Bazı Gerçekler Yabancı Bir Dilde Daha İyi Anlaşılır
11 Oca2010Kitleleri endoktrine edebilmenin en bilindik yollarından birinin “sürekli tekrar” olduğu malum. Türkiye’de düzenlenen resmi törenlerin herbirinin, aynı sloganların tekrarından ibaret olan bir rejim ritüeli formatında olmasının nedeni de bu. Bu çerçevede ilk akla gelenlerin, öğrencilere her sabah içtirilen antlar, her okulda haftada iki kez gerçekleştirilen bayrak töreni, belirli gün ve haftalarda okunan şiirler ve marşlar olduğu söylenebilir.
Kitle kontrolünde sürekli tekrarın en büyük faydalarından biri de, normal şartlar altında kulağa epey tuhaf (ve hatta korkunç) gelecek olan kimi öğelerin sürekli tekrarlana tekrarlana normalize edilmesidir. Bu çerçevede Türkiye özelinde ise, vatan uğruna ölmek, öldürmek, kimi insanların hainliklerinden bahisler açmak, lider ululamaları, belli etnik ya da milli kimliklere düşmanlık, kimi kimliklerle ilişkilendirilen öğeler aşağılanırken Türk kimliği ile ilişkili olanların özcü söylemlerle yüceltilmesi gibi durumlar söz konusu.
Türkiye’de bu gibi öğelerin farkına varabilmek – onyıllar boyunca hakim kültür ile fazlasıyla iç içe geçmiş olmasından ötürü – bu konuda hassas olmaya çalışan insanlar için dahi her zaman mümkün olamayabiliyor. Zira insan kulağı, sürekli tekrarlanarak sıradanlaştırılan kimi sıradışı öğeleri zaman içerisinde duysa da işitemez hale geliyor.
Bu zihinsel engeli aşmayı kolaylaştıran yollardan biri, ilgili metinlerin kendilerini değil, çevirilerini okumak ve böylelikle belli sloganlara karşı körleşmiş olan kulaklara aynı manaları başka ifadelere büründürerek işittirmeye çalışmak.
Bu duruma bir örnek olması adına, Andımız’ı İngilizce’ye çevirdim. Ancak tabii Andımız, bu çerçevede çevrilmesi gereken metinlerden sadece biri. 23 Nisan 1933 tarihinde dönemin milli eğitim bakanı Dr. Reşit Galip tarafından yazılan ve Türk çocuklarına “armağan” edilen bu yemin metninin (1990′lı yıllarda uğradığı küçük çaplı bir iki değişiklik gözardı edilecek olursa), neredeyse 80 yıldır zihinlere kazınmaya devam ettiği söylenebilir.
Metin, özcü ifadelerle başlıyor ve ardından, genç zihinlere Türklük, vatan ve millet uğruna bireyselliklerini ve hatta “varlık”larını hiçe saymayı öğretiyor. Son kısımda da, bütün hayatların ve düşüncelerin (bugün itibariyle çoktan ölmüş gitmiş olan) bir liderin ideolojisine kayıtsız şartsız endekslenmesini esas alan bir yemin ettiriyor ve Türklüğü yücelten bir sloganla noktayı koyuyor.
Türk siyasi rejiminin altı yaşından başlayarak bütün vatandaşlarına ezberlettiği ve hatta Diyarbakır Askeri Cezaevi gibi yerlerde ağır işkence altına aldığı Türkçe dahi bilmeyen tutuklulara söylettiği Andımız’ı belki de ilk defa gerçekten anlamaya çalışma adına yapılacak bir diğer şey de, bu yemin metnini Türk eğitim sisteminden geçmemiş ama İngilizce bilen insanlara okutup fikirlerini sormak olabilir.
OUR PLEDGE
I am a Turk.
I am honest.
I am hardworking.My principle
is to protect those younger,
to respect the elderly, [and]
to love my country and my nation more than I love my own self.Let my existence be a gift to the Turkish existence.
O Great Atatürk, who has provided us with this day,
On the path you have paved,
toward the ideal you have established, [and]
toward the purpose you have shown,
I vow to constantly walk.How happy is he who says I am a Turk!
Okuyucu Yorumları
Levent Cetin says:
11 Ocak 2010 at 7:30 PMIsterseniz Cince yazin hep ayni igrencligini koruyor. 7 yasindayken de tiksindim, simdi de tiksiniyorum boyle bir metinden.
Levent Cetin says:
11 Ocak 2010 at 7:30 PMBir sorum olacak. Halen okullarda sabahlari bu okutuluyor mu?
Serdar Kaya says:
11 Ocak 2010 at 10:07 PMATATÜRK’S PICTURE
Atatürk’s picture
Listens with us
To the lesson that our teacher
Teaches in the pulpit
We are hardworking, because,
When we work,
We look [and see that] Atatürk smiled.
If we make a mistake,
His eyes cloud,
We understand, Atatürk is sad.
Behçet Necatigil
Serdar Kaya says:
11 Ocak 2010 at 10:07 PMATATÜRK IS NOT DEAD
Atatürk is not dead; he is living in my heart
In the war of civilization, it is he who is carrying the flag,
It is he who is overcoming all difficulties
The revolutions that give strength to Turkishness is yours
The enlightened path that you drew for my country is yours
You did not die, you cannot die
Erdoğan Oryay
Levent Cetin says:
13 Ocak 2010 at 12:34 AMBir an icimde bir seylerin kipirdadigini hissettim. Papaza gittim, gelecegim
Serdar Kaya says:
17 Ocak 2010 at 8:50 AMMilli Güvenlik Bilgisi ders kitabının (2002) önsözü:
Due to its geopolitical location, the Republic of Turkey is in a position to face games that are rooted outside of its borders. The Turkish youth has to be prepared for these games. The most important condition of being ready [for them] is to accept that a secular and democratic structure is the most ideal [political] system for Turkey, and to have sufficient consciousness on this issue. The way to achieve that is to embrace the principles and revolutions of Atatürk not only on the level of thought but also as a life style.
So far as the Turkish youth possesses the consciousness of the games our country faces and embraces the principles and revolutions of Atatürk as a life style, there is no doubt that Turkey will attain the level of contemporary civilizations.
The objective of the National Security Knowledge class is to reveal the two aforementioned important behavior in the youth. The Turkish youth will not invalidate what Atatürk expects of them by adopting both of these two behaviors.
Levent Cetin says:
18 Ocak 2010 at 7:35 PMAtaturk yerine Hitler koyup bunu Turklere okutsaniz “vay fasist” demezler mi?
Dediginiz gibi yabanci dilde bu ‘super paranoya’ daha iyi anlasiliyor.
Mehmet Zeki says:
20 Ocak 2010 at 12:39 PMCan we apply the approach you mention above to the Islamic communities? Some of them are reading only the books of their imams and are not interested in any other intellectual publications.
BTW: I found your Ergenekon approach from the perspective of Mancur Olson’s viewpoint. Can the above question be applied in there in the same manner again?
Levent Cetin says:
2 Şubat 2010 at 9:54 PMIsyerimdeki bazi arkadaslara bu Ingilizce metni gonderdim ve ne dusunduklerini yazmalarini istedim. Asagiya ekliyorum:
Michael D.C. (Filipinler)
We have our own too. We used to recite (in Tagalog) every morning for six years.
On this modern age there should be a better way of encouraging patriotism.
Each country should abolish it.
Did that make you a better person?
Here it is;
I love the Philippines.
It is the land of my birth;
It is the home of my people.
It protects me and helps me to be strong, happy and useful.
In return, I will heed the counsel of my parents;
I will obey the rules of my school;
I will perform the duties of a patriotic, law-abiding citizen;
I will serve my country unselfishly and faithfully
I will be a true Filipino in thought, in word, in deed
Levent Cetin says:
2 Şubat 2010 at 9:56 PMMarcel V – (Bukres, Romanya):
Levent,
I think it’s great pledge, shows lots of patriotism, on the other hand it says to love: ” to love my country and my nation more than I love my own self.” I don’t agree, yes to love our motherland, but up to some limits. Where I came from the communists tried to say the same, and they where the ones who didn’t believe in that. Same for politicians. This to me sound like propaganda. Every totalitarian regime says so. If we love ourselves and our countries, there should be a limit up to where to love our countries, I love my country, the land, but not the political people and not to the extend that I will sacrifice my life for the politicians that rule it.
I won’t go to a war , unless my country will be invaded by other, I won’t go to war because the parliament decided so, I love my country and I want it free, but to a limit.
I hope didn’t offend anybody.
cheers
Levent Cetin says:
2 Şubat 2010 at 9:57 PMIan R. (London – Great Britain)
Hi Levent,
This is a good way for anyone to start the day.
I like the about respecting young, and elderly especially.
It has a strong nationlistic component, puting your country first etc,
and I like the giving thanks for the day, and the inference that we are guilded by your hero “On the path you have paved,
toward the ideal you have established” etc.
I find it amazing that this is so similar to my own up bring. we had to say the Lords prayer, or the Our father as the Catholics call it:
Our Father, which art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done,
in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
[For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.]
Amen.
Following the prayer, we would have to sing the National anthem!
Levent Cetin says:
2 Şubat 2010 at 9:58 PMMichael S.C. (Quebec City, Canada)
Levent,
I can’t remember doing something like this at school. We would play the national anthem every day and say a prayer once a week.
To memorize this pledge is very patriotic and the pledge itself is quite hardcore.
Levent Cetin says:
2 Şubat 2010 at 9:59 PMDennis P, (Croatia)
Hello Levent:
I read through the pledge. It is very nationally oriented. I believe it is fairly similar to the pledge of allegiance.
Thanks
Dennis
Levent Cetin says:
2 Şubat 2010 at 10:00 PMMustapha S. (Rabat, Fas)
Looks a typical enthusiastic ‘kids hymn’ carrying some noble values and ideals and other interfering demagogical doctrines, which unfortunately question the intended or very purpose of the those first ‘noble values and ideals’. Another question: can a ‘pre-Ataturk’ identify to this pledge, why not?
Levent Cetin says:
2 Şubat 2010 at 10:02 PMBuyuk harflerle not dusmus
Chengpin C. (China);
OUR PLEDGE
I am a Turk.
I am honest.
I am hardworking.
My principle
is to protect those younger,
to respect the elderly, [and]
to love my country and my nation more than I love my own self. (THIS SENTENCE IS JUST WORDS, MAYBE SOME PEOPLE WILL REALLY THINK OF THIS)
Let my existence be a gift to the Turkish existence.
O Great Atatürk, who has provided us with this day,
On the path you have paved,
toward the ideal you have established, [and] (WHAT IS THE IDEAL FOR TURKEY? IN SOCIALISM COUNTY THE IDEAL IS COMMUNISM: NO PRIVATE, NO CLASS STRUGGLE/CLASSLESS/STATELESS)
toward the purpose you have shown,
I vow to constantly walk.
How happy is he who says I am a Turk!
Levent Cetin says:
2 Şubat 2010 at 10:04 PMBu herif benim mudurum
Artem H. (Kiev, Ukrayna)
Levent,
I agree with all of it. I think every nation in the world should do this.
Levent Cetin says:
2 Şubat 2010 at 10:05 PMDiana V. (Ukrayna)
Seriously? They tell you to memorize this? This is history. Should be left in 1930′s, not now.
Levent Cetin says:
3 Şubat 2010 at 12:59 AMDevam. Bunu cok sevdigim Fred yazmis. Dikkate deger bir yazi:
Fred M. (Rusya Federasyonu)
Interesting.
My belief system would probably require me to change the words a bit.
I am a Turkey.
I am honest (honestly)
I work hardly.
No but really, it all boils down to these two things for me.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and all your mind.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
To elaborate;
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
I could also add:
“If someone hits you on your cheek, give him the other cheek also.”
‘and’
“In as much as you have done for the least of my brethren, that you have done to Me”
Shall I go on?
I think we take this national pride thing a little far at times. I mean I’m glad I live here in Canada as opposed to some other places. However, there are also some things that Canada does that make me ashamed to “associate to strongly” with the term “I am Canadian”. I don’t like to differentiate between country, race, color. To me, we are all human and all have the same basic rights – we all have the choice to choose good, or to choose evil. I can’t force the next guy/gal to do/believe/feel anything. The only thing I have ultimate control over, is my choice.
When you say you love your country, what is it you are loving? Are you loving the ground? – (It doesn’t know you are there, it doesn’t know anything – its just dirt) Are you loving your leaders? We should love our leaders, and pray for them, as we should love each person But that doesn’t make them infallible or unchallengeable or above us in that we should not stand for what is right before we stand for their agenda. Is it the people we love – Yes. But are we to only love the people in our country – no. We are to love our neighbor, and our neighbor in my definition is anyone we have some vestige of influence over.
Jesus said he came to be King – but he also said his kingdom is not of this world. It is not an earthly kingdom I serve first, but the Kingdom of God. My prayer is now, that the strength be given me that my actions would hold true to the words I have just typed, so that my Father in heaven would be glorified.
I like you Levent. You are a great person and I am glad you asked me this question.
Levent Cetin says:
3 Şubat 2010 at 1:11 AMKevin S, (Ukraynali bir aileden ucuncu kusak Kanadali):
I went to a catholic school (no longer practicing). At one time we used to say a prayer every day. That was stopped at some time for political reasons and prayers were only allowed at optional events.
My opinion is that it is ethically positive though the religious reference could be viewed negatively if it did not apply universally to the entire population (which it never does).
Just my 2 cents.
Levent Cetin says:
3 Şubat 2010 at 5:24 PMBu hanim Afganistan’da savasmis bir askerin esi, yazida esinden de bahsediyor.
Terri R. (Winnipeg, Kanada)
I am quite touched by the pledge that young school children in Turkey make each day. I think having children make this pledge each day would inspire great national pride and also inspire them to be their best in everything they do. I view this pledge as a positive affirmation and I believe it can have a positive effect on a person’s attitude and self image.
I do have one concern about this pledge (and it’s one that my husband shares as well) and that is that it might be considered to be a bit extreme – perhaps maybe even a little fanatical. The line “my principle is to love my country and nation more than I love my own self” is the line that causes me concern . I say this because of how WWI was the result of run away nationalism during the 1800′s and early 1900′s. We should never forget what an utter tragedy that war was. While I believe Patriotism is a good thing – we must all remember to be a good citizen of the world.
I hope I explained this well – and also welcome your feed back. It’s a good thing to have a discussion about – and you strike me as someone who values good discussion.
TS says:
5 Şubat 2010 at 8:22 PM“This is an ideological action”, speaks Turkish PM regarding the latest workers rally in Turkey.
Ekrem Senai says:
20 Eylül 2010 at 4:07 PMAmerika’da da andımız varmış diyorlar doğru mu?
http://www.internethaber.com/yeni-anayasa-derken…-10569y.htm
Serdar Kaya says:
20 Eylül 2010 at 4:46 PMEvet, “Bağlılık Yemini” var:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_of_Allegiance
stresabi says:
21 Eylül 2010 at 3:51 PMSerdar bey gene önemli bir noktaya işaret etmiş. Ben de şu eski yazıları da bu vesileyle paylaşmış olayım:
http://izlenimler.wordpress.com/2006/03/09/kova/
http://izlenimler.wordpress.com/2006/03/22/ana-baba-ogretmen-imam/
http://izlenimler.wordpress.com/2008/04/15/bu-da-bir-sey-mi/
http://izlenimler.wordpress.com/2004/09/24/spor-yazarlari-daum-ve-istiklal-marsi/