Hürriyet Daily News published an article by Emre Deliveri headlined "Turkey 2014 is not Iran 1979, but Orwell’s 1984," devoted to the Islamisation of the Turkish society.
"Many see Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s desire to prohibit coed student apartments as his latest attempt at turning Turkey into an Islamist state. I see their point. After all, since students are legally adults, it would be unfair to limit the ban just to them. I am not sure how the government would be able to pass a law to this effect, as experts have deemed it to be unconstitutional, but I am sure they will find a way. They could start by introducing the adultery act that they tried back in 2004," the article reads."Moreover, this is not the first time Erdoğan has been accused of an Islamic agenda. After the adultery law attempt, he unsuccessfully argued against abortion. More recently, he passed a new law this summer that has limited alcohol sales.These measures have an Islamist theme, but they are all part of Erdoğan’s authoritarian desire to enforce his way of life. I believe him to be more of a garden-variety conservative than Muslim, as confirmed by his quarrels with other sects. As fellow Daily News columnist Mustafa Akyol noted in a New York Times op-ed, he sees himself as a father to his nation and thinks he knows what is best for us," the author writes. "Therefore, when I look at Erdoğan’s policies, I see George Orwell’s 1984 rather than Iran right after the Revolution. For example, only married heterosexual sex for the purpose of providing children for the Party is accepted in Orwell’s Oceania, with all other forms considered sexcrimes. Erdoğan’s desire to monitor people’s residences is the epitome of "big brother watching," he believes.
"Many see Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s desire to prohibit coed student apartments as his latest attempt at turning Turkey into an Islamist state. I see their point. After all, since students are legally adults, it would be unfair to limit the ban just to them. I am not sure how the government would be able to pass a law to this effect, as experts have deemed it to be unconstitutional, but I am sure they will find a way. They could start by introducing the adultery act that they tried back in 2004," the article reads.
"Moreover, this is not the first time Erdoğan has been accused of an Islamic agenda. After the adultery law attempt, he unsuccessfully argued against abortion. More recently, he passed a new law this summer that has limited alcohol sales.These measures have an Islamist theme, but they are all part of Erdoğan’s authoritarian desire to enforce his way of life. I believe him to be more of a garden-variety conservative than Muslim, as confirmed by his quarrels with other sects. As fellow Daily News columnist Mustafa Akyol noted in a New York Times op-ed, he sees himself as a father to his nation and thinks he knows what is best for us," the author writes.
"Therefore, when I look at Erdoğan’s policies, I see George Orwell’s 1984 rather than Iran right after the Revolution. For example, only married heterosexual sex for the purpose of providing children for the Party is accepted in Orwell’s Oceania, with all other forms considered sexcrimes. Erdoğan’s desire to monitor people’s residences is the epitome of "big brother watching," he believes.
"Maybe, we just need to learn to love Erdoğan. Maybe, we need a Ministry of Love that would “teach” us to love “the master,” as he is called by his supporters. We hope we can one day win, just like Orwell’s protagonist Winston, victory over ourselves," the author concludes.
