Not every person can step beyond the boundaries of legitimacy and disregard the law. Constantly being discontented with the titles and statuses given to you means submitting to uncontrolled rapacity. If one tries to halt democracy despite the fact that he owes everything he owns to democracy, then this must be caused by his character. That is why not everyone can be a coup supporter.
Let me explain what I mean by comparing two retired generals: Hilmi Özkök and Hurşit Tolon. What can be said about Gen. Özkök, the former chief of general staff? He is a gentleman and does not seem to exhibit any signs of rapacity. He responsibly performed his duties while he was the military's top commander and then returned to his own corner after he retired. He has a dignified, gentle nature. When he speaks, you feel like you have known him for many years. His actions and manners are not offensive. He is a fatherly, gentle and sympathetic character.
When asked to comment on the sections in the private journals of retired Gen. Özden Örnek and columnist Mustafa Balbay that mention him, Özkök defended his long-time comrades-in-arms, saying he doubted they would make "such comments and insults" about him.
What can be said about Tolon, the former 1st Army Corps commander? He continues to be rapacious even though he is retired. He is obsessed with coup-ism. He has attended many demonstrations organized against the democratically elected ruling party. Becoming a corps commander, occupying dozens of high-level positions, having special protection and enjoying all sorts of other advantages have not satisfied him. His stance and words are oppressive. His is the kind of character that makes everyone question how such a highly regarded institution can produce this type of person. But the voice recordings of Tolon that have been circulating on the Internet are the most important. Hurling criticisms at various people, he uses rude and harsh words -- words that I cannot repeat in this column. His last remarks on the recording were: "Now look, why is Çevik Bir trying to twist things around? Mr. Kıvrıkoğlu did not want him, as though he was saying, 'I like Çetin but I don't want him in Ankara.' Why? I can't tame him. If you don't bring him now, a mullah will come. Then you will slap your knees in regret. … A mullah has been appointed as chief of general staff."
Should such words be spoken by people who have reached high levels in the armed forces? In referring to a mullah, he was speaking of Özkök, his comrade and a man who has served in the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) for more than 40 years. We know him from when he was a lieutenant. Why is he a mullah? He did not approve of a coup and he did not betray his government. He stood tall and proud as he said: "I am a democrat. I cannot disobey the law."
So coup-ism is indeed a matter associated with a person's character, or rather weak character. It is a matter of being intolerant, neurotic and distrustful and believing your views are the only acceptable views. Claiming that you love your country more than anyone else in the world, not understanding where Turkey or the rest of the world is headed, living in a separate world, limiting contact with civilians to only those who support the idea of having a coup, following coup supporters like İlhan Selçuk, who has spent his lifetime chasing the idea of coups, worshiping coup-ism and creating demigods are common activities among pro-coup characters.
Death wells are being excavated in the districts of Silopi and Cizre in Şırnak. But the real death wells are located inside coup plans, because "coup d'état" is not an innocent term. Many people are killed after a government is overthrown. Prime ministers and state ministers have been hung by usurpers in Turkey. They were kicked, beaten and insulted before they were killed. Coup supporters watched thousands of young people die as they waited for an atmosphere of chaos to prevail. Then they hung those young men on gallows as a lesson for everyone else. They said, "Should we support them by not killing them?" Tens of thousands of people were left unemployed and tens of thousands of children and babies experienced great fear and pain. Coup supporters are not restricted to men in uniform, but everyone and anyone who provokes and supports them, including civilians who offer them protection, members of the judiciary, politicians, rectors, professors, businessmen and, we must not forget, the pro-coup groups in the media.
Coup-ism is indeed a matter of one's character.
