Not that long ago he still held near-demigod status. I’m not real informed about the modern state of things on that front, but I’m given to understand the Islamist-oriented AKP has been trying to quietly move away from Ataturk and his secular legacy since the mid-2000s. Don’t know how successful that’s actually been, but it’s definitely quieter now.
Seriously, that quote is moving me to literal tears still. God damn
First time I read it I wept, entirely unexpectedly. I’m not even Australian, or Turkish. Those last two lines hit particularly hard.
Ataturk is such a fascinating character, that seems entirely unknown to so many. He’s hardly even celebrated in modern Turkey.
Not that long ago he still held near-demigod status. I’m not real informed about the modern state of things on that front, but I’m given to understand the Islamist-oriented AKP has been trying to quietly move away from Ataturk and his secular legacy since the mid-2000s. Don’t know how successful that’s actually been, but it’s definitely quieter now.
The modern Turkish government is pushing back against the ideals he setup a century ago. It’s sad.