Atatürk and the volleyball players

The athletes of the net have brought the European championship to our country for the second time. Naturally, we are proud of this success. Let’s say that in the match two days ago, our volleyball players had been defeated by Italy and returned home in second place; would we have been lamenting? Of course not! Because in every match, there is both winning and losing. One should neither be overly proud of winning nor overly lamenting of losing. Therefore, my purpose in this article, while congratulating our volleyball players for winning the European championship for the second time, is to look at the issue from another perspective. Frankly, the subject I want to briefly discuss here is the difference between the philosophy of the Republic and the opposing philosophy that has been developed against the Republican philosophy and significantly accelerated during the AKP era. 

In our time, we seem destined to be lost in the Middle Eastern pit, following a path of ignorance, incapable of grasping the reality that the headscarf, which is politicized and put into play almost like a badge or a Kippah, is a cover for the brain inside the thick skull, and unaware that this reality has nothing to do with the expression in the holy book meaning 'cover your ornaments.' Especially in this period when Israel and the USA are zealously implementing their Middle Eastern ambitions! The mindset that introduces dress codes in schools, just as it is reflected in the brain cover, gives the impression that we are moving away from the essence and dealing with form. It is a fact that a political cadre that reduces the field of political endeavor from essence to form cannot be seen as merely setting the tone for society. A political picture that displays such behavior also reflects its own capacity for thought and analysis. Is the saying 'every society gets the government it deserves' correct, or is the expression 'every government only rules the society it can manage' more accurate? We might discuss this topic later, but let us leave it here and return to the subject of Atatürk and the volleyball players. 

While there is unfortunately a complete decay and collapse in almost every field in our country, how is it possible that such a success can be experienced in a branch of sports, and it is as clear as day that this is not at all coincidental? Of course, professionalism! That is true, but why and how can such professionalism and success be systematically achieved in this field? Those who deal with sports, and especially those who deal with the field of volleyball, must surely have a very realistic answer. My practical answer to this is that this wonderful formation is the matured result of a long process. If we look at what this maturation event is, I think the process is a social reaction, or a triggering that develops in the form of action-reaction. If this argument is valid, I would say that we should actually be grateful to the political power that applies full social suppression for causing such a spark as a reaction.

The brain cover of women is a complete symbol of suppression in essence. This situation is so clear that a series of young women who have covered their heads, while thinking they are taking a stand with the chemicals they apply to their faces, do not even realize that they are displaying their ignorance. The headscarf is such a tool of suppression that while the game is being watched, without any concern for decency, the focus is not on the game but on the legs of the volleyball players. Beyond being shameful, it is a complete method of social suppression! Our volleyball players, by reacting to this suppression, show the courtesy of dedicating their success on the field to the Turkish people with great humility. Yet, the volleyball players also know very well with their entire staff that, unfortunately, perhaps more than half of our people do not refrain from masking the success achieved and criticizing those who succeed, even if implicitly, by focusing not on the game but on the legs, and in fact, by being jealous in essence. What can they do, their hearts can only be cooled by such fake reactions!

What did the volleyball players do that Atatürk’s name became a symbol? Yes, the volleyball players did not try to overcome their complexes by appearing in the same photo frame as Trump; they dared to challenge the world with their own hard and disciplined work, in short, with the sweat of their brows. It is this attitude that raised a commander, who declared and realized that everything would start anew with will and determination while the British fleet was pounding Çanakkale and the Istanbul government thought everything was over, above the entire swamp of ignorance and hatred. The king of the fleet, which was once driven out of our country with the War of Independence and could not pass through Çanakkale with the fleet they trusted most, came to see the commander whose name the volleyball players mentioned, wondering how such a victory could be created; the Commander did not go! 

The homeland is saved and created with blood, this is true! But the homeland is defended and kept alive only with brainpower! Let us look at the dire situation of the much-boasted Ottoman Empire. In the period when Europe had not yet awakened, had not established its unity, and had not made its breakthrough in technology, they had reached the gates of Vienna by shooting arrows on horseback. So, when Europe advanced in technology, what was the result of the battles the Ottomans engaged in with arrow shooting on horseback? Only the folk song 'the rifle was invented, chivalry was ruined' was composed! As can be seen, the homeland is established with blood, but it is defended and kept alive with the brain. So, what are we doing today? Other than stalling hungry generations in schools that have not even been cleaned; we think we are gaining ground by appointing semi-ignorant people we raised in nurseries to the most advanced positions in our beloved universities that we hold a grudge against; we send our doctors to advanced countries and create unqualified cadres consisting of immigrants from backward countries. And we call the process education! We will discuss the world of law, which is drowning in another pool of ignorance, another time. Although there is not much to discuss on this subject, everything is already obvious. Under these circumstances and conditions, we look to the future with peace of mind by developing our ancestral sport, archery. What can we say, may God make our end good!