As if the Saudi King spoke!

Saudi authorities committed a series of disrespectful acts ahead of the Turkish Super Cup football match to be played in Riyadh.

They had police forcibly remove from the locker room the banners that the players were going to carry onto the field, which read “How Happy Is the One Who Says I Am a Turk” and “Peace at Home, Peace in the World.”

That was not enough; they demanded that our National Anthem not be played before the match.

They made a ridiculous decision stating, “No one can enter the field or the stadium wearing jerseys featuring the image of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey,” and they imposed this upon us.

It didn't stop there; they even attempted to block the National Anthem being sung by the spectators in the stands. These disrespectful people turned the music volume up to the maximum just so our anthem would not be heard.

In fact, one of the King's lackeys even had the audacity to say, “I am speaking on behalf of the King. We will not let you put on a Republic show here.”

You know the rest…

Both the presidents of Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe resisted this insolence in a dignified manner. Despite the opportunistic attitude of the Football Federation President Mehmet Ekşi, who is a partisan and representative of the government, both teams did not take the field and returned to the country with dignity.

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This incident has been on the agenda of Turkey and the world for four days…

Everyone spoke; President Erdoğan remained silent.

He waited for the incident to subside and for the parties to calm down.

Then he appeared yesterday and, as if those who made the decision to play this match in Arabia and the Arabs themselves had no fault, he blamed those who reacted.

He brought up this match during a program regarding the announcement of the 2023 export figures:

“We are facing a frenzy that borders on Islamophobia and xenophobia. The opposition is also volunteering as a supporting actor in this base and dangerous politics of hatred just to get on the agenda. It is no coincidence that they are targeting brotherly countries that stand by us in our difficult times. There is a clear attempt at sabotage against Turkey’s interests. Just as we tore up and threw away previous dirty scenarios, we will definitely thwart this game as well.”

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Wow, wow, wow…

Even the Saudi King could not have defended himself like this.

The President of this country ignores this vile attack on our flag, our Ancestor, and our National Anthem, and does not offer a single word of criticism; but…

He accuses those who reacted to this attack of “Islamophobia and xenophobia.”

Bringing Islam into this incident is an insult to Islam and all true Muslims.

What is being criticized in this incident is neither the Islamic world nor the Arab people… What we are criticizing is the cruel Arab Kingdom!

So, Saudi Arabia is a brotherly country that stands by us in our difficult times, is it…

Down with a brother who does not recognize my Ancestor; to hell with a friendship that insults the Republic, the 100-year-old form of government of my state!

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As the President of this country, you…

Will not stand up for Atatürk…

The National Anthem…

The Republic of Turkey…

Then you will accuse those who are not as “flexible” as you of “being involved in a clear attempt at sabotage against Turkey’s interests”…

That is not how politics works…

Damn such interests, let them burn and turn to ash, damn such money…

A nation needs a flag…

A flag needs a homeland…

And every homeland needs an Atatürk…

You will speak for an hour, but you will consider it too much to even stand up for my attacked Ancestor, my republic, and my National Anthem with a single word… And I am supposed to call you “my President,” is that it?

I do not…

If I do, may my tongue be tied, my pen be broken, and my eye sockets be filled with dirt!

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I congratulate my aging heart for giving me the strength to still shout like this in this age of oppression…

And then I congratulate the Atatürk-loving managers of 12punto.com.tr for allowing me to write so freely!

Shame on all cruel dictators, padishahs, and kings…

And of course, shame on those who are more royalist than the king!

Long live the principles and revolutions of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk…

Long live the Republic of Turkey!