What kind of Turkey do we dream of for our children?

February 1st marked the anniversary of the passing of Barış Manço, whose every song holds a special memory in my mind. My son was still a baby the day I learned of his death. I never missed his program, "Adam Olacak Çocuk" (The Child Who Will Become a Man).

He would make the voices of the children, to whom we will entrust the country's future, heard across this land. He would make us question ourselves. How much do we listen to our children? How well are we fulfilling our responsibilities toward them?

What kind of Turkey do we dream of for our children? Have you asked yourself this lately?

Is it a Turkey where disasters caused by human negligence occur one after another, where preventable deaths are normalized, and where those responsible are not held accountable?

Or is it a Turkey where the essential principle is "to keep alive," and where the state exists for its people?

Is it a Turkey where the law of the powerful prevails? Or a Turkey that operates according to the rule of law?

Is it a Turkey where we cannot make ends meet, where the minimum wage falls below the hunger threshold in the very first month it is announced, and where the minimum wage has become the wage earned by the majority?

Or is it a Turkey where human-dignified, fairly determined wage policies are implemented?

Is it a Turkey where the top 20 percent income group's share of total income reaches 50 percent, the middle class disappears, income inequality reaches unprecedented levels, and the poor become destitute?

Or is it a Turkey where income distribution is improved, and social state policies are rapidly implemented to foster the common aspirations of society: peace, tranquility, justice, and prosperity?

Is it a Turkey dominated by cronyism and a system of nepotism? Or a Turkey where hard work, sweat, and merit are valued?

Is it a Turkey where the products on our tables are not inspected, the products we export are rejected, and food safety is not ensured?

Or is it a Turkey that prioritizes human health above all else, does not pollute the soil, air, and water, and adopts a nature- and climate-friendly, regenerative agricultural system?

Is it a Turkey where young people cannot find jobs, cannot dream, and have lost hope for the future?

Or is it a Turkey that invests in its youth, creates job opportunities, and draws strength from its youth?

Is it a Turkey that considers saying "We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal" a disciplinary offense and expels its youth from the army?

Or is it a Turkey that sees saying "We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal" as a source of pride and holds the military cadets who swear an oath of loyalty to our Founding Father in the highest regard?

What kind of Turkey do we dream of for our children?