The lede in this Wall Street Journal editorial about Turkey's tumultuous elections – and the threat of yet another military coup (1960, 1971, 1980, 1997) – absurdly describes the EU-wanna be this way: "The Muslim world's liveliest democracy has long been a work in progress, but the stakes just got a lot higher … Turkey's future as a pluralistic, free society is on the line."
Since Turkey is as democratic, pluralistic and free as any Muslim country can ever be (which is to say, not very) let's deconstruct this nonsense:
† Democracy: Democracies do not have to worry about military coups. 'Nuff said.
† Pluralistic: Turkey is 99.8 percent Muslim; Turks who convert to Christianity are routinely prosecuted and jailed for "insulting Islam" (Turks are apparently so insecure they get insulted at the drop of a fez). ... Three Christian employees of a bible publishing company (two of them converts from Islam) were savagely murdered by a group of Islamist students in April (according to one as yet uncorroborated report The Stiletto has seen, they were disemboweled, castrated and beheaded). ... Since January, three Catholic priests have been murdered.
† Free society: The Turkish parliament is moving to block Web sites that insult Kemal Ataturk (for instance, by suggesting he is homosexual). ... More than 60 fiction and nonfiction writers have been prosecuted for "insulting Turkishness" (typically by acknowledging the Armenian Genocide as settled history) under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code. ... Just as in any totalitarian regime, all Turkish schoolchildren – including those of Armenian descent whose ancestors were murdered by Ottoman Turks – are required to recite " The Turkish Oath" in school swearing allegiance to the cult of Ataturk, and proclaiming their happiness at being Turks. ... Nationalists have infiltrated all levels of government – the police , the judiciary, municipal governments – and enabled the high-profile assassination of Armenian journalist Hrant Dink (second item, The Daily Blade, February 5, 2007). ... Turkish operatives have carried out an international campaign of intimidation and harassment against a Turkish historian who has written several books about the Armenian Genocide (third item, The Daily Blade , March 7, 2007).
Turkey's tiny Christian population is not living in a democratic, pluralistic and free society. These Turkish citizens are living in fear of their lives. But don't expect to read about any of this in The Wall Street Journal, which must use Armenian Genocide denial as a litmus test when hiring editorial and opinion writers (third item, The Daily Blade, March 2, 2007).
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