Atatürk: Leaders who surrender their people to ignorance and misery...

The Great Offensive had ended,

The struggle had been won by the Turkish Nation under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal. He was now the President of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and Commander-in-Chief, Marshal Gazi Mustafa Kemal Pasha. 

He was returning from İzmir on February 19, 1923. He stopped by the Turkish Hearth (Türk Ocağı) in Uşak. The President of the Turkish Hearth and several others were taking the podium to give speeches.

***

One of the speakers,

While describing Atatürk's greatness, attempted to compare him to Bismarck and Napoleon. As soon as he said, “Bismarck, Napoleon, and Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk,” Atatürk intervened.  

He did not like this comparison.

-"With the permission of our brother, I would like to clarify a point here,” he said, and addressed the issue;

-“Gentlemen!

This friend is attempting to compare me to Bismarck and Napoleon. Who is Napoleon? A man chasing after kingdoms and adventure! And Bismarck is a man who served a king! I am not like that!" he said.

He warned him.

Faced with this warning, the speaker became flustered;

-“Forgive me, Your Excellency, my words were misunderstood. I wanted to speak of your honor and your glory." When he said this, Atatürk was uncomfortable again. He took the podium and spoke these magnificent words;

-“Gentlemen!

This brother of ours has fallen into error for the second time.

What glory, what honor? If the nation to which I belong has glory and honor, then I have glory and honor. Otherwise, if a man emerges from among you who chases after glory and honor and wants to be unique, he is a calamity upon your heads! The nation must never allow such people! “ he said.

***

He was careful with his words while speaking. He chose them deliberately. When speaking of the nation, he did not say “My Nation” like today's politicians; he did not see himself as superior to the nation, he said “the nation to which I belong.” 

After all,

Even if he were the President, this nation was no one's nation. Presidents could only be individuals of that nation.

He was saying that if a member of parliament, a prime minister, or any President emerges from among you who chases after glory and honor and has the title of “World Leader” bestowed upon himself and wants to be unique, that man becomes a calamity upon your heads, and therefore the Nation must never allow such people.

***

He paused for a moment while speaking.

He thought, and concluded his words with the following sentences. With those sentences, it was as if he were addressing these days, as if he were speaking while intending the Prime Ministers and Presidents of these days who leave the public ignorant and poor;

-“Leaders who surrender their people to ignorance and misery are doomed to perish. A public that elects leaders who drag them into ignorance and misery is also doomed to be enslaved..!”

In short, he was saying, oh nation;

He was saying that a President who leaves the public poor is doomed to perish, and the public that elects that president is doomed to be enslaved.

Who was he referring to? Of course, he was referring to those of today.

What more could he say...

Should he have named names...