The Best Antidote

Discrimination is a social disease. When Greek police started to fight with Muslims a few days ago, one cannot stop but think that discrimination can only be fought with determination. Determination to heal that disease if only by correcting our own behavior against discrimination.

Disrespect against the millennium old Christian relics all around Asia Minor obligates us to respect every minor religious artifact in the Christian world. Let alone burning down a small makeshift mosque at a basement of an apartment building.

This is not about to not justify the acts against Christian minorities under Muslim rule. This is only what Christianity and Western Civilization is all about.

Since the acceptance of fascistic acts of past governments in Turkey by the Turkish Premier, newspapers in this land is publishing interviews with Greeks who has left the country against pressures from the state since 1940's. Old pains have resurfaced. Old memories galore on every page. However, we have to take the example of Mr. Hercules Millas, who has left the country with nothing and dedicated his life as a writer to better the conceptions of Greeks against Turks and vice versa in Greece. Only the Romiossini (Greeks of Asia Minor) and only them, and democratic thought in Greece or elsewhere are the most powerful weapons of this fight against bigotry. Nationalistic and totalitarian speech was never a solution and it surely is not at this time and age.

Turks have to consider the historical context of the successes of Ottoman Empire more carefully. They need to distinguish between the Golden Years and the era where nationalism and need to oppress became the rule of thumb, and its results for themselves.

A post nationalistic enlightenment is needed very badly on these lands. And democracy and tolerance are the only solution. When others would become one of us, we would be able to enjoy our sun, our moon, our wine and our worldly chores better than ever.