a collection of snippets from a book of the same name by Hugh Pope.
Better to follow a wolf for a day than a mouse for a hundred.
- a Turkish proverb used as a reference to the Uygurs in China.
"Back then [1970's], we believed we had to start setting the world to rights with jihad ±. Now we believe it has to start with diplomacy. ... The problem is bigotry, by which I mean people who believe in something without knowing why. And the biggest bigots are the secularists *. Only education will save us."
- Boğa, a 10th generation descendant inhabitant of Konya, and a direct descendant of Mohammed.
I carry two worlds within me
But neither one is whole
They're constantly bleeding
The border runs
Right through my tongue
- Zafer Şenocak
- introduction to the chapter on Euro-Turks. I think this equally applies to Turks living in their homeland today.
"You have to be strong. And you have to have two hearts."
- a Dutch Turk referring to his two wifes.
The imam § would tell his young listeners to hold their hands near the fire, so they could know how hot it would be in hell.
"I've become less religious in Turkey [than the Netherlands]. I sin so much. I'm so afraid my plane home will crash because of that."
- Euro Turk Ekiz (female)
"I have never seen an Uzbek person of good manners indulge in immoderate laughter."
- the traveller Vámbéry
70% want to choose their own spouses, most want marriage in their mid-20s, 90% of women and 77% of men will practice birth control, and more than 57% want two children or less.
- 1998 survey of Turkish youth
[Historically] until a couple succeed in having a child, they continue to be seen as a cash machine for the other [members of the extended family].
I gradually built up my own, unscientific composite of frequent Turkic qualities. Among them I would count an engaging bluntness, loyalty to the family, fearlessness and a rash love of risk. To these, I would add an inordinate respect for elders, an aversion to planning, a tough resistance to pain, a refusal to apologise or recognise faults, a love-hate relationship with leaders, and an in-born animus to take charge.
- author's comments
Stalin purged the intellectuals too. Of the 27-man Azeri delegation to the First Congress or Turcology ... only one died a natural death.
I found this book to be a fascinating review of the larger body of Turkic people and their history.
Glossary
± jihad: meaning holy struggle in Arabic, covers everything from studying hard for exams to outright war against the infidel.
- as defined by the author
§ imam: Islamic mosque leader
* secularism: separation of government from religion
Better to follow a wolf for a day than a mouse for a hundred.
- a Turkish proverb used as a reference to the Uygurs in China.
"Back then [1970's], we believed we had to start setting the world to rights with jihad ±. Now we believe it has to start with diplomacy. ... The problem is bigotry, by which I mean people who believe in something without knowing why. And the biggest bigots are the secularists *. Only education will save us."
- Boğa, a 10th generation descendant inhabitant of Konya, and a direct descendant of Mohammed.
I carry two worlds within me
But neither one is whole
They're constantly bleeding
The border runs
Right through my tongue
- Zafer Şenocak
- introduction to the chapter on Euro-Turks. I think this equally applies to Turks living in their homeland today.
"You have to be strong. And you have to have two hearts."
- a Dutch Turk referring to his two wifes.
The imam § would tell his young listeners to hold their hands near the fire, so they could know how hot it would be in hell.
"I've become less religious in Turkey [than the Netherlands]. I sin so much. I'm so afraid my plane home will crash because of that."
- Euro Turk Ekiz (female)
"I have never seen an Uzbek person of good manners indulge in immoderate laughter."
- the traveller Vámbéry
70% want to choose their own spouses, most want marriage in their mid-20s, 90% of women and 77% of men will practice birth control, and more than 57% want two children or less.
- 1998 survey of Turkish youth
[Historically] until a couple succeed in having a child, they continue to be seen as a cash machine for the other [members of the extended family].
I gradually built up my own, unscientific composite of frequent Turkic qualities. Among them I would count an engaging bluntness, loyalty to the family, fearlessness and a rash love of risk. To these, I would add an inordinate respect for elders, an aversion to planning, a tough resistance to pain, a refusal to apologise or recognise faults, a love-hate relationship with leaders, and an in-born animus to take charge.
- author's comments
Stalin purged the intellectuals too. Of the 27-man Azeri delegation to the First Congress or Turcology ... only one died a natural death.
I found this book to be a fascinating review of the larger body of Turkic people and their history.
Glossary
± jihad: meaning holy struggle in Arabic, covers everything from studying hard for exams to outright war against the infidel.
- as defined by the author
§ imam: Islamic mosque leader
* secularism: separation of government from religion
Güzel!
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