Ata is a national hero...
Reader comment on item: Erdoğan: "Turkey Is Not a Country Where Moderate Islam Prevails"
in response to reader comment: In Response to the grandson of Ataturk`s bodyguard

Submitted by Dolphin (United Kingdom), Sep 16, 2008 at 20:08

I don't understand why you got offended that easily? I was being serious about photos but apperently you weren't ... Anyway I want to share my humble opinion about Ataturk... It doesn't matter what people thinks or say, Ata is always a big national hero. There is not an inch of argument there.

I don't know any other family more Kemalist than mine , especially my grandfather who met Ataturk personally at least three times.But in our last discussion with him, even he was not happy what is happening in Turkey at that moment. People who want to control country, using Ataturk as an excuse to dictate their unacceptable rules to Turkish people... Even some of them using him as an excuse to cover up their illegal works...

Also at my last visit to Turkey I saw something I have never seen in any other country before. There was this huge digging in the middle of Izmir. I asked what is this? and they had told me there will be a giant Ataturk statue which cost thousands of dollars of tax payers money... I thought myself, this was only old communist country's and dictators custom to make giant, very expensive statues... None of the modern countries does such a thing...

I asked my grandfather about those statues and what he thinks? He said that we love Ataturk so much but if Ataturk would be alive he wouldn't want any of those statues in front of every school and in every central park. I don't know who started that but i am sure when he was alive, there was none of those statues around.Than country needed money so today... This is not a way of showing your love and dedication. That money spent to make those statues could build god know how many schools or hospitals etc... As Turkish nation I think we should change this nonsense and try to do something useful with those money... And I really think we should focus on Ataturk's thoughts rather than extremely unnecessary and expensive sculptures... That is what he really would wish...

I still am hoping you are girl of her word and will send those pictures you talked about... I promise I will keep them for myself. But if it bothers you that much , don't worry I am not gonna insist :)) xxx

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