BY MUSTAFA KARAALIOGLU
STAR - As we haven't been dealing with the European Union issue so much recently, we weren't interested in what was going on in Europe. We believed that Europe forgot about us, as we didn't talk about it. Now a referendum in Switzerland resulting in a ban on the construction of new minarets there shows that the situation has developed contrary to what we had thought. What's more important is that this referendum happened not just in any European country, but in Switzerland. Switzerland is a state made up of groups from various ethnic groups, religious sects, cultures and economic interests connected to each other with the canton model. In other words, it's like a mini-Europe. So this ban emerged from a cultural profile of great European diversity and the calmest and most tolerant country in Europe.
So we have many reasons to get worried. But first Europe should be worried, and the flurry of initial responses shows their concern. What's more, these worries come from countries which had harshly rejected cultural diversity, minorities, immigrants and finally Islam - for example, France and Germany.
In Europe in recent years, the lack of criticism of the anti-Mohammed cartoons in Denmark and even the hypocrisy which consider this insult part of freedom of opinion show the gravity of the danger. No one even talks about insults and degradations of Islamic symbols besides the cartoon controversy. This isn't just a political problem, but an intellectual one. Furthermore, a flood which suggests new forms and gradually questions the fundamentals of religion has started. A stance shaped in accordance with the Christian point of view which aims at creating a more Western religion is being displayed. Panels, symposiums and articles are emerging towards this end.
A strong wave which tries to assimilate the 'other' - in other words, those who aren't from the European culture, religion and history - has developed. Meanwhile, a unique campaign was conducted through Turkey, which is the closest country to the continent and the EU. Nearly all the center-right and extremist parties, and sometimes liberals, have put Turkey near the top of their foreign policy priorities. The latest European Parliament elections were dominated by anti-Turkey campaigning. When the German and French leaders 'naturally' provoked the anti-Turkey stance, a new generation of European politicians became bolder and were filled with more enmity. A hostile, 'othering' stance against Turkey and thus Islam turned into ordinary political fodder like unemployment, social security, etc.
Rejecting Turkey's EU bid and embracing xenophobia and Islamophobia started to be the best way to become an EU member. Similarly, the EP was shaped along the same lines following the elections, where there was low voter turnout. Following the shock in Switzerland , Turkey, the Muslim/non-Muslim minorities in the continent, and all sorts of 'others' of course shouldn't be worried. Nor should the powers-that-be in Europe which irresponsibly caused this current situation be worried. If they're going to talk about 'European values' such as religious tolerance and respect for differences, they shouldn't be worried. If there's no such worry, then there's no problem.