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