New Path, Six Arrows; individual freedom and responsibility

I watch the problems into which the CHP is being dragged with sadness, and the excitement that the New Path initiative has created in broad segments of society with hope. However, you may say "What is it to you!" or lash out by saying, "Is this the time? Don't spoil the broth." Nevertheless, the respect I have for the mind of the society I live in, especially my own, makes it almost mandatory for me to express what I have to say.

Unfortunately, we had an anatomy teaching assistant whose name I have now forgotten. I must confess that I never had a good relationship with anatomy class. I have forgotten most of what the instructor taught over the years. But may he rest in peace, what he said has never left my ears: "Children, don't forget, be careful; when you point your index finger in anger at someone, take a look at your thumb as well. At the same time, it is pointing back at you."

I believe Mr. Özel also mentioned yesterday that his party would be forever respectful of the Six Arrows found on the CHP emblem. He said it well. My country should definitely not abandon Republicanism, Nationalism, Populism, Statism, Secularism, and Revolutionism. It should never move away from these concepts, which were also incorporated into the constitution of the time in 1937, but is mere adherence to these main rules enough to keep our dear Republic away from the deadlocks it has, let's admit, frequently managed to enter in its relatively short history?

Enlightenment, in summary, is humanity finally understanding that reason is the highest value. With the Enlightenment, the individual, who has been liberated from the yoke of emperors, monarchs, nobles, and religious merchants for thousands of years, begins to grasp the value of their mind and body, in short, their personality, starting from the early 18th century. This personality, consisting of mind and body, must be protected and preserved. The most important elements of reason are respect for science and skepticism. The most important output of skepticism is self-criticism, as I. Kant, one of the leading thinkers of the Enlightenment, insisted on emphasizing, and as our late anatomy professor reminded us so succinctly.

Let me get to the point, taking Kant with me. The main reason for the impasses we have frequently fallen into throughout our Republican history is the importance we have failed to give to individual rights and the individual responsibility that is its extension. As I have emphasized frequently before, let me repeat. Justice reform is on the agenda again. Please, let me remind the founders of the New Party, if the day comes when you set out to carry out this reform, the first thing you should do is remove the saying "Justice is the foundation of property" hanging in every courtroom. I don't know, I wonder if it is still taught in our more than 100 law schools, that the fundamental duty of justice is to protect individual rights, and often against the state that violates them.

At the root of respect for individual rights lies the awareness that every individual is born slightly different from the other. Enlightenment thinker J.J. Rousseau begins his famous autobiography, Confessions, in summary, by saying, "I am about to present myself to you, a person who is unlike anyone else." Who knows, perhaps this is why, as it is frequently cited, Rousseau was among the thinkers Atatürk admired most.

As a society, not preferring the original and constantly striving to resemble others hinders the development of the individual, their rights, and their responsibilities in that society. We slightly condemn people who think, dress, or act a little differently, calling them 'sui generis' (unique). Conversely, we like to make the people we love and respect resemble others. For example, a newspaper article was written about my late father, who was a well-known Fenerbahçe fan like him, saying he 'Resembled an English Gentleman.' I was angry. My father was my father, and he tried to teach me not to resemble others much.

Let me give a few examples from the university where I spent my years. We had a famous surgery professor who had many titles but little science. He would come to some classes wearing a loincloth around his waist and a cap exactly like the ones worn by head chefs on his head. It was rumored that this attire was specific to the members of a famous French surgical society.

The 1933 University Reform is a chapter in our Republican history full of lessons. As is known, with these reforms, a large number of German scientists began to work in our country and make very great contributions to Turkish scientific life. Unfortunately, after a very short period of 13 years, most of this scientific treasure left our country and scattered across the world. However, in the meantime, a group of local professors had prepared a new University law (1946). One of the prominent changes with this law was the robes that university professors would wear, like their colleagues in the West, and the caps they would place on their heads.

I wish the New Path sincere success. As they know well, their work is much and difficult. I hope their priority will be to raise individuals whose right to personality is respected unconditionally and to pave the way for them. Such individuals pay back this respect shown to them to society with their individual responsibilities and various originalities. Thus, you might find that we have attained the level of contemporary civilization we have been pursuing for centuries, and even elevated it.