Should I not respond to those who want to strangle me?

Hüseyin Gülerce

The move to close down prep schools is getting complicated. Things are going out of hand, and the discussions over this serious education issue are becoming less serious and more irrelevant. A Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputy who is also a member of the education commission made a horrible remark comparing the prep schools to the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK); this should be taken as a serious warning showing that things could get worse. I am feeling really heart weary and upset by the general attitude of Education Minister Nabi Avcı during the meetings with stakeholders.

No other Education Ministry in Turkey has experienced such impotence, despair and astonishment. My remarks should not be taken as harsh; I am making them as a friend. Given that you, Avcı, took part in the foundation of the Zaman daily and that you are saying that these harsh remarks “should not have been done to me,” I would like to make a counter remark. If you were actually with us at the beginning, you should not have done this to the Hizmet movement. Should you have destroyed the bridges of hearts? Should it have been you who would change everything in education? Do you want to be recorded in history like this? Whether or not you take us seriously, the only move that would make you Nabi Avcı again is to resign. If you do not, the regret you would feel in the future would keep bothering you.

I now believe that religious people will be subjected to a remarkable test over the prep schools. Those who confuse partisanship with cause and those who abandoned ideals to embrace daily interest will be identified in this test. Those who preserved their rage in the past and moved to the stage at the first opportunity they got, those who harmed the sense of justice in the name of objectivity and true friends, and those who really promote fundamental human rights and the rule of law will be clearly identified in this process. Those who are able to remain reasonable and patient in this process will be identified as well. This has been one of my favorite prayers: May Allah not subject me and my friends to tests that we would fail. It takes years to make a friend; I do not want to lose them.

I would also like to expostulate with some friends. They are telling us that this is a row between the Hizmet community and the government and asking us to stop fighting. Please do not do this; an offense from a friend is even more painful to bear. Do you see this as a row? Is not there any wrong and right in this? The Hizmet movement wins over hearts with education. We would like to open up to the world by staying ourselves. When somebody who you consider a friend attempts to strangle you, you tell him not to do this because they are suffocating you. But he does not understand. I am screaming in pain, but he does not stop. I grab his hand, but now you are objecting to that. Is it possible to say that the hand trying to strangle me is the same as the hand trying to protect itself? Some friends made some mistakes when trying to protect themselves; I would not endorse them. I apologize on behalf of them. Is this entirely our fault? Is it reasonable to destroy the entire nation and country just because of this? Is it reasonable to destroy democracy, stability and peace for this?

It is not about keeping the prep schools alive. The sincere people who are focused on doing something that pleases Allah are being targeted. The legal rights of those who work for a cause are being violated. Should not we defend these rights? Would those who adopt love as the main guide in their actions and sacrifice themselves for others leave the path of the righteous? Would they back up? Do not you know that if you make such compromises now, you will have to deal with even graver assaults?

The attempts to cause hostility between religious groups should be abandoned. Besides, why is there a hurry and rush for this before an upcoming election?

Published on Today's Zaman, 28 November 2013, Thursday