Rapid change in Turkey—but not for the better

By Michael Rubin

December 8, 2011, 3:58 pm

The speed at which Turkey is changing under its Islamist prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is astounding. While many Western diplomats praise Erdoğan’s handling of the economy and supposed democratic reforms, they ignore Erdoğan’s agenda to transform Turkish culture and society. This is reflected in the purge of women from the state bureaucracy and the increase of domestic violence as, perhaps, the prime minister’s supporters figure out that they can conduct honor crimes with impunity. According to the Turkish justice minister, the murder rate of women has increased 1,400 percent between 2002—the year Erdoğan’s Islamist party took over—and 2009. Now it seems that Erdoğan’s government is moving against modern science. According to Hürriyet, Turkey’s internet censors have now turned on Charles Darwin:

A website explaining Darwin’s evolution theory is blocked for children based on new internet filters, daily Hürriyet reported. The website is inaccessible for users applying a “Children Profile” to their connection, a filter designed for underaged users in accord with the new internet regulations activated by the Turkish government. The censor reportedly keeps children away from evolution theory, but allows access to websites on creation.

President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton have described Turkey as a model. It certainly is. But rather than a model for the future, Erdoğan seems determined to take Turkey headlong into the past.

via Rapid change in Turkey—but not for the better « The Enterprise Blog.