From Bektashi jokes to Deniz Göktaş

Offensive humor... A humor that disturbs. An act that confronts the listener with the malicious, selfish, and aggressive sides they hide within themselves. 

With offensive humor, we realize that we cannot hide the darkness within us or the emotions we try to conceal. We are left naked in the face of a joke. 

The comedian leaves us alone with ourselves. We confront the weaknesses and flaws we have forgotten or overlooked amidst our daily hustle, social habits, rituals, rote learning, and clichés. We realize that what we thought was right, we actually accepted by rote. That is why it disturbs us. In the end, we understand that we are not that smart, virtuous, or upright after all. 

Deniz Göktaş was disturbing. He made us laugh. He showed us our own ridiculousness. 

Several accusations against him were mentioned on social media. Crimes such as insulting the President, inciting the public to hatred and hostility, or denigrating them were discussed. There was no insult to the President in Deniz Göktaş's show. The word ''dictator'' might come to mind, perhaps. However, this is not an insult, nor is it a belittlement. Dictator was a specific office in the Roman State, and it derives its ominous meaning from there. Nevertheless, in his book *Dahi Diktatör* (The Genius Dictator), Celal Şengör referred to Atatürk with the title of ''dictator'' while praising him, even if I believe he was mistaken in doing so. Therefore, this title does not necessarily have a negative meaning. There is also no context in Deniz Göktaş's show where this term is used for the purpose of insult. 

As for the crime of inciting the public to hatred and hostility or denigrating them... There is no statement by Deniz Göktaş that denigrates a part or the whole of the public. Some social media accounts mention that Deniz Göktaş denigrates national and spiritual values, even though there is no such crime in the Turkish Penal Code (TCK). If we could agree on what these national and spiritual values are, perhaps we could clarify this issue as well. Indeed, what are national and spiritual values? 

Are Turkish humor or Turkish literature not among our national and spiritual values? For example, are Bektashi jokes not included in national and spiritual values? Do we even remember Bektashi jokes? 

If the Bektashi jokes, which view God not as a being to be feared but as one to be loved, were told today, they would probably not be passed on to future generations, thanks to CİMER (Presidential Communication Center) complaints. Just as there might be someone who listens to or reads these same jokes within the context of Sufism or on a purely logical or ethical plane, there could also be a CİMER informant looking for elements like rebellion against God or questioning God's power in these jokes. Fortunately, CİMER did not exist back then; otherwise, those jokes would not have survived to this day. What would happen to a thinker who speaks to God on familiar terms in this day and age? 

Some of us will say, ''Deniz Göktaş is not alone'' or ''We will not let them feed Deniz Göktaş to the wolves.'' Yes, he is not alone. Millions of people live in a place that is a mix of an asylum and a prison. But we will let them, sir. We have let so many people be fed to the wolves. It was the anniversary just two days ago. We let our loved ones be fed to the wolves in Madımak. We let our intellectuals be fed to the wolves. We let our villagers and our soldiers be fed to the wolves. We let our scientists be fed to the wolves. And then we fell into a deep sleep. It is not Deniz who is dead; if we look at the shroud of death covering us, we have long been dead, and there is no one to bury us. Perhaps that will happen too. 

We may let them feed Deniz Göktaş to the wolves, but it will be hard to digest Deniz Göktaş. As you know, we are in the internet age now. These jokes will not disappear. They will be shared for years. The serious people of today will turn into caricatures. We are laughing. But as time passes, we will pity some of them. The person who is certainly not in a pitiful state here is Deniz Göktaş. He made us all laugh with his head on the block, and he confronted us with ourselves. He returned to his country. He was handcuffed. He walked with his head held high. He will continue his jokes. 

If the Turkish nation is to live with its intelligence and accumulation, then Turkish humor, which is a national and spiritual value of ours, will also live. No matter who it hits, our humor will continue to live. Because if our humor does not live, our spirituality has long since died.