Are you “aware”?
I don’t know whether you’re “aware” of what I’m about to say.
You probably are aware.
…….
This is what I was afraid of.
In other words, being involved in these things knowingly.
Staying silent.
Remaining unresponsive.
Unfortunately, being used as a tool.
I have nothing to say about this group.
As far as I can tell—and sadly—they are happy.
But I can’t help saying this, too.
Those who are among the aware without realizing it may appear to others as if they are aware.
That is sad, too.
I hope they realize it as well.
***
But what about those who are unaware?
Being unaware can actually take different forms.
For example:
You are unaware of things you’re not interested in.
Or,
You are selfish.
You have adopted the proverb “Let the snake that doesn’t bite me live a thousand years” as your philosophy.
Or perhaps, most of the time,
who knows, you are unaware in order not to be aware?
***
If you ask me, I belong to the group that is aware.
But I try not to get involved,
I don’t stay silent,
I speak out, and I don’t let myself be used.
Or so I think.
I’m sure you’re wondering right now
what I mean by being aware.
Let me explain.
***
A few months ago, the Cumhuriyet Newspaper, which you are holding in your hands now, did something good that I think other media organizations should follow.
The newspaper said, “We are aware.”
I don’t know if you followed it.
Let me explain for readers who didn’t.
The newspaper was saying that it was aware of the “osmosis” being attempted.
What I want to talk about today is
related developments.
***
First of all,
I am not an extreme nationalist.
Nor have I ever been.
I am not opposed to a solution, either.
On the contrary,
I support a fair solution in Cyprus.
But I am very well aware of this:
The Greek Cypriots are being handed everything on a plate.
How?
By opening Greek Cypriot schools in our country.
By seeking to open Turkish schools on the Greek Cypriot side.
By undertaking all kinds of joint initiatives without a final solution, and so on.
Why?
Because however “well-intentioned” we may be, they are not.
They use this, and they will continue to.
Just as they did in the past.
By usurping the Republic of Cyprus.
By claiming it for themselves alone and denying us any rights.
By ensuring that we have been subjected to unjust embargoes for years.
By waiting with hungry eyes, like a wolf stalking a sheep, for our resistance to break.
While engaging in every kind of deceit, didn’t they support their claims by writing things in Turkish on banknotes, the walls of parliament, and so on, asserting that they were our rulers?
Didn’t they prove this to us?
And what are we doing?
We are taking steps to open a school on the Greek Cypriot side.
Why?
The reason: so that Turkish children studying in schools there won’t be assimilated.
Oh, come on.
First, fix the education system here.
You can’t have an education system with strikes every other minute.
Families whose children face assimilation there should send them to school here.
***
Tomorrow, when you open a school there, won’t they tell the people coming from the EU, the UN, and so on, “Look, we grant Turks every right. We opened a school for them. We’re very happy… Turks have every right… Long live, we’re having a wild time…etc.”?
Didn’t they say it yesterday?
Aren’t you aware?
***
I think you now understand why I wrote so much about being aware at the beginning of my article.
Look around you and sort those pursuing these actions into the groups I described above.
Then you will realize.
Note: You can find this article and all my previously published articles at www.cemkar.net Cem KAR