Mr. Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
I have often written about how Turkey stands at a fork in the road where if you lead Turkey down one path, you will be seen as a greater leader than Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, "modern" Turkey's founder. I have noted several things in particular that would afford you such greatness. One is dealing forthrightly with the Kurds. Another is squarely facing Turkey's history vis-a-vis the Armenians. In both cases, Turkey should always apply the utmost in nonviolent conflict-resolution methods. Turkey, you, should set the highest standards for peacemaking and historical revisionism. I wrote those things before the current Syrian violence. I wrote them primarily on the heels of the Mavi Marmara.
While I openly advocated that the passengers on...
Lifestyle
Dear Mr. Erdogan,
I am writing to express my concerns about the current situation in Turkey, in addition to your way of ruling the country since 2003.
During the last couple of years, I have followed social and political changes in Turkey very closely. Since I started taking an interest in politics, I have not seen one year in which you haven’t shocked me, either with one of the decisions you’ve made or words you said. Every time I thought it couldn’t get worse you, Mr. President, proved me wrong. I have so many things to say to you and even more questions to ask and in spite of the fact that I know that I will never receive any answers, I still want to write this letter to you.
I have witnessed many of your statements, Mr. President, in which you refer to some words that I do...
7,209
My Dear Prime Minister:
I can’t say I was pleased when you won the 2002 elections and later became Prime Minister. Yet I sincerely defended your right to use your luck which the results of the election provided. And I made clear to my friends that the suspicion they had, either rightfully or unrightfully should be experienced. For this reason I did not agree with the requests for early elections, and supported the reforms and economic policies your government undertook in the early years. I openly express this position in my books published in German in 2005 and 2006.
I expressed this view, as a Kemalist with a leftist world view that secularism is the most important cement in the country. Some of my friends who shared my world view said I was wrong, and time would tell....
3,213
Dear President Erdoğan
We are writing to express our concerns about the threats and intimidation towards the journalist Ceylan Yeğinsu. As you will be aware, Ms Yeğinsu is a reporter for the New York Times based in Turkey and wrote an article about the recruitment of Turkish citizens by the Islamic State (ISIS) on 15 September. This was an important article in the public interest, an example of high quality and responsible investigative journalism that offers insight into ISIS at a critical time.
We were therefore dismayed to learn that following the article’s publication, Ceylan Yeğinsu has been personally targeted by elements of the media sympathetic to the ruling AKP and on social media, with threats that pose a serious risk to her own safety. We were also gravely concerned to...
2,733
I have never written anything like this before, and I'm not entirely sure what to say, apart from what has happened to me in this past year so others can learn from it and be aware of the dangers. My name is Jack, I am 23 and I am an alcoholic. That is something I used to think I would be ashamed of saying, but when you have beaten such an evil addiction, you do feel proud.
I began drinking when I was 17 , not to often and not too much. But in time it became a problem. I am a musician (typical) and I thought I would try the live fast die young attitude and was shocked when it does what it says on the tin. After a heavy night, I would begin drinking again, hair of the dog they call it, but the thing is hair of the dog turns into a magical cure. It feels as though your hangover is...
10,686
Dear Mouthguard,
Listen, I don’t want you to take this letter the wrong way, because I appreciate your work, I really do. You valiantly protect my boyfriend’s jaw night after night from the very real dangers of bruxism (aka teeth grinding), and it’s thanks to you that he hasn’t gnashed his teeth down into sad little stumps in his sleep. “Teeth” are like, number three on my Desirable Qualities In A Mate checklist, so in a way, you’ve ensured our relationship can continue to flourish.
It’s just, I guess I didn’t realize what a big role you would play in our relationship…
Ever since my boyfriend got you a few years ago, you’ve become something of a sister-wife to me, a sister-mouthguard, if you will. You’re there every night when we go to bed. If we’re cuddling and he reaches for...
6,143
There you sit, in the corner of my dining room, a 100 year old beauty in a state of Miss Haversham disrepair. Your sinuous curves, outlined to great advantage with thin scrolls of gold paint, contrast sharply with the strings that pop out in odd directions. You exude such a magnetic charm that children and adults alike are drawn to pluck your strings, to run their hands along your dusty angles, and finally to ask the question that you hypnotize them into uttering:
“Who plays the harp?”
And I have to answer, every single stupid time, “No one.”
Ok! I never learned to play you! Get over yourself! You’re not the only instrument in the world!
My paternal grandmother was what might be diplomatically be called “reserved,” stiffening her arms at her side when we hugged her and sending back...
5,645
Dear Guy Friends,
You may not know who you are. What I mean is, you might not be aware you fit into the category of ‘guy friend’ or what qualities even make a guy friend. That is a-okay; unfortunately, the guy friend status isn’t one that gets vocalised in many social situations like boyfriends and immediate family enjoy (e.g. “this is Ben, my boyfriend,” “this is Ben, my guy friend/male acquaintance.”).
Here’s some tips for those of you playing at home. Guy friends aren’t really your friends out of choice, mostly because boys and girls can’t ever be friends (I understand the controversial politics of this, and if you disagree with me, you are WRONG, but that’s a story for another time). They are your friends out of circumstance. That is, you can’t/don’t make out with them for some...
9,011
Dear Senator Helen Polley,
I have to congratulate you. As a practicing Catholic, you must be praising that God of yours for getting you out of a potentially tight spot yesterday. Thanks to the supreme idiocy of your colleague Corey Bernardi, you really managed to dodge a political bullet.
It’s not like we didn’t expect it of Tony Abbott’s Parliamentary Secretary (although I hear he’s since resigned - the Coalition wouldn’t want anything like inconvenient bigotry getting in the way of an election win). To quote the deliciously acerbic Malcolm Tucker, he’s about as useless as a marzipan dildo.
You, Senator Polley…well, you’re a different kettle of fish. You’re not a household name, and as such I imagine you think you can get away with making impassioned speeches bemoaning the...
2,649
To My Best Betch's New Bro,
Hi there. Nice to meet you, but not nearly as nice as it must be to meet me. I know you’ve heard a lot about me since me and your new girlfriend are so close, but I will bet my Starbucks budget you have no idea how much I already know about you. I’ve stalked all your social media accounts (and don’t think I didn’t notice where your hand was placed on that picture with the blonde 32 weeks ago), I’ve seen countless screenshots of you spitting game to my friend (nicely played sir), and heard stories about everything from your summer at the shore with the boys to your explanation as to why it just didn’t work out with your last girlfriend. It’s not my goal to have you hate me, but don’t be mistaken - I will lose no sleep over you not liking me. To be honest, I...
3,109