Leeches

I speak with lawyer Turan Karakaş, one of the founders and a columnist for the online newspaper 12 Punto (12punto.com.tr), once or twice a week by phone. His conversation is always delightful. During a phone chat the other day, he said, "I love animals very much. Especially birds. My childhood was spent in a cute village in Kars. My neighbor, whom the villagers called 'Crazy Reşo' behind his back and 'Reşo Ağa' to his face, had birds that sang beautifully. Every morning, he would feed them with care and release them into nature. They would return in the evening without a single one missing. I asked for a few birds. 'How will you take care of them? There is no birdcage or nest to feed and protect them. If you build one, I'll give you some,' he said. So, I built the most beautiful birdhouse in the village. He gave me four of the birds he had raised with such care. I looked after them like the apple of my eye. I started raising the most beautiful birds in the village. It even became a topic of conversation in the surrounding villages. I love cats, dogs, and all animals. Life is beautiful. Especially when you are in touch with nature."

I interrupted and asked, "What do you say about leeches and snakes?" He replied, "I love all living things, all creatures, great and small." His voice had become emotional. 

He said it so sincerely that he paused. He took a breath. "I have very beautiful dogs. I will give them to you. You are a village boy too. You love animals as well. I can't take care of them anymore." 

When he mentioned leeches, I stopped for a moment. Yes, leeches. Although debates continue, leeches have been used in alternative medicine from the past to the present. Leeches have been used for bloodletting and the treatment of many diseases. It dates back to ancient Egyptian medical treatments. Today, it is used in many health fields under the name of Hirudotherapy as an alternative medical treatment. The Ministry of Health even issues certificates for it. It finds a wide range of applications under physician supervision, from hemorrhoids, microsurgery, and skin diseases to even the treatment of ocular pressure. 

While modern medical practitioners and alternative medicine advocates continue to debate the subject of leech therapy, I believe that both treatment methods are beneficial in the treatment of diseases when applied by expert doctors. 

If I may give an example from myself as a doctor, I have been using apple cider vinegar for the last two years. I have seen great benefits. Every morning and evening, I mix 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of natural apple cider vinegar into a glass of water and drink it. I have also shed my excess weight. I recommend it to you as well. My blood sugar levels have dropped significantly.

In my daily life, when I see an overweight person, or someone with a swollen face and a restless expression, I recommend it. My doctor's instinct kicks in. 

Without dragging this out, during an interview on Halk TV, Istanbul deputy Cemal Enginyurt, while criticizing the government's tax policies, said, "They are sucking the people dry like leeches." I agree. The injustice in taxation has increased so much that even Minister of Finance Mehmet Şimşek has begun to complain. A friend of mine who owns a modest boutique hotel in the tourism sector complains to me as a former deputy. "We are working for the Revenue Administration, for the state. I'm fed up. We pay one or two taxes every week of the month. What will become of us?" he asked. I replied, "We pay taxes every day. Everything except the air is subject to tax."

Tax is a sacred practice, necessary for the development of the country and the people through fair and planned growth. Unfortunately, the idea of taxing credit cards, which was recently floated and met with great public backlash, has been withdrawn. For now.

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, in his speeches at the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK) General Assembly and on other occasions, said, "Are you a factory owner or a worker in a factory? There is no difference between you when it comes to paying taxes. The unfair application of taxes increases poverty even further. 68% of every 100 liras of tax is collected through indirect taxes." 

Yes, unfortunately, a factory owner and a minimum-wage worker pay approximately two-thirds of the collected tax equally. Where is the justice in that?

If leech treatments are applied by experts, you will regain your health; in the hands of incompetent people, you will lose your health. 

Isn't the country's administration the same? What do you think?