Erdogan - funny video

[sinoorsomethinglikethat]

This is being shared in Germany and Turkey. Erdogan the aspiring dictator who is steadily erodes the freedom of the press and women's rights in turkey is apparently pretty p*d off at this video, which was broadcast in Germany last week. Erdogan ordered the german ambassador in Istanbul to prohibit the distribution of the video as it doesn't show him in a flattering light. German ambassador said no can do for now.

AIBU to find this video quite funny, it's based on a 1990s German pop song by Nena. Anyway it made me smile but the situation is dire and serious. Friends in Turkey are sharing it on Facebook, but this is likely to be cracked down on sooner than later by Erdogan's thought police. Turkey used to be a fantastic place, i spent some time there. Their future now looks bleak.

[bestcatintheworld]

I've seen it, and shared it on FB. I think it's really good, but not funny as such.

[tulipgrower]

I love the way Erdogan's requesting it be deleted has completely backfired and made it popular. I looked at it a few days ago and it had 52k views, now it's over a million views.

Sadly, this video may irritate him fleetingly, but it won't stop him.

[sinoorsomethinglikethat]

I agree Tulip, his spin doctors have some lessons to learn. I don't find the situation funny at all best but the video made me laugh out loud because in its simplicity it was catchy and 'accessible' to people who would otherwise not pay attention to it. I don't pay Turkey's political situation enough attention partly because it seems so depressing. Why are they going backwards? why are people like Erdogan voted for and admired so much? . erdogan seems to hold a lot of cards in his hands atm....

[sinoorsomethinglikethat]

Turkey's first lady ermine Erdogan is promoting 'Harems' as an appropriate lifestyle for women as in a harem they may get opportunities they would otherwise not such as education.

www.yahoo.com/news/turkish-first-lady-says-harem-school-women-194358334.html

it is interesting how little Western media report on the appalling developments in Turkey. And interesting how suddenly a country like Turkey has become a significant political player holding Europe at Ransom wrt the refuge crisis. How can it be that Germany / Europe could not manage the refuge situation without having to pay 6bil Euros to Turkey and allow visa free entry into the country? Well, merkel has an easy going attitude to Erdogan's less than clean human rights record,and as de factor head of the EU is happily negotiating our future with this autocratic misogynist man.

[Fugghetaboutit]

Atatürk is turning in his grave :(

[sinoorsomethinglikethat]

Thank you Fug he certainly is.

I might ask MN to move this thread to the News board as it wasn't really a case of 'aibu' but to share the video and maybe discuss the situation in Turkey.

[bestcatintheworld]

I agree, sinoor, he's a shit and it's a good way to raise attention to his hideous behaviour

[PresidentOliviaMumsnet]

@sinoorsomethinglikethat

Thank you Fug he certainly is.

I might ask MN to move this thread to the News board as it wasn't really a case of 'aibu' but to share the video and maybe discuss the situation in Turkey.

Hi there
Done for you

[sinoorsomethinglikethat]

Thank you president Olivia .

[leelu66]

How can it be that Germany / Europe could not manage the refuge situation without having to pay 6bil Euros to Turkey and allow visa free entry into the country?

Your true colours are showing now.

Turkey has agreed to take back any asylum seekers who land in Greece. This means the closure of the Aegean smuggling route, which more than 850,000 people used to reach Greece from Turkey last year.

In return, Turkey gets €6bn (£4.7bn) to help the estimated 2.7 million Syrians now stuck on Turkish soil. It will also become easier for Turks to get European visas, and the EU will pay greater lip-service to the idea of Turkey becoming a member state. For each Syrian returned to Turkey, Europe has promised to accept another Syrian living in a Turkish camp – though if the Aegean flow stops, this mechanism is not likely to see much use.

Do you want Turkey to feed and clothe migrants without any help from Europe? You sounds insular and selfish.

[sinoorsomethinglikethat]

"Your true colours are showing now."

as in what?

[leelu66]

As in you can't really care about Turkey if you begrudge the country assistance with the 2.7 million refugees on its soil, despite having spent time there and having found it 'fantastic'.

I've never even been there but I wouldn't begrudge them this help.

[sinoorsomethinglikethat]

66 i have family and close friends in Turkey and studied there for a year. How dare you suggest I "can't really care about Turkey"? You have never been to the country, have obviously not followed the EU / Turkey negotiations in any great detail yet here you making sweeping negative statements to a poster you know nothing about whilst congratulating yourself for being such a goody uniformed two shoes for you. What do you know about Erdogan 66? Do you care about the women in Turkey? Do you know how he rerates women, and lefties?

[CoteDAzur]

"Why are they going backwards? why are people like Erdogan voted for and admired so much?"

It's a sad story of the difficulty of secularity in a Muslim country and unintended consequences.

After the coup d'état in 1980 where the country finally found rest from the de facto civil war between ultra nationalists and revolutionary communists who were gunning each other down on the streets and assassinating public figures, Islam was apparently chosen as the thread to re-unite the people of Turkey. Hundreds of Islamic schools (called "Imam Hatip") opened in just a few years and for the first time, their graduates were allowed to enter other universities than religious studies. (See here). This led to an unprecedented proliferation of religious fundamentalism in Turkey, and it is no surprise that Erdogan's decade-long reign coincided with the coming of age of that generation, about 15 years later.

Since Erdogan took power, he grabbed it totally and ruthlessly, not only discrediting but imprisoning and/or financially ruining journalists and dissenters alike. The army was the major obstacle standing in his way, since Turkey's army had the unusual role of the guarantor of the secular republic, with the constitutional right and duty to step in when they felt it was in danger. Under the guise of bringing Turkey's laws in line with EU norms, Erdogan curbed the power of the army, then fabricated lies to throw the entire top military brass of the country in jail. Now the army is also powerless to stop him.

So that is where we are.

[CoteDAzur]

"This means the closure of the Aegean smuggling route, which more than 850,000 people used to reach Greece from Turkey last year."

Close... how, exactly? It might help at this point to consult a map. Note the proximity of Greek islands to Turkish shore and the impossibility of policing the entire Aegean coastline.

"For each Syrian returned to Turkey, Europe has promised to accept another Syrian living in a Turkish camp – though if the Aegean flow stops, this mechanism is not likely to see much use."

There are 2.7 million Syrians currently in Turkey, only 260,000 of whom are in refugee camps. The rest are spread out among the major cities, mainly living rough on the streets. EU's agreement with Turkey foresees a maximum of 72,000 refugees exchanged in this manner. What do you think is going to happen to the remaining 2.5 million?

How much of the EUR 3bn promised by the EU do you think will trickle down to them?

How many of them will learn Turkish and commit to staying in Turkey where refugee status is impossible and they are only offered temporary asylum? And how many do you think will continue to do whatever they can to get to Europe?

[sinoorsomethinglikethat]

cote that is a brilliant summary.

[leelu66]

making sweeping negative statements to a poster you know nothing about whilst congratulating yourself for being such a goody uniformed two shoes biscuit for you.

Don't post in AIBU if you can't take it.

How am I congratulating myself?

What informed statements did you make in your OP?

Here, right back atcha

[sinoorsomethinglikethat]

"I've never even been there but I wouldn't begrudge them this help."
indicating I am begrudging Turkey the financial support is childish and has a self-congratulatory tone I'm afraid.


"Don't post in AIBU if you can't take it."
This is not AIBU but "in the news" in case you missed it and didn't read the thread properly; i have asked MN to move the thread, which they did.

66 you have no idea what i can take or not but you come across as a type I will not engage with any further as i don't like to waste my time with unpleasant Simple minded individuals when i can help it.

[CoteDAzur]

leelu - I don't know what your problem with OP is, but feel free to answer my comments.