Here is still more indication of the rapid discarding of secularism and Islamization of Turkey: many believe that Gülen, the "Turkish Khomeini," wants to bring Sharia back to Turkey: "Turkey’s National Security Council condemned in 1998 for 'trying to undermine the country’s secular institutions, concealing his methods behind a democratic and moderate image.' For this reason he has been living in voluntary exile in the United States since he was sentenced in absentia."
"Erdoğan hopes Islamic scholar Gülen returns to Turkey soon," from Today's Zaman, June 15 (thanks to Joshua):
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has openly invited Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen to Turkey in a speech he delivered during the closing ceremony for the 10th Turkish Olympiads amid a standing ovation from a crowd of over 50,000.Erdoğan, who spoke after he was granted a special award by the organizing committee of the Olympiads, implied that Gülen, without directly mentioning his name, should return to Turkey as soon as possible. The well-known scholar has been residing in the US for nearly 13 years.
“We want this yearning to end,” he said, receiving a lengthy standing ovation from the crowd, in a rare blunt invitation for Gülen to return to his homeland. Erdoğan added, “We want to see those who are abroad and longing for the homeland among us.”
Responding to the lengthy applause, Erdoğan further said he understands that the crowd also wants “this yearning to end.”
Gülen is a Turkish Islamic scholar well known for his teachings that promote mutual understanding and tolerance between different cultures and faiths. Now residing in the US, Gülen has pioneered educational activities in a number of countries, along with efforts to promote intercultural and interfaith activities around the world. The Turkish Olympiads are an initiative pioneered by schools associated with him.
He has also written nearly 60 books in Turkish, most of which have been translated into dozens of languages. He was most recently honored with the EastWest Institute's (EWI) 2011 EWI Peace Building Award for his contribution to world peace.
Gülen is in self-imposed exile in the US even though there is not any legal hurdle that prevent him from returning to Turkey. Shortly after he went to the US, in 2000, then-State Security Court (DGM) prosecutor Nuh Mete Yüksel launched a case against him on charges of establishing an illegal organization, but he was eventually acquitted after eight years. Upon appeal, the General Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Appeals upheld the acquittal.
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was the founder of the Turkish Republic and the father of Turkish secularism -- Kemalism. His visage is everywhere in modern Turkey, but don't expect that it will be for much longer. The current regime is moving rapidly toward reimposing Sharia, and thus Atatürk has got to go. "Turkey's first coin without Atatürk now in use," from the Hürriyet Daily News, June 15 (thanks to Joshua):
The Turkish mint has distributed the Republic’s first coins not to feature Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s visage on either of its sides, daily Cumhuriyet reported.The coins, a million of which are now in use, were made as souvenirs to mark the 10th anniversary of the Turkish Olympics, an event in which children from around the world come to Turkey to display their prowess in Turkish.
The use of coins has stirred a public debate as some citizens disliked the new arrangement, saying it was part of planned state propaganda to discredit modern Turkey's founder.
"It's unacceptable that these coins, supposedly made as souvenirs, are being used," one person told Cumhuriyet.
