office building, every |
| | | | police station and shack, in every public |
| Population below poverty line: officially 20% | | | | monument, and in hundreds of homes and ships. |
| | | | He acts today as a paradigm for all future |
| Extant populations elsewhere of Albanians: | | | | politics of Turkey, which is why current |
| Germany, Bulgaria, Greece, France | | | | efforts to Islamicize politically-secular |
| | | | Turkey is met with a sizable public outcry. |
| Source: CIA World Factbook | | | | Aside his portraits and statues are dozens of |
| | | | flags, some stretching 20-feet in length, to |
| I went to Turkey not only with a great | | | | celebrate independence Turkish nationhood and |
| fascination for Islam, but also to | | | | Islam. Many of his statues are adorned with |
| investigate first hand the question: are | | | | Arabic script and quotes from al-Qur'an that |
| Turkey and the Turks by any means European | | | | he today in the West is perceived to have |
| culturally, ethnically, religiously, | | | | assaulted. Turkey and Islam are indivisible, |
| politically, and historically, and do they | | | | though the Turks have been smartly able to |
| have any right to merge with Europe as the | | | | avoid the theocracy of Khomeini or bin Laden. |
| United States & European Union so staunchly | | | | This ulterior political goal must be |
| debate and often encourage today? In Germany | | | | recognized. |
| and Europe to which they (rarely illegally) | | | | |
| emigrate for better labor opportunities and | | | | The Turkish and Muslim traditions other than |
| government social monetary benefits, they are | | | | in the mosques is subsidized by the state to |
| generally hated and deemed completely | | | | protect it from the "Western imperialists" |
| diametrically polar to European culture, | | | | who are encroaching on their Islamic and |
| history, and modern politics. The nation of | | | | homogeneous heritage. The traditional and |
| Turkey is often deemed a backwards Islamic | | | | world-famous rug/carpet-producing techniques |
| nation of goat herders, an unstable | | | | are paid for by the boards of culture and |
| government, and the wickedly poor. Is this | | | | economics. Here, the exclusive double-knot |
| image by any means true, and if not, does | | | | Turkish carpet-making tradition requires |
| this then imply that they have any right to | | | | female members of families to produce carpets |
| integrate with the Europeans whom reject | | | | for years and years at a time by hand from |
| them? | | | | the ilk of silk worms for sale around the |
| | | | world. This is but one of the cultural |
| Turkey is relatively new to tourism due | | | | measures protected by the Turkish government |
| largely to a popular stigma of Westerners | | | | today. The Turkmen minority (a people related |
| that the Middle East or the Islamic world are | | | | to the Turks by race, history, and the same |
| dangerous or volatile. Our cruise ship landed | | | | Sunni Islam) dominate this field. This is a |
| in Istanbul and Kusadasi, two distinctly | | | | great source of income for Turkey on the |
| Islamic and Turkish cities rife with ancient | | | | world market for textile production where |
| ruins of other cultures long dead and | | | | Iran (Persia) and India are their biggest |
| expelled but by no means multicultural. The | | | | competitors. The traditional Muslim dowry |
| Kurdish Sunni minority is responsible for | | | | (akin to bride-price) is generally paid and |
| nearly all of Turkey's terrorism (primarily | | | | encouraged to be paid by the man to the woman |
| by the PKK [the Kurdssh Workers' Party] | | | | upon marriage, though the Muslim |
| terrorist group), which is further incited by | | | | near-universality of polygamy is illegal in |
| American support for the Kurd minority in | | | | urban Turkey. Most Turkish women still |
| northern Iraq and Syria, another reason why | | | | receive dowry in the form of money, carpet, |
| Saddam Hussein has been executed for genocide | | | | or other heirloom to cement the Muslim |
| of a very volatile minority. The majority of | | | | marriage. |
| the Kurds are in the east. They are incited | | | | |
| historically not only because they are a | | | | Regarding the cities themselves, Muslim |
| different race with a different language than | | | | Turkey has more treasures from ancient |
| the Turks (the Kurds being Persian with a | | | | empires of the past than can be seen |
| Farsi-derived language), but also largely | | | | completely in a lifetime. Outside of |
| because the post-WWI Allied victors promised | | | | Kusadasi, an ancient provincial capital of |
| Kurdish statehood in Kurdistan, which the | | | | Greek-ruled Anatolia (later to be annexed and |
| Turkish founding father Atatürk | | | | expanded by the Romans) called Ephesus |
| completely obliterated in a military | | | | remains the very greatest and most |
| expansion after the war. Upon learning that | | | | well-preserved city in the world. Like |
| the west along the coast would be spared the | | | | Pompeii, a city some 5 centuries before the |
| majority of this ethnosocial calamity, I was | | | | life of Jesus can be traversed in near |
| anxious to experience the very capital nation | | | | entirety. A world monument, the House of the |
| of the Islamic world whose Jihad caused | | | | Virgin Mary can be visited as a major |
| Europe to quake in its boots for nearly 5 | | | | Christian (almost exclusively Catholic of |
| centuries, not only as an investigation of | | | | course) site of pilgrimage. It is proported |
| history, but as a rare chance to experience | | | | to be the very house of Mary, the virgin |
| Islam first-hand. They are unique in their | | | | mother of Jesus of Nazareth. Inside, very |
| own right as a race, culture, and (in part) | | | | little can be seen other than walls and a |
| history than the Arab tribes with whom they | | | | commemorative tomb with no corpse therein. A |
| are often affiliated (to the anger of the | | | | wall can be seen on the way out with endless |
| Turks). | | | | notes from pilgrims to Mary and Heaven. The |
| | | | modern Islamic Turkey has its own endless |
| For a brief historical walkthrough, the | | | | treasures. Turkey is very economically |
| region of today's Turkey (Anatolia) was | | | | upright and apt for Western trade; English is |
| originally populated by a variety of peoples, | | | | highly common amongst the youth and adult |
| the majority of whom Iranians and Scythians | | | | alike. Almost no English or other language is |
| before and during Zoroastrianism took root | | | | used in the cities though. There is almost no |
| long before Judaism's dualist monotheism was | | | | trash visible anywhere on the street, and |
| founded. After the heroic conquest of the old | | | | almost no graffiti at all. Oddly, there are |
| Zoroastrian Iranian state (Persia) by the | | | | literally almost no trash basins anywhere in |
| Greek Alexander the Great, Anatolia became | | | | the cities of Turkey. We learned that this is |
| populated by Greeks. This later coalesced -- | | | | a security measure imposed by the military |
| after the Roman conquest -- into the heart of | | | | government to stop from fires as well as |
| the Byzantine Orthodox Empire. But by the | | | | Kurdish terrorism (assumably, bombs in trash |
| 10th century, the many nations of the Turkish | | | | cans). Soldiers with machine guns are |
| race (at the time in central Asia) adopted | | | | everywhere in Turkey, as Turkey's government |
| the Sunni faith of Islam, and, pressured by | | | | is regulated and controlled by the huge |
| the Mongol tribes and in search of better | | | | military to a large extent. There are hardly |
| crop yields, traveled by equine into | | | | any broken or collapsed houses with waste |
| Anatolia. Here, they encountered and | | | | affront. The buildings are all plain and |
| conquered the infidel Christian Greeks with | | | | simple. There are no blatantly poor areas |
| every mile. The battle of Malaz irt | | | | like "ghettos" like in America or some of the |
| (Manzikert) in the 11th century foreshadowed | | | | larger European cities. However, there is |
| a dark future for the powerful Christian | | | | little safety precaution unlike in the US to |
| Byzantine Empire. The next 3 centuries marked | | | | resist lawsuits, and it is very easy to |
| a reality that the Turkish Muslims were | | | | injure oneself. The streets are largely |
| superior to the supreme power of the past. | | | | narrow in the bigger Turkish cities. The |
| These Seljuks (Salçuk) Turks | | | | drivers are outright maniacs. Many drive at |
| established a powerful Seljuk Empire, which | | | | top speed in complete traffic without |
| conquered much of then-Sunni Iran and Iraq | | | | stopping, even driving on one-way streets |
| (Mesopotamia), as well as eastern Anatolia. | | | | through popular business areas with food |
| Annihilated by the coming Mongol hordes, the | | | | carts to get to their destination more |
| Turkish Muslim race re-established itself | | | | quickly. Driving is impossible. Everything in |
| under Asman, establishing the "Ottoman" | | | | the society seems economically uniform and |
| Empire in central Anatolia. By the early 15th | | | | upright. However, there is a relatively |
| century, under the banner of the holy Jihad, | | | | pungent and foul smell throughout much of the |
| the Ottoman Turkish Muslims had encircled the | | | | Turkish cities, and bathrooms are virtually |
| Byzantines by conquering their Slavic and | | | | impassable to a European or American. Water |
| Greek neighbors: the Greek city-states, the | | | | and a thick foul smell seem to flow on the |
| Byzantine land in today's Greece proper, | | | | ground of every bathroom. The toilets are |
| Slavic Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, later | | | | generally sunken into the floor or are a hole |
| Bosnia, Serbia, and nearly all of southern | | | | for defecation, always with a horrific smell. |
| Hungary, where they forced the conversion of | | | | A thick layer of water on the floor by the |
| millions of their subjects with death or | | | | pungent toilets, in theory, imply that they |
| unlivable taxation as a penalty for not | | | | have recently been cleaned and washed. There |
| submitting to Islam. On 29 May, 1453, the | | | | are an endless amount of stores on every |
| Turks completely stormed the Byzantine | | | | corner with businessmen on the streets |
| capital of Constantinople, which they renamed | | | | watching for pedestrian tourists like |
| Istanbul ("Islam aplenty"). By the 19th | | | | vultures. Some 50% of these stores are all |
| century, though, they had declined due to | | | | for the sale of rugs, totaling hundreds of |
| bankruptcy and internal rebellion by the | | | | thousands of carpets each hundreds of dollars |
| variety of races that they had conquered. | | | | in worth. Nearly every store has goods |
| Russia had crippled their fleets in nearly a | | | | ranging from t-shirts to traditional veils |
| dozen Russo-Turkish Wars. In World War I, the | | | | and headscarves, pewter, metal, jewelry, |
| Ottomans allied with the Germans against | | | | illegal DVDs, etc. Nearly every store offers |
| Russia. Failing, their former lands in the | | | | dozens of huqqah (hookah) waterpipes for |
| Arab world became ruled by the French and | | | | smoking tobacco (marijuana and other drugs |
| British. In 1923, the sultanate was | | | | are illegal). Tobacco and huqqah, which are |
| abolished, and Mustafa Kamal "Atatürk" | | | | believed to have both originated as a |
| (Father of the Turks) banned the Arabic | | | | cultural device in the Ottoman Empire, are a |
| alphabet (hence it is today written with a | | | | source of pride for the Turks. Many of their |
| German and Latin base), declaring a secular | | | | victim nations of the past or regions to |
| republic with an ultraconservative and | | | | which Turks and Muslims immigrate have |
| centralized government. By no means at all | | | | popular huqqah "bars" for smoking, especially |
| was this out of admiration for freedom, | | | | in Ukraine where the Turkic Crimean Tatars |
| tolerance, or multiculturalism, but rather to | | | | offer it to the local Slavs. A trait unique |
| alleviate the Turks' post-war economic | | | | to Turkey occurs upon passing any business: |
| collapse by opening economic and political | | | | business owners and employees literally stock |
| ties with the victorious West. The rebellious | | | | passerbyers for miles to coax them into |
| Armenian Christian minority that was accused | | | | seeing their wares. Several people at once |
| of massacring Turkish soldiers (and did) and | | | | pursue pedestrians for several minutes and |
| civilians was slaughtered by the Turks in the | | | | even later in the day again if another |
| denied Armenian genocide. The statehood | | | | encounter occurs, offering tea and |
| claims of Kurdistan, Greater Armenia, and | | | | friendship, asking from where the visitor |
| Western-ruled land was completely conquered. | | | | comes and his nationality. This hospitable |
| The government of Turkey became an | | | | ploy is in reality an attempt to make a sale |
| ultra-right wing military state until today. | | | | to the coming wealthier tourist from Europe. |
| Today, the very people who rose the banner of | | | | Businessmen can be seen carrying trays of |
| Jihad against Europe is seeking to exploit | | | | ultra-strong Turkish tea all over the city to |
| its multicultural liberal goals to integrate | | | | be brought to later shop clients. One can |
| universally with its former mutual enemy. | | | | barter in any store. Many stores are willing |
| | | | to drop as much as 50% of a product's worth |
| Istanbul is arguably the greatest city in the | | | | to make a sale with only little effort by the |
| world archaeologically, historically, and | | | | client. Turkmen and Azerbaijani (Azeri) |
| culturally. Nowhere else but in Muslim Turkey | | | | businessmen can be seen everywhere in Turkey, |
| do nationalism and pride in culture, | | | | as both descend from the same race (though |
| heritage, history, their distinct race and | | | | the latter professes Iran's Shi'ia Islam); |
| language, the Islamic faith, and tradition | | | | they integrate well into the society of their |
| coalesce so strongly into national awareness. | | | | brethren. Kurdish minority businessmen can |
| Aside from the endless mosques, there are | | | | also be seen in their tight-knit yet |
| thousands upon thousands of massive Turkish | | | | marginalized society that is directly |
| flags proudly announcing the Turkish heritage | | | | hampered by the government. Their language is |
| rooted in the star and crescent of Islam. | | | | illegal in schools and government, and the |
| Nearly every home has a Turkish flag on | | | | Kurds' Iranian-based language may only air on |
| display for all to see, often right next to | | | | television by law on a select few number of |
| government-ordered sets of 20-flag standards | | | | channels for a small number of minutes per |
| or 25-foot massive flags in the center of | | | | week. Armenian Christians and Jews are given |
| town. From its cultural capital (not | | | | just as few rights in this staunchly Islamic |
| political) of Istanbul, the triumph of | | | | society. This inequality, along with Turkey's |
| Turkish and Islamic history, culture, and | | | | denial of the genocide of Armenians (who were |
| heritage over its predecessors of the Romans | | | | assaulting Turks in an independence |
| and Greeks (Byzantines) can be studied in the | | | | movement), is a major criticism by the |
| same city. By no means but politically is | | | | social-liberal US and EU against Turkey. |
| Turkey a secular or godless state as they | | | | Turkey is incredibly homogeneously; nearly |
| accuse America of being. The Turks embrace | | | | all the inhabitants are of the same race |
| their secular politics today with great | | | | (Turks) or their descendants (Azeris, |
| wisdom: by being politically secular but | | | | Turkmen, Tatars), with some unrelated Muslim |
| culturally a staunchly Islamic nation, the | | | | Baluch, Arab, and Uzbek minorities (aside |
| Turks can distinguish themselves from the | | | | from the marginalized Armenian, Greek, and |
| Arabs they hate and deem so primitive, and | | | | Georgian Christians). |
| trade amply with Europe and America as well | | | | |
| as the Islamic world, without limiting the | | | | Just walking through the cities of the |
| importance of Islam in daily life to the | | | | western coast (especially Istanbul and |
| Turks. Prayer or "Ezan" is sounded for miles | | | | Kusadashi), one can encounter Byzantine Greek |
| five times per day to be heard from miles and | | | | Christian treasures before the Turkish |
| miles away from the hundreds upon hundreds of | | | | conquest, pre-Christian Greek cities |
| mosques whose massive minaret spires reach | | | | preserved in entirety, Roman arches, and |
| for the heavens: | | | | ancient Iranian tombs. The Ayasofya (Hagia |
| | | | Sophia) - considered among the greatest |
| In Arabic: | | | | buildings ever built - rests in the center of |
| | | | the Islamic cultural capital (Istanbul) of |
| Allahu Akhbar; Allahu Akhbar. | | | | the last 500 years (after Baghdad before it |
| | | | and Damascus before that). With its |
| Ashadu-allah, Ilaha il Allah. Ashadu-allah, | | | | foundations built before the life of Jesus, |
| Ilaha il Allah. | | | | and its massive domed walls built by the |
| | | | greatest Byzantine empire since Constantine |
| Ashadu-anna Muhammadan Rasulallah. | | | | the Great himself, Justinian (conquerer of |
| Ashadu-anna Muhammadan Rasulallah. | | | | the southern German conquerers of the Roman |
| | | | Empire), the Ayasofya was the largest |
| Hayyah a Salah. Hayyah a Salah. | | | | Christian building in the world until St. |
| | | | Peter's Basilica was built in the Vatican in |
| Hayyah a Falah. Hayyah a Falah. | | | | the 11th century. It was so magnificent a |
| | | | Christian church that it impressed the |
| Allahu Akhbar. La Ilahai Allah. | | | | heathen Slavic king Vladimir the Great, king |
| | | | of the Germanic-built Kievan Rus, to convert |
| In English: | | | | all Slavs of Europe to the Orthodox faith of |
| | | | the Greeks. In the 15th century, when the |
| Allah is great; Allah is great. | | | | Muslim Jihad delivered the ultimate fate into |
| | | | the heart of the Byzantine infidel capital of |
| I confess that there is no majesty but Allah. | | | | Constantinople (now Istanbul), the holy |
| I confess that there is no majesty but Allah. | | | | Orthodox church was converted into a mosque. |
| | | | Today, it remains among the greatest and most |
| I confess that Muhammad is his messenger. I | | | | majestic mosques in the world; a true |
| confess that Muhammad is his messenger. | | | | testament to the victory of Islam over |
| | | | Christendom. When the republic was declared, |
| Hurry to prayer. Hurry to prayer. Hurry to | | | | it was converted into a museum. Nonetheless |
| success. Hurry to success. | | | | the call to prayer is firmly and proudly |
| | | | emitted from it for the entire city to hear. |
| God is great. There is no majesty but Allah. | | | | The interior is ancient, tarnished, and |
| | | | fading as expected from its age. It is rich |
| Looking in one direction in one portion of | | | | in ancient Orthodox Christian mosaics and |
| the massive city of Istanbul, one can see | | | | frescoes of John the Baptist, Jesus, and the |
| anywhere from 5 to 50 mosques with two or | | | | Saints dating over 1,500 years of age. All |
| more minarets each towering above the city's | | | | evidence of Jesus was entirely erased or |
| Muslim inhabitants. There are hardly any | | | | burnt when the Jihad reached the Byzantine |
| Christian churches or synagogues that are not | | | | capital, with the mosaics of Jesus and the |
| museums that were not burnt by the Ottoman | | | | saints covered in a plaster base. This was |
| Jihad. Turkey is reportedly 99.8% Muslim | | | | later uncovered when the building became a |
| (majority Sunni). These mosques are built 500 | | | | museum, and can be seen today with much of it |
| years ago as they are only recently. The | | | | removed due to age and peeling. The original |
| "secular" government funds the construction | | | | Byzantine design during the Roman period and |
| of mosques as well as pays their imams | | | | afterward (under Justinian) can be seen, |
| (equivalent of priests) and mullahs a form of | | | | oddly with Hakenkreuze (or the Indian |
| government salaries. Many argue that this is | | | | Swastika) all throughout the building and |
| to allow pro-government (right-wing) imams to | | | | arches in obverse and reverse both. The |
| prevent radical militant Islam that is | | | | building is almost entirely in reconstruction |
| commonplace in Turkey among Turks and Kurds | | | | with painters carefully repainting the |
| both. There are signs everywhere in the city | | | | surface. Original massive plaques cover the |
| listing the latest times of the call to | | | | walls of the building with verses from |
| prayer based upon adjustments to the | | | | al-Qur'an and the holy 99 names of Allah all |
| direction of the sun. When the loud pencefold | | | | about the massive overhead dome. The original |
| prayer (five per day) is not being echoed | | | | Mihrab (the gate in the center of the mosque |
| with synchronism between the endless mosques | | | | showing the direction of Makkah to which all |
| in the nation for several minutes at a time, | | | | must pray) and Minbar (the steps to heaven |
| one can hear Islamic lectures, chants, and | | | | from which the imam or mullah speaks to the |
| prayers from the mosque's loudspeakers | | | | taliba) are in perfect golden condition. Only |
| throughout the day, reaffirming the Turks as | | | | 200 paces from the huge mosque, the walls of |
| a Muslim people who are by no means akin to | | | | Constantinople that the Turks struggled for |
| their Arab, west Iranian, or Uzbek subjects | | | | years to overrun can be touched. One can even |
| of the past. Prayer can be heard even from | | | | see the black marks where the Mujahidin's |
| ships outside the harbor at all hours of the | | | | cannons bombarded the Christian gates for |
| day: as early as 0200 and as late as 2300. | | | | years and years before final victory. Within |
| Stars and crescents not on flags are visible | | | | eye's length from the Ayasofya, one can see |
| all throughout the city, distinguishing the | | | | the greatest mosque in all of Turkey: the |
| Turks' usage of these symbols from being | | | | Blue Mosque or the Sultan Ahmed mosque. Built |
| simply their traditional flag, but rather an | | | | in the 15th century, its blue iznik domes is |
| expression of their heritage and submission | | | | arguably the center of Istanbul, where most |
| to Islam. Unlike in some parts of the Islamic | | | | of the most famous imams and Islamic scholars |
| world, like in Uzbekistan and Morocco, the | | | | attend. The interior is gorgeous, massive, |
| nation's Muslims do not generally just bow on | | | | clean, segregated, completely covered in |
| the spot and initiate prayer. Rather, | | | | carpets, and decorated in blue flower designs |
| hundreds of people can be seen walking into | | | | with Arabic inscriptions and plaques with |
| each mosque all throughout the day (though | | | | "Allah" written on nearly every wall. The |
| prayer can be performed at home or at work, | | | | main area for prayer is forbidden to infidels |
| and often is instead of going to the mosque | | | | during all hours. Sitting in the courtyard |
| all day long). Women in veils or full burqas, | | | | between the Ayasofya and Blue Mosque during |
| men with regular conservative clothes, men | | | | prayer is a sad reminder of the collapse of |
| with full beards and Hamas-esque frightening | | | | faith and tradition in the US and gradually |
| turbans and aggressive expressions, and | | | | Europe, and the strong resilience of faith in |
| children of all ages can be seen hurrying to | | | | the Islamic world. |
| prayer. Many Turks are militant and | | | | |
| ultra-nationalist in their faith, which | | | | The hundreds of other mosques throughout |
| frightens the secular government and its | | | | Turkey and Istanbul are equal treasures, as |
| military state. Islam is ultraconservative: | | | | are the endless temples and palaces built by |
| men must cover shoulders and legs, and women | | | | the numerous Turkish sultans, especially at |
| must cover shoulders and their heads with | | | | their main palace of Topkap1 (Toep-kop-uh) |
| veils or headscarves. No infidels | | | | whose halls and harems seem to bear no end. |
| (Christians, Jews, etc.) are allowed in | | | | Inside the sultan's main palace, a fantastic |
| mosques during prayer. Inside the mosques, | | | | treasure horde of the personal swords, helms, |
| though, foreign white tourists can be seen | | | | and standards of the most valiant of Islamic |
| bypassing this law to the dismay of the imams | | | | Jihadists and conquerers can be found. The |
| who cannot regulate some 400 people in one | | | | swords of Mehmet II (who obliterated the |
| mosque at a time. Shoes may not be worn | | | | Byzantine Empire forever), Sulayman the |
| inside the mosques nor anywhere on the steps | | | | Magnificent (who led the golden age of the |
| around it (which is strongly enforced). Men | | | | Ottomans), Sultan Ahmed (who brought a height |
| and women can be seen performing ablutions | | | | of Islamic architecture), and other Jihadist |
| (washing the hands, head, and feet to void | | | | Mujahidin can be seen with Arabic script and |
| the soul of sin, dirt, and worldliness) in | | | | surah quotes from al-Qur'an engraved in gold |
| local blessed fountains with Arabic writing | | | | leaf on the scimitar blade. Other collected |
| around them before entering. Outside of | | | | treasures taken from European victim nations |
| mosques, ablution fountains can be seen | | | | can also be found dating centuries before the |
| everywhere in Turkey by the hundreds to | | | | conquest of the Christian Balkans. There is a |
| encourage both cleanliness as well as prayer | | | | separate chamber for white eunuch slave |
| in solitude away from mosques. Men and women | | | | guards forcibly conscripted, converted to |
| are strictly segregated inside and outside of | | | | Islam, and castrated after being taken from |
| mosques during religious rituals and prayer, | | | | their Christian families in Europe after the |
| virtually in separate rooms. Turkey is | | | | conquest (excluding tens of thousands of |
| nonetheless one of the few places in the | | | | white Christians regularly converted and |
| world whose big tourist cities allow infidels | | | | forced into the janissary elite armies). |
| to enter mosques. During prayer, again, no | | | | Under the city, a massive and still-damp |
| infidels are allowed. The "whirling | | | | Roman aqueduct can be traversed. The ancient |
| darvishes" (or dervishes), Sufi monks who | | | | and world-famous indoor Grand Bazaar with its |
| stand and spin about to near themselves to | | | | 20,000+ shop stalls is a national treasure |
| Allah, are celebrated and sold all throughout | | | | with endless products for sale at cheap |
| the city in pewter, plastic, and wood, as the | | | | prices; it is easy to get lost. |
| Sufis played a large role in the conversion | | | | |
| of world peoples to Islam. | | | | Turkish music is entirely unique in its own |
| | | | right, but is greatly akin to traditional |
| Aside from the Islamic religion, which is | | | | Arabic, Farsi, and Berber music. The |
| rejected and found incompatible with European | | | | Christian European nations subject to the |
| culture by most Europeans, the issue of the | | | | Jihad (including Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, |
| headscarf and veil is a common conflict in | | | | Albania, today's southern Ukraine [the |
| the European theatre. The millions of Muslims | | | | Crimea], etc.) all have in part a degree of |
| who immigrate to Europe (illegally and | | | | Turkish or Arabic influence in some of their |
| legally) are more and more being forbid to | | | | music aside from the works of foreign |
| wear the headscarf in public and in schools, | | | | immigrants. The tobacco and huqqah culture of |
| with some claiming that it has no place in | | | | the Muslims has spread there with great |
| Europe and others arguing that it is an | | | | success in popular youth culture. The Crimea |
| object of female oppression. During the | | | | in Ukraine, where the previous Turkic Tatar |
| sultanate period (pre-1923), all women were | | | | Muslims were time and time expelled by the |
| forced to wear a veil or headscarf. Since the | | | | Slavs before being conquered and saved by the |
| republic was declared, women are no longer | | | | Ottomans, is rife with Turkish influence |
| required. Today, most Turkish women still do | | | | where it was not exterminated. The strange |
| wear veils or headscarves, arguing that it is | | | | Turkish "blue eye" (a figure with a black |
| an element of Islamic heritage expected of | | | | center, white interior, and light blue |
| them by their families and their nation. Many | | | | exterior against a deep blue base), which is |
| do not cover their heads (especially the | | | | used as a Turkish cultural agent of |
| youth), with some arguing that it is limiting | | | | superstition and piety to Islam can be seen |
| and uncomfortably hot, and others arguing | | | | in all of the Muslims' former conquests, |
| that it makes them look like the Arabs they | | | | including Greece, Ukraine, and in the far |
| deem so primitive and violent; it is not a | | | | south of Russia near Chechnya and Dagestan. |
| rejection of Islam, though Islam and | | | | Turkish food (which is fantastic), including |
| al-Qur'an require all women to cover their | | | | kebabs of lamb and beef along with vegetables |
| heads in public at all hours of the day every | | | | and rice, yogurts and dates can be seen in |
| day. Most younger women (prepubescents to 23 | | | | each of their subject Christian states as |
| or so) do not cover their heads, but most | | | | well. Pork is largely unavailable, forbidden |
| adults and elderly do (who comprise the vast | | | | by al-Qur'an. |
| majority of the Turkish population). Many | | | | |
| women of all ages wear not only a | | | | Traveling to Turkey was one of the most |
| multicolored personal headscarf, but a full | | | | amazing experiences of my life, especially in |
| hijab (body covering with the face exposed) | | | | Istanbul, but it was utmost important to come |
| or occasionally a Taliban-esque burqa | | | | to the conclusion via personal experience |
| (covering all but the feet). Most men dress | | | | that the Turks are distinct -- politically, |
| conservatively, but some wear full white | | | | culturally, ethnically, and historically -- |
| robes with turbans and beards (which reminds | | | | from Europeans in every fashion of the word, |
| a European of terrorist mullahs to great | | | | and any possible effort to merge them with |
| personal fright). Most youths of both genders | | | | the peoples of Europe or its EU-puppet |
| dress conservatively instead of sexually or | | | | governments is not the employment of logic |
| promiscuously, which is rejected in Islam and | | | | but rather a blind act of incompatible |
| in Turkish Muslim culture. The hijab (any | | | | multicultural union. |
| type of head covering) is forbidden in most | | | | |
| government buildings, though in most shops | | | | From the European Heritage Library |
| and buildings women still cover their heads, | | | | |
| and al-Qur'an is proudly visible even in | | | | |
| government offices and state buildings. A | | | | |
| perceived shift of the Turkish women's dress | | | | Articles, maps, videos, and photos of |
| from ultraconservative and veiled to | | | | European history, culture, religion, |
| "Westernized" with an exposed head does not | | | | languages, and the controversial issue of |
| indicate a liberalization of Islam or | | | | Islam in Europe. |
| right-wing "Turkishness" as the EU and USA | | | | |