Europeans dislike, and quite rightfully too, members who could corrupt their culture. The drawbacks of Poland's display, show that being Christian or even belonging to the pope's country is not enough for EU membership. Is the Turkish culture an element that can corrupt the European culture? When considered by Europe, it is.
Images cannot be changed through the adaptation of harmonization laws. Image is the only one criterion that a culture uses to describe itself and the 'others.' However, the Turkish image in Europe is formed in Paris, Berlin, Brussels, Amsterdam and London, not in Istanbul or Washington. Hence, the influence of what we do in Turkey or what agreement we sign at the White House, has only minimal effect on the Turkish image in Europe. The Turkish student who killed his teacher because he was dismissed from school, could bury in the sands of history, the positive sensations aroused from the visit we realized at prime ministerial level in Washington. For a Brit living in Britain, the fact that the Turkish students' classes are the most unsuccessful ones among 70 odd nations, is more important and more determining than the fact that the literacy rate has increased to 100 percent. You may have decreased the crime rate, abolished the death penalty and freed the Kurds. For the European, as long as the Turkish-speaking people living in Berlin, Brussels and Amsterdam continue to top the crime rate list; as long as the Turkish-Kurdish blackmail network in London that extorts money from businessmen in a secret torture room continues to exist; and as long as thousands of Kurds or the ones who claim they are Kurdish go to the Internal Affairs Ministry frequently by the allegations of discrimination, torture and even rape continue their propaganda, the Turkish image will remain the same. More than 4 million European Turks who can lead Turkey to the EU membership path, are unfortunately sabotaging our European train by their image. The question Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan asked Turks last week in the U.S, "What are you doing here?" should also be directed to Turks in Europe.
Is there no Turk who has succeeded in the the business or cultural circle in Europe? Sure there is. But we should have known that at a time when Muslims are being subjected to the terrorist tag because of some illimitable desire, the images are being composed so that bad examples should eradicated, not because they are good examples. Isn't Mehmet Ali Agca's name still topping the list of the 'most famous' Turks in Europe? Isn't the "Midnight Express" being talked about whenever 'Turkey and cinema' are mentioned? If we use religious terminology, 'image consists of taqwa [fear of Allah] rather than just deeds.
It is time to rid of one evil instead of doing a thousand good deeds.
If Turkey does not lend a helping hand, educationally in particular, to the Turks living in Europe, then our EU bid will remain idle.
Another occasion to revise our image is through tourism that had been disregarded for a long time but was again revived through the tourism minister's efforts. Everybody knows! The Turkish hospitable table is Prophet Abraham' s table. The rate of those who leave the table without satisfaction is negligible. The European, who came to Turkey and saw the warmth of Turkish people (on condition it does not turn into a Moses-Sarah crisis), has now joined the volunteers' lobby bandwagon for Turkey's EU membership. Why doesn't someone bring the European parliamentarians to Turkey? We also have to fight the image of some parliamentarians who come to Turkey with bad intentions and viewpoints.
Another disregarded area, except for the last few appeals by Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, is the church, that can be called the 'Soul of Europe.' Europe has become 'ladini' (not associated with religion). That' s right. But ladini does not mean being easy with religion. In Europe, the general consensus is "do what the pope preaches, not what he practices." Europe has several times been surrounded by Islamic armies and the fear of occupation has been transferred to the new generations. Of course, the rhetorics of the Christian democrats, who define Turkey's EU membership as the Ottomans crossing Vienna, will find support. This fear is right and understandable just as the sentiments regarding occupation in Arab countries. Turkey should launch a fresh dialogue offensive on this issue, along with its minorities' leaders. Maybe new funds could be allocated for faith tourism by combining tourism with this project. A group of priests made a joint statement in December 2003 against the possibility of giving Turkey EU membership status. If a statement opposite to this is not made in December 2004; maybe, firstly with the signature of the pope, it will mean that the concessions we made on Cyprus and the meals in Washington were all wasted efforts.
At any rate, the emphasis Turkey has made on these three factors will be efficacious. The EU is not a golden calf to be worshiped. The fact that the EU is guarding its gates will design its future. If the EU restructures a format that can accept a Muslim country and does not transform into a Christian club, then this will be for the good of the whole world, even if Turkey does not become a member.
February 10, 2004
