Kızıl Goncalar, Bans, January 14!

Everything developed very quickly. Before the third episode of Kızıl Goncalar even aired, it was hit with consecutive fines, received a condemnation from the Ministry of Family and Social Services, and the channel broadcasting the series was slapped with an astronomical fine.

Interest increases against bans. I am not a regular viewer of the series; I found Kızıl Goncalar online and watched the first two episodes on Fox.

I could not understand why those who complained to RTÜK, claiming the series targets religious values, or the members of the religious sects, were so bothered.

With its strong script and impressive details, Kızıl Goncalar lays out the truths and mistakes of both sides of society using extreme examples from both segments. The director's success lies in the way they show the contrasts and their skill in addressing the perspectives of both sides on life! There are tremendous details. The powerful performances of all the actors, especially Özcan Deniz and Özgü Namal, captivate the audience.

Kızıl Goncalar resonated with both segments of a society divided like a watermelon. It drew so much attention that the political power intervened with all the tools at its disposal. RTÜK pressured both the broadcaster, Fox TV, and the producer with extraordinary penalties. The success of Kızıl Goncalar was crowned by the decision of the Regional Administrative Court.

The court upheld the two-episode suspension and the 9 million [TL] fine imposed on 'Kızıl Goncalar' by RTÜK, and on Monday evening, during the series' broadcast time, Fox TV aired a documentary titled “What to do in the first 6 hours after an earthquake” instead of the new episode of Kızıl Goncalar.

The director of the series, Ömür Atay, posted a tweet during the show's broadcast time.

"There is no broadcast tonight. There is almost no one in the industry saying no to censorship. A censorship operation is being carried out against free thought and production. We are on set. We continue to tell and shoot our story. Greetings to our audience."

The real issue here is Ömür Atay's lament. Why is there no social sensitivity saying stop to censorship? Why is there no solidarity? Fear has established such dominance that people have created their own self-censorship without even needing actual censorship. While saying, “I hope I don't get into trouble, I hope no harm comes to me, I hope no lawsuits are filed against me, I hope I don't lose my job or my livelihood,” we have become a society that avoids controversy, lives within the boundaries it has drawn for itself, bows to injustices, and retreats further into its shell.

Let the snake that doesn't touch me live for a thousand years!

The snake that doesn't touch us has coiled around us so tightly from all sides that it has even affected kindergarten-aged children. I am talking about the permanent daylight saving time policy implemented since 2016. Children go to school in pitch darkness! They wake up in the dark and set off in the dark. The insistence on keeping permanent daylight saving time negatively affects our children's lives. We cannot even come together against the permanent daylight saving time policy, which deeply affects people and families of all ages, classes, and education levels. We cannot say, “We do not want our children to go out into the pitch darkness.” We do not take to the streets to change this. Teachers, parents, and families cannot even start an organized struggle for our children's right to go to school in daylight.

One day, it will be too late for everything. Before that day comes, CHP leader Özgür Özel has called on everyone, all citizens, to Tandoğan Square on January 14 to stand up for the Constitution, their constitutional rights, and their future. For the first time in a long time, the public will come together for a Constitution rally! To show those who ignore our voices that we have a voice. To remind them that the Constitution is for everyone. To say that if there is no Constitution, there is no individual,

For the days we cannot take to the streets… Will we be able to leave fear behind and show the power of courage?

Will we be able to take to Tandoğan Square on January 14?

January 14, Tandoğan Square, will determine the fate of the Republic of Turkey. Will there be thousands in the square? Or millions?

Everything depends on the thin line between fear and courage…