Not a Turkish Spring, but a Call for Democracy From the Youth
The events that have been transpiring in Turkey have now entered their third week. The peaceful protests, originally advocating an environmental cause, escalated into a massive anti-government uprising. Essentially what has been happening in Turkey is the Turkish youth are striving to safeguard the secular democratic republic that their founding father, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, left them to protect. One major slogan of the uprisings reads: "Turk Gencligi 1. Vazifesinde! Atam rahat uyu!" which means, " Father rest in peace! Your children are fulfilling their duty!" As the threat has become clear to all, crowds of 47 percent college students have been fighting for their rights and liberties, pushing for the government and especially the prime minister to resign. The trees the environmentalists were originally protecting serve as the catalyst that precipitated this entire protest. These trees are now a symbol of what Ataturk created and the Turkish youth will do anything they can to prevent them from being demolished. The way that this Occupy Gezi movement should be read is people chanting; "We are fed up with the policies of this conservative Islamic government. We want our freedoms, rights, and unrestricted press back!"
More:Ege Ozyegin: Not a Turkish Spring, but a Call for Democracy From the Youth
