A second call to Mr. Kemal

My dear Mr. Kemal,  

As I watched the images of the Headquarters being demolished, I am sure your compassionate heart ached.

While no heart could bear the brutal occupation and looting of our Headquarters—a monument of pride, built with countless efforts and sacrifices, and laden with so many of our memories—I would have liked to think that you, too, were suffering greatly. However, we learned that the occupation operation and the order to "strike" were given by you. Believe me, I am only repeating what the Minister of Interior said; I learned of it when he made that statement. Otherwise, I would never have thought that you had planned this action.

After the plastic bullets fired at our deputies and party members, and the pepper gas sprayed,  your friends celebrated their great victory so beautifully by eating chocolates in the Chairman's office. May it be a pleasure, may it be sweet, God willing...

Not getting enough of the celebrations,  your supporters  entered the offices of some deputy chairmen and carried out their acts of destruction with pleasure; I hope their hearts were cooled and they were able to sleep comfortably at night.

Whatever you do,  do not attempt to put these individuals under the microscope and initiate the necessary expulsion procedures; after all, they are just following orders, aren't they?

My dear Mr. Kemal, 

After seizing the Headquarters like a war trophy and annexing it to your territory, it would be very appropriate to hoist the Y-CHP flag.

You have achieved a glorious victory, much like the conquests of the Ottoman Empire. As a triumphant commander who has annexed the Headquarters, do you think you have also captured the CHP?

I am talking about those CHP members who fill the streets and cannot be contained in the squares.

In all my years—and we are roughly the same age—and in my 19 years of political experience, I have never seen such a crowd.

It reminded me of the Republic Rallies, which you were never very fond of.

I cannot understand what has happened to the CHP members, who had become silent, obedient, and embarrassed through your efforts, that they have suddenly come back to life. 

Yet, you had put so much effort into disciplining them, into making them feel ashamed of the CHP's historical background, its ideology, and secularism;  it truly breaks one's heart, I swear...

My dear Mr. Kemal, 

I saw your new website. I cannot describe how moved I was. You have adorned it from top to bottom with photographs of Atatürk. I am sure the Great Leader, whom you referred to for years as 'Gazi Mustafa Kemal Pasha' and only began calling 'Atatürk' in recent times, is proud of you.  I am sure the Great Leader, whom you referred to for years as 'Gazi Mustafa Kemal Pasha' and only began calling 'Atatürk' in recent times, is proud of you.

You know, there was a period when you very rightfully banned the slogan 'We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal' so as not to appear 'militarist'... One cannot help but remember that. 

But do you see these CHP members?  Of course, when they are away from your valuable leadership, they shout at the top of their lungs in the streets, saying, 'We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal.' You need to bring them back under control; consider this my advice...

But for heaven's sake, were you the only one who didn't say Atatürk?  Mr. Recep was also careful not to say Atatürk in those days; this is politics, one must keep a finger on the pulse, of course...

Actually, Atatürk is the symbol of the 'revolutions,' while Gazi Mustafa Kemal Pasha is the symbol of 'liberation.' No one is against the War of Independence anyway. But the revolutions, are they the same? As all Western imperialist friends also say; they were top-down, coercive, anti-democratic, and carried out without asking the people. As the name implies, it aims to topple and rebuild.

By the way, now that it has come to mind, let me ask: Is that why you referred to the CHP as the party of 'transformation' rather than 'revolution' for years? How thoughtfully you considered that, I congratulate you...

You must surely be aware, but let me give you some good news. In the process we are living through, the creative power of our people has exploded; not content with humorous visuals, they have even composed a 'null and void' song. During enthusiastic celebrations, especially during your visits to the Black Sea Region, you can play it from the party bus and dance the horon together. This unforgettable success must be shared with the masses.

Our people are standing tall with all their might; this kind of solidarity does not happen all the time, one must know its value.

Let us say whatever has happened has happened, and return to the present, live in the moment, and focus on the street again.

The jokes and humor are over; let us now take what is happening and your actions seriously and interpret them.

First, let us listen to the tens of thousands of people on the streets. Let us approach their pain and the disappointment they are experiencing with empathy. 

If you wish, let us start from the concept of "the rights of the people" that you frequently use, and try to understand how they believe they lost their right to be in power  and through whom they believe this happened.

Let us also remember what democracy is:

Democracy is derived from the combination of the ancient Greek words "demos," meaning "people," and "kratos," meaning "power and authority,"  and it means that sovereignty belongs to the people.

The will of the people is superior to the will of the individual.

The democracy you frequently use and cite cannot be achieved by replacing the concept of the "Turkish Nation" with the concept of "Turkish Citizenship," as you might think.

It also cannot be achieved by "lifting the reservations on the European Charter of Local Self-Government," which is a demand of Öcalan—who has been elevated to the status of a founding leader—and which you constantly reiterate.

Democracy is not achieved through the division of the nation and the homeland, but rather through a governance approach that listens to the voice of the people while protecting their indivisible integrity, and by ensuring the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law.

As a former chairman who complained about the dependency of the judiciary, we wonder if you still think that the "absolute nullity decision" was taken by an independent judiciary and that the rule of law is in effect.

Democracy means listening to the voice of the people and bowing to the will of the people. What does the public want from you today? Can you hear them, Mr. Kemal?

I must say it clearly; if I were you, I would RESIGN, Mr. Kemal...

Who am I, you ask?

I am the person who engaged in politics with you for 8 years and contributed the most to you.

If I hadn't been there, who would you have used as the symbol of the 'Old and Skull-measuring' CHP in the religion-focused political campaigns you conducted and in the videos titled 'CHP Mentality' where you played the lead role?

While making peace with memories and romanticizing headscarves, how would you have explained the winds of change of the New-CHP?

In the interview you gave in front of the Anka Park dinosaurs, how would you have proven the Old CHP, which Nagehan Alçı summarized as a 'Vatican mentality'?

Therefore, because of the great support I gave you in the past, as an Old CHP member who has completely ended their political life, and taking pride in being an OLD CHP member, I suggest that you RESIGN, primarily for your own sake, but especially for the good of the CHP and the Turkish Nation.

With the sham administration you will establish, you can only  be in power at the Headquarters.  However, the CHP is a big family. 

Set Atatürk's children free...