Translated it means:
Access to this web site is banned by "TELEKOMÜNİKASYON İLETİŞİM BAŞKANLIĞI" according to the order of: Ankara 1. Sulh Ceza Mahkemesi, 05/05/2008 of 2008/402.
Upon further investigation we found out that the reason the Turkish government had enacted such a swift and resolute ban was due to some Greek person posting a video making fun of Ataturk and calling out his homosexuality (which may or may not be true). But even though some Turk shot back with a video accusing Greece for inventing homosexuality (burn!), Istanbul's prosecuter had had enough and ordered the site banned despite YouTube agreeing to take down the videos.
Mustafa Kemal 'Ataturk' (father of the Turks) was president of Turkey from 1923-1938. He transformed all things Ottoman into what modern Turkey is today from the language to the European calendar to requiring last names for all families. Until recently, anyone who spoke ill of him went to prison. So to accuse Ataturk of the love that dare not speak its name, well one can imagine how unhappy the government might be. But to ban YouTube entirely is something I just can't wrap my head around.
As a spoiled information junkie American, it was quite a slap in the face to be denied something that I take for granted almost as much as the air I breathe. From oohing over floating otters holding paws to tearing up over Barack Obama's Reverend Wright race speech , YouTube's presence has informed my daily life. And I nor anyone else should be denied such exposure no matter how questionable or extreme. And the clichéd silliness of this whole situation is almost a joke. A socially awkward Greek video nerd brought down YouTube in Turkey! And as much as the Turkish government was hoping to prevent people from seeing the illicit video, all I want to do now is see what that video was. Had they just let it alone, far fewer people would've cared what this video was about.
But what was ultimately most disappointing was how despite all of Istanbul's rapid modern growth, how comfortable I feel here, it's not home. Sure America is falling apart, our financial system is collapsing, civil rights are being rolled back hundreds of years. But you never question your right to deliver and receive honest points of view, however controversial or juvenile they might be. Not yet anyways.
One woman I spoke to about it hopes we do not judge Turkish people based on these actions of a few. She too is outraged by the censorship. But ultimately, the government is in control of the information and there is very little anyone can do about it. Of course, there are ways to get around the ban. It's just too bad that I have spend all this time sneaking around it just to watch MC Hammer's "Can't Touch This" video again.
1 comment:
So sorry to hear about your YouTube withdrawals..."one bad apple....."
But yeah, our wacky country isn't ALL bad. I rather like it despite its imperfections. (Though I'm sure I'd rather like Turkey, despite its imperfections as well!) :)
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