We have all been there; sitting in the optician’s, letter card on the wall. “Now which lens is better, this one or this one?” she says, matter-of-factly. “This.” “Yes.” “And this one?” You question yourself. “Are you sure?” You’re not and leave with worse vision than before.
Politics is like that…
Less than a year ago, Labour in the UK won by a majority of 174, a few months later the public saw the far-right Reform party as having a better vision for the country, and Reform is on course to win the next election, resulting in carnage for all foreign people in the UK.
There are things we never dreamt of seeing in our life time, the touchpaper was lit with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Putin expected an immediate military response from the west, which never came. Instead, sanctions were imposed, with very little initial impact and slowly and painfully weapons supplied, all too little and too late.
The most shocking blindless from almost all countries is in relation to Gaza.
Following the appalling attack on Israel, Netanyahu thought this was an ideal opportunity to wipe Gaza off the face of the earth. The IDF portrayed themselves as angels. As now well over 60.000 were massacred by them. The BBC coded each report with a narrative understanding and worse, supporting their actions. Demonstrations in support of Gaza were condemned and many demonstrators were arrested.
The west in particular had decided which side they were on, which was on the wrong side of history.
Now it’s Iran’s turn as nations look away hoping it’s not them next. You can’t help feeling if Iran was not a Muslim country, would more be done to stop this? As ever, Israel will be able to do what it wants, with no consequences.
In the USA, Trump and his mob are pulling on every lever of authoritarian and some say, fascist rule. A dark vision is unfolding; expansionism Greenland Canada, attacking the press, arresting political opponents, controlling and attempting to close prestigious universities, declaring war on its own people who they deem as enemies of the state as in Los Angeles. The list is endless but all has the same goal FEAR.
In Turkey a number of things are left unanswered. The Istanbul mayor is in jail as are many of his deputies on alleged corruption charges, as well as other things. They are seen as corrupting the country like an octopus, their tentacles of interest spreading everywhere. Interestingly this image was first used to describe Russia in the 1870s when they attacked the Ottoman Empire.
The opposition refuse all this and see it as political. As ever it all depends which lenses you look though. For me it is all blurred with the optician refusing to fix it.
Also, CHP mayor of Manisa, Ferdi Zeyrek has died. A young man who appeared and acted like a young JFK and loved as such. Three have been arrested so far as the cause of death looks at the outset suspicions, we wait…
Rose tinted spectacles
As the summer approaches I will be lying back putting on my rose-tinted spectacles as I watch Turkey’s Got Talent, no one does such shows better than Turkey. Historically the game show My Better Half Knows Best (Ben Bilmem Eşim Bilir) was the benchmark for me. Hours of crazy fun, including men going round an obstacle course in high heels. Then a few years ago The Mask. It was big bold razmataz, I was in heaven.
So now with a panel that includes the compere of My Better Half Knows Best the house will be ablaze with fizzy wine crisps blaring out of our new TV, we will be out of order during these times.
Have a fantastic summer my darlings, cheerio. (DM/VK)
