Monarchy...

These were years when not only my father but all of Turkey was struggling economically. The years around 1966. For us, these were years when communication could only be conducted via letters, and telephone calls were almost non-existent. My father was a construction worker at Etibank in Göcek. These were the years when the 1961 Constitution was trying to digest or adopt the democratic parliamentary system, which was considered "too much" for Turkey...

Nuri Altıner, the Accounting Manager of Etibank in Göcek, was known and remembered as a respected statesman within the Etibank community and in Göcek. He helped his employees and the people of Göcek as much as he could.

From time to time, he would come to İzmir, pick me up along with his son Hakkı Ömür, who was studying at the Buca Erdoğan dormitory, and take us once or twice a year to the Ankara Palas hotel at the entrance of the Konak Kemeraltı Bazaar for the weekend. That was where I first saw and ate a banana. I even tried to eat the peel, which led to laughter. While they were laughing, I felt crushed by my own embarrassment inside.

That great man, that leader, pulled me aside one day. "Look, my son, as far as I can see, your father is struggling to pay for your and your brother's education. Take the boarding school exams. Try to choose vocational high schools. There are teacher training schools. Don't forget the military high schools. You are a village boy, take the agricultural vocational school exams," he said. Along with the banana and a plate of assorted fruits, he had also brought a few freshly printed newspapers. In a corner of the front page of a newspaper whose name I don't recall, there was a headline: "Çorum Municipality cleaning workers went on strike." They marched against the TÜRK-İŞ union for not defending the rights of the workers. Such a piece of news caught my attention.

Strike, Union, TÜRK-İŞ were words and expressions that were quite foreign to me. Wondering why the cleaning workers would march, I read about those who supported the action. As if I were going to find a familiar name!... The name "Deniz Gezmiş" caught my interest. Deniz Gezmiş, the head of the TİP Üsküdar youth branch and a high school student, was supporting the workers all the way in Çorum. I looked at what TİP stood for. Workers' Party of Turkey (Türkiye İşçi Partisi); that was my first encounter with it in my life. I asked Uncle Nuri, "What is TİP?" "Don't pay attention to them, don't confuse your head, studying is your primary duty. Besides, your father votes for the Justice Party (Adalet Partisi). The AP is the party of 'Shepherd Sülü,' Süleyman Demirel. It is the party of the villager," he said.

With the encouraging and guiding advice that great man gave me that day, I studied hard for my classes, read books, and took the exams, eventually getting into the Heybeliada Naval High School, the Air Force High School, and several state high schools.

The Naval High School was a perfect success for me and an unparalleled opportunity for education. Alongside many village children coming from various corners of Anatolia, we received a completely integrated, equal education together with the children of generals and wealthy people, without any discrimination. We did not fall behind the Istanbul art scene, from ballet to opera. They would take us regularly. There was no discrimination in participating in inter-high school competitions in Istanbul. We continued our education in every field, including social life. All students participated in official ceremonies. There were no opportunities for excuses or medical reports. I can never forget the May 19th ceremonies in 1968. The ceremonies were held at the İnönü (Dolmabahçe) Stadium in Beşiktaş, which is now called Tüpraş. We would compete with the Kuleli Military High School in terms of towers, performances, and rhythmic gymnastics movements. We, the students in our sparkling white sailor uniforms—our Naval High School uniforms—received intense interest and affection from the civilian high school girls attending the ceremony. As the Kuleli Military High School students passed by us sailors during the ceremony, they would shout "Sister-in-law, sister-in-law" at us. In other words, they were jealous.

After the ceremony, we would march up the hill between Beşiktaş and Taksim with anthems, and on Beyoğlu İstiklal Street, accompanied by our marching band, we would make the street and the apartment buildings echo with our songs. In those years, official ceremonies were fully respected and celebrated.

After the 2016 FETÖ coup attempt, unfortunately, military high schools, teacher training schools, and other state boarding schools were closed.

We have come to miss the development of democracy of those years, with its unions, strikes, schools, Constitution, and politics. We are facing a government that does not comply with or implement the decisions of the Constitutional Court. We are governed by a political power that aspires to a monarchical or autocratic regime.

The US Ambassador to Turkey is Tom Barrack. As if they had agreed upon it, Barrack's remarks, which implied that "a monarchy suits Turkey," combined with his statements that regional countries were not ready for democracy, sparked widespread reactions in Turkey. But unfortunately, not a single voice was raised from the ruling party. No objection came. Come to power with the opportunities of democracy, and maintain power with aspirations of autocracy and monarchy. It doesn't work that way. The point we have reached in a fully independent and democratic Turkey is a shameful situation.

Today, on the 107th anniversary of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's landing in Samsun with the motto of a Fully Independent Turkey, while we celebrate the May 19th Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day, the fabric suggested to us is unacceptable. The biggest culprits of the troubles the world is experiencing today are leaders like Trump. You should look at your own fabric first. The antidote to monarchy is the spirit of the May 19th landing in Samsun.