26 Ekim 2008 Pazar

We Have Been Darkened. Again!


Once Mr. Suleyman Demirel (ex-PM and ex-President, now retired) made a statement.'My state employees know their "job"! This was a statement made to tackle the arguments for raising state employees' salaries.

State employees (called memur) in Turkey are generally viewed as dysfunctional and corrupt low organs of a state institution. Not that their head of department are less corrupt and more functioning but a lower level state official is always more accessible (bribable) for the ordinary people when they are in need of their help.

Therefore, Mr. Demirel's counter-argument regarding the salaries is more than suitable. What Mr. Demirel meant was that 'his citizens would survive under any circumstances so, a bit more of tightening the belts'...

And... now is the time for Mr. Demirel's media to know its position in taking necessary reactions.
His mass media -no doubts at all - would know what to do.

Blogging platform that I use, Blogspot, has been banned in Turkey!

This is a fact, no matter how ridiculous it may sound. Youtube has been forbidden for a quite long time already. And not only Youtube and Blogspot are on the list. These are the global internet players who got stuck in the filter of institutions of the Turkish state.

No reason was given for banning the Blogspot. Quite typical! Why bother the citizens by filling their ears with loads of "unnecessary" information? The state is not "obliged" to release any explanations regarding its actions.

The message of the state, in this case, would be just like of ultra nationalists' motto in Turkey: 'Love it ot leave it!

However, human brain is much more complex than this "flat sentence" [in meaning].

You cannot be a part of a race for joining the European Union, leading negotiations with EU high officials and allow personal and national freedom of information to be hurt this way unless you see yourself within the league of rogue states who strictly practice information control through global nationwide prohibitions on online and hard-copy publications.

Blogspot is the most commonly used blogging platform in Turkey. And what the state officials try to do is attemtping to stop the flood by locking their doors. They either need to build a gigantic dam to stop the "flood" or join the flood and allow the flood waters flourish the people through causing their ideas to bloom in the form of info-flowers.

'What "my media" writes about this ban' might ask Mr. Demirel. Would he really?

Would or not. What matters is now that the Turkish media puts their minimal efforts in telling about this story, let alone reporting it in details.

Minutes ago I read a banner on Milliyet's webpage. It writes so; 'A journalist writes with a courage, and Milliyet awards him!'

WTF?!?

For those who are not familiar with the abbreviation: it simply means, What a Thrilling Feeling!

I'm thrilled. Once again.

It seems so that this a series of "darkenings" inflicted upon free speech.

Again... Where is my media?

Is the media merely insensible of what is happening aside of them or are they afraid of their bread to be stolen by the next generation journalists, the bloggers? favit'te oku

2 yorum:

Navigada dedi ki...

This phrase was told by Turgut Ozal not Suleyman demirel. You have also some grammer and punctual mistakes in your context

Besimi dedi ki...

Dear Navigada,
Thanks for the informative information. Your valuable feedback is so valuable that you were about to fool me with your "grammer". https://encrypted.google.com/search?hl=tr&biw=1366&bih=643&q=what+is+grammer&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=