Atatürk, the Press, and Freedoms...

1923/ “The importance of the press cannot be denied. It is necessary to protect members of the press. Journalists must be completely free to enlighten the nation's ideas and reflect public opinion clearly. The press can in no way be placed under domination or pressure.” M. Kemal ATATÜRK

1930 / “Freedom of assembly and the press arises from the right of people to freely express and publish their thoughts. Citizens should be able to express their thoughts for the benefit of society and should be able to say what they think as they wish.

”In a representative government based on the principle of national sovereignty, public opinion plays a major role. Without freedom of the press and assembly, and without leaving a wide field for criticism regarding public affairs, public opinion cannot perform its duty. The spread and rise of the idea of national sovereignty and representative government is only possible through the activity of public opinion.” M. Kemal ATATÜRK

1930 / “The press prevents abuses and compels government instruments to perform their duties correctly.” M. Kemal ATATÜRK

1930 / “The press is a great force that has a wide-ranging influence on the politics of governments.” M. Kemal ATATÜRK

1923 / “The press is the voice of the nation. In enlightening and warning a nation, in providing a nation with the intellectual nourishment it needs, in short, in ensuring that a nation walks in the common direction that is its goal of happiness, the press is a force, a school, and a guide in its own right.” M. Kemal ATATÜRK

1923 / “No one is obligated to think as the government thinks. In a country where true freedom exists, there is freedom of conscience or there is not. (Once freedom of conscience exists), it is not right to think about this. (Everyone) says what their conscience requires.”

“The greatest advancements come about through the free expression and communication of ideas.” M. Kemal ATATÜRK

“A nation perishes under oppressive and tyrannical rule. In a country without freedom, there is death and extinction. The mother of every advancement and salvation is freedom.” M. Kemal ATATÜRK

1923 / "Tyrannical governments, whatever form they may take, cannot be permanent and cannot survive. In a free country, it is right to criticize and condemn the government's orders, provided that the laws are followed."

"The broader the limits of freedom are kept, the more stable the government will be."

1924/ “I see no need to state how sensitive the freedom of the press is. A writer must show attention and respect to science, necessity, and their own political views, as well as to the rights of citizens and the high interests of the country. However, even if there are mistakes and faults along this path, the effective method to correct this fault is never, as was thought in the past, methods that restrict the freedom of the press; on the contrary, the remedy for the drawbacks arising from the freedom of the press is, again, the freedom of the press itself.” M. Kemal ATATÜRK

Approximately 100 years ago, in 1923, Atatürk said; “The press can in no way be placed under domination or pressure,”

He said, “No one is obligated to think as the government thinks,” he said, “In a country without freedom, there is death and extinction,” and he said, “the remedy for the drawbacks arising from the freedom of the press is, again, the freedom of the press itself.”

Review the world leaders of today. Can you hear such libertarian words from the biggest leaders?

It is impossible.

They cannot even reach the dust of Atatürk.

Well, if you ask what our 'fake leader' is saying and doing while the world leader Atatürk was saying these things, he is only capable of shutting down Instagram.