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Turkey bans biologist Richard Dawkins' website

Sep 17, 2008, 13:34 GMT

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Some Turkish GuySep 18th, 2008 - 02:03:55

A lie is a lie even if everyone believes it. The truth is the truth even if nobody believes it.

But in Turkey, you get lynched if you point out religion as a lie, and they misinform you about the truths or try to prevent you from accessing the truths altogether.

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Justin WhiteheadSep 18th, 2008 - 02:41:53

Wow, I am quite impressed to say the least. Very well written and to the point. Good job.

Jiff
www.anonymize.us.tc

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SimonSep 18th, 2008 - 05:53:02

Islam has nothing to do with Turkey's problems. Nope. Nothing at all.


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TonySep 18th, 2008 - 06:40:08

Was a false statement made about Oktar's book? Has the court made a determination that the book is not inane?

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SophieSep 18th, 2008 - 13:26:47

Well, Turkey is not alone. It's also not possible to access from China blogs using Wordpress.com (at least not from Beijing at the current time).

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BobSep 18th, 2008 - 20:54:15

Dawkins should contest this decision, saying that the court should go through the defaming comments one by one. If a comment is found to be unfair then it will be withdrawn, and if it is found to be fair it shall remain. A British court has actually allowed someone to be referred to as a 'snivelling little shit' (or words to that effect) as being fair comment before, so it'd be interesting to see what the Turkish courts would allow.

Besides, don't the Turkish courts have to adhere to laws allowing freedom of speech? I know that they're mostly Islamic, but they've done a lot to try to become part of the EU, so chances are that they do have some laws that protect fair comment.

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RichardSep 18th, 2008 - 21:11:51

I cannot see why, if the excellent book the god delusion was allowed, why the website isn't?
Religious censorship that reminds me of the middle ages!!

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TamerSep 18th, 2008 - 21:26:02

Forget European Union, let's clean out islam out of Turkey, let's bring Ataturk Kemalism back in the country, let's demolish islam, Turkey is secular and will stay secular or WAR!!!!!!!!!! No islamic fascism in Turkey will be allowed

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this is islamSep 19th, 2008 - 03:40:15

It is true that it is islam. Islam never tolerate any different view.

agni
agnisetu.blogspot.com

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Iftikhar AhmadSep 19th, 2008 - 04:56:44



Muslim youths are angry, frustrated and extremist because they have been mis-educated and de-educated by the British schooling. Muslim children are confused because they are being educated in a wrong place at a wrong time in state schools with non-Muslim monolingual teachers. They face lots of problems of growing up in two distinctive cultural traditions and value systems, which may come into conflict over issues such as the role of women in the society, and adherence to religious and cultural traditions. The conflicting demands made by home and schools on behaviour, loyalties and obligations can be a source of psychological conflict and tension in Muslim youngsters. There are also the issues of racial prejudice and discrimination to deal with, in education and employment. They have been victim of racism and bullying in all walks of life. According to DCSF, 56% of Pakistanis and 54% of Bangladeshi children has been victims of bullies. The first wave of Muslim migrants were happy to send their children to state schools, thinking their children would get a much better education. Than little by little, the overt and covert discrimination in the system turned them off. There are fifteen areas where Muslim parents find themselves offended by state schools.

The right to education in one’s own comfort zone is a fundamental and inalienable human right that should be available to all people irrespective of their ethnicity or religious background. Schools do not belong to state, they belong to parents. It is the parents’ choice to have faith schools for their children. Bilingual Muslim children need state funded Muslim schools with bilingual Muslim teachers as role models during their developmental periods. There is no place for a non-Muslim teacher or a child in a Muslim school. There are hundreds of state schools where Muslim children are in majority. In my opinion, all such schools may be designated as Muslim community schools. An ICM Poll of British Muslims showed that nearly half wanted their children to attend Muslim schools. There are only 143 Muslim schools. A state funded Muslim school in Birmingham has 220 pupils and more than 1000 applicants chasing just 60.

Majority of anti-Muslim stories are not about terrorism but about Muslim
culture--the hijab, Muslim schools, family life and religiosity. Muslims in the west ought to be recognised as a western community, not as an alien culture.
Iftikhar Ahmad
www.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk

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Allah in European UnionSep 19th, 2008 - 05:58:49

This should show people just how compatible are Turkey and European Union.

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selçukSep 19th, 2008 - 06:26:46

There is no relationship between the problems of turkey and islam. The problem is AKP! Turkey have been through a bad administration for 4 years. But Turkish people will overcome this problem as well soon.

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Lasse RintakumpuSep 19th, 2008 - 07:10:42

Atatürk doesn't roll in his grave because he's dead, but at least now I understand the fervor of Turkish secularist a little better. Good job Turks, keep on going like this and the doors of EU (should) stay forever shut. Which is sad.

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site not bannedSep 19th, 2008 - 08:06:31

I don't know what this is about but I am from TUrkey and I can log onto the website just fine. I think adnan oktar and his people made this up to gain publicity or something.
This is not true. I can't believe even the Guardian ran a story on this without checking the facts first.

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PetraSep 19th, 2008 - 09:41:32

Proves to me that they must think he is telling the truth, otherwise why bother banning it? Keep up the good work. The truth is there for those who deserve to know it...Personally I'm making the most of this lifetime as no-one knows what happens afterwards - enjoy the ride while you can.

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HertscotSep 19th, 2008 - 10:05:26

Iftikhar Ahmad,

Are you really advocating the position that, muslim children should only be taught things that fit in with the world view of their parents and which will not cause them discomfort, or heavens forbid, prompt them to think for themselves. Plus it also seems that you want muslim children taught in the language of their parents at the expense of the state. Do you advocate this for every non english speaking child in the UK?

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constantinoSep 19th, 2008 - 11:29:03

er you guys.
His website doesnt appear to be blocked
has it been overturned? im in turkey as we speak and not having any trouble accessing his site.

pretty much the only sites blocked here on a permanent basis is Youtube and porn (boo) but its not hard to get around the censors and most Turks i've met seem to know how to access blocked sites. its more a statement by the courts than anything else. annoying and inconvenient at times, but at the end of the day its hardly book burning...

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gyges77Sep 19th, 2008 - 13:21:49

Turkey should NOT be allowed to adhere to European Union!!! It's a trojan horse, and the banning of Dawkins' site proves it...

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MarkSep 19th, 2008 - 13:23:18

Islamic creationism? That goes beyond the usual delusion, that's stupidity squared!

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FrankSep 19th, 2008 - 16:56:20

I shall be pointing this out to our MEP and request that the EC bear this in mind when they next reconsider Turkey's accession to the EU.

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