Of course, pressure imposed by way of the police, the skills of the gendarmerie and intelligence were very effective, but there was no pressure that was effective enough to exclude, undermine and portray as illegal this huge group of people. Accusations of being reactionary, the meaning of which is ambiguous and difficult to understand, have been following conservatives like a scary ghost. But this group of people which has been placed under suspicion never thought of violating the law or making demands through armed conflict. They opposed marginal groups that mobilized with such thoughts and established social peace by seeking refuge in the verse in the Quran that says “Instigation is worse than murder.” Conservatives have been pushed and shoved, ill-treated and denigrated despite the contributions they’ve made to social cohesion. Even their most natural democratic rights have been encroached upon. While the elite’s treatment of conservatives as a villager, rustic, ignorant and even ragtag did lead to a certain level of resentment, it also stimulated a change and transformation over time. It was the feeling of disparagement that was a motivating factor for the Anatolian Tigers. They did not get crushed under this feeling nor did they develop a feeling of vengeance. Instead, to the complete contrary, they approached a line of democratic maturity, and the conservative group began spearheading reforms. For example, if conservative groups did not have such a positive view on the EU process, Turkey would not have made the progress that it has. If religious groups did not give so much support to the rights of non-Muslim minorities, the democratic demands of the minorities would not have resounded as much. If the conservative grass roots did not support critical issues as such the Alevi and Kurdish initiatives, such bold steps to resolve these issues would not have been taken.
Conservatives’ welcoming approach
Why do conservatives react positively to just about every democratic effort? Because they need democratic reforms the most. Because they are the biggest victims of violations of rights and freedoms. At one time (and to some degree, still today) conservatives were the most pressured, harassed and suppressed people. Their names were the first ones checked on suspect lists, they were the first ones targeted in postmodern coups and they were used during every coup and in every memorandum to create dark plans. The continuation of their victimization even though all past and present political powers have pledged to make the religious-conservative group happy is a result of the “holding power and yielding power” conflict peculiar to Turkey. Those who see themselves as the owners of the regime and the system’s master have established such strong positions in the civilian and military bureaucracy, judiciary and media that regardless of who wins the elections, some antidemocratic bans continue.
At this point, questions arise such as “Why can’t a party like the Justice and Development Party [AK Party], which describes itself as conservative-democrat, make progress on these types of issues?” or “Why do these groups still continue to support the AK Party even though it is having trouble making progress?”
The response to the first question in conservative groups is this: Just like other conservative groups, the AK Party is also confronting an “elimination plan” prepared by a distinguished and elite group of people. In other words, the status quo that opposes the political ruling power and creates problems in even the most basic issues and the fanatics that adopt an oppressive and repressive attitude on everything from the headscarf to Quran courses are the same. Therefore, these people believe that the “AK Party is not responsible for this mistake.”
The real culprits in the massive support for the AK Party are the political parties that can’t act like an alternative to the AK Party. Parties claiming to represent the “center right” that could have attracted sympathy from conservative groups quickly dissolved because of their dark relations. Even still they continue to support Ergenekon suspects. Democrat Party (DP) supporters are still uncomfortable with the support Hüsamettin Cindoruk gave to Ergenekon during the party’s general assembly. The distancing of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) from conservatives alone makes the AK Party the only alternative for conservatives. Neither constituents nor the AK Party should be blamed for this situation but rather rightist parties that want to play politics in the center.
There is a systematic logic behind the ongoing ban on the headscarf in universities. Dominant powers that are disconnected from the public and say, “You may have won the elections but we have possession of the final say,” have turned this ban into a symbol. Families that are allowed to register their children in any course they would like while attending primary or middle school are not allowed to send them to Quran courses. Why? There is no plausible answer. A decision that the government accepted by force of arms during the Feb. 28, 1997 coup cannot be revoked because the status quo looks at the event not from the perspective of social truths but from the window of symbolic arguments. What about the treatment of imam-hatip students as suspects? You’d think they were talking about a structure that is not supervised by the Education Ministry; you’d think they were talking about a school that lacks a clear curriculum; you’d think they were talking about schools that have given diplomas to people that have committed major crimes.
The issue is not limited to these examples. An insane outcry has been continuing. For example, a crime called “infiltrating the state” has been invented. At first you think it means a citizen of another country is infiltrating our state. But no, the infiltrators are citizens of this country. These people pay their taxes and are responsible citizens. So what is the problem? Conservatives don’t fit into the ideological mold created by the system. Isn’t this the essential point? Isn’t that what a participatory and pluralistic democracy allows? This outlook, which treats individuals as the other and tries to exclude them from the system, has generated a plethora of vulgar words such as reactionist and bigoted. You open a school and they call it a religious order school; you open a boarding house and they call it community housing. Is it a crime for these people who literally obey every law to engage in activities by exercising their civilian rights? No. So why are people pressured as if they have done something illegal? The reason is clear: Those who consider themselves the real owners of the state cannot tolerate sharing power with the periphery that has moved to the center, and with a reflex that is actually based on a class struggle, they are trying to keep their old reign by excluding others. They can’t come out and openly say to the citizens “We are the elite, they are rustic,” so instead they are polishing the issue with an ideological gloss. They are trying to secure the power they failed to win in the election by provoking the “guardians of the established order.”
Preferring to remain silent
The conservative group prefers to remain silent. A portion of this silence is legitimate and rational. For example, taking to the streets like others is a protest style that is not included in their culture. Besides, they know how reactions in the streets can be manipulated and dragged in different directions.
It’s obvious the conservative groups not only need the courage to fight for their rights but also need to develop methods that are compatible with their beliefs and cultural codes. This needs to be developed within a legal framework, situated on a democratic foundation and reinforced by a civil society cognizance. But before any of this can become possible, conservatives first need to remove the illegitimate straitjacket that was imposed on them.
The embarrassment and discomfort they feel when defending their most natural right and performing their most basic religious obligations as if they are doing something illegal is related to the years of ongoing fear of the state and a result of psychological pressure. It’s easy to open schools, build dormitories, develop Quran courses, set up businessmen’s associations, participate in union activities and engage in activities that require experience and tools such as culture, arts and media. However, it takes time to stop feeling ashamed when actually doing any one of these and to look at the matter with a “we are a reality of this country as well” perspective.
Now it is time to develop this behavior. Conservatives are going to speak out for their own rights and fight within legal boundaries on the one hand and support any other endeavor for democratic rights on the other. Then Turkey will truly become a livable country, and its democracy will have taken firm steps that make everyone else feel envious.
Benzer Haberler 
