Walking through the halls of the high school today, I came across the Turkish colleague, with whom I had gone to the Beşiktaş match. We had marched to the stadium with an army of fans, a peculiar troupe including his mother, my room mate, and two other foreigners, all clearly tipsy.
Last Friday's game still rings in my ears...
He was intently listening to another teacher, but we still made eye contact. Over the shoulder of the speaker, whose back was to me, he performed a wink, cocking his head slightly to the left, but never distracting the teacher speaking to him. The gesture said everything, "We are Beşiktaş."
That is as much as we've interacted all week...
It inspired me to post a couple of Beşiktaş songs here, and maybe I'll be bothered with translations, later.
Beşiktaşım/
sen çok yaşa/
Canım feda olsun sana/
Hiç bir şeye/
değişilmez/
Seni sevgim bu dunyada!
The tune is identical to that of "The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show".
OK, I lied... the tune is nothing like that.
Here's another that I appreciate for the 9-11 reference it incorporates.
Nasıl bıraktın o mübarek sakalı/
Amerika'yı bombaladın/
Usame Baba bize kıyak yapsana/
Kadıköy'ü bombalasana.
"How did you grow that holiest of beards/
you, who bombed America/
Osama bin Ladin, can you do us a favor/
And send a bomb over to Kadıköy/
Kadıköy is the home of Fenerbahçe, the arch rivals of Beşiktaş, with whom we are forever locked in an enduring struggle for control of the universe. Inciting Islamist terrorism is a very Machiavellian approach for the notoriously secular, politically left fan base, but one must consider the cause. We're just doing it for the cause.
Anyhow, you'll surely catch me singing these and more when I'm state-side.
Showing posts with label terrorism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label terrorism. Show all posts
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Poetry...
The collision is beautiful, the politics and the pop culture, and I can't convey enough how richly and seamlessly absurd it can all be.
This is why I keep living in Turkey:
Bülent Ersoy, on her way to court to defend herself against the medieval Turkish legal code, had the support of more than one creative fan. The charge against her, of attempting to alienate the Turkish people from military service, follows her statements denouncing the mindless waste of life caused by Turkey's unofficial war against the Kurds of Northern Iraq.
"If I had a son, I would not send him to serve in the military."
As she entered the courthouse, spectators held signs reading "Biji Diva!"
Ersoy is reknowned in Turkey as one of the nation's first openly transexual singers. The signs championing her cause, written in Kurdish, best translate as "Long live the Diva!"
This is why I keep living in Turkey:
Bülent Ersoy, on her way to court to defend herself against the medieval Turkish legal code, had the support of more than one creative fan. The charge against her, of attempting to alienate the Turkish people from military service, follows her statements denouncing the mindless waste of life caused by Turkey's unofficial war against the Kurds of Northern Iraq.
"If I had a son, I would not send him to serve in the military."
As she entered the courthouse, spectators held signs reading "Biji Diva!"
Ersoy is reknowned in Turkey as one of the nation's first openly transexual singers. The signs championing her cause, written in Kurdish, best translate as "Long live the Diva!"
Thursday, August 14, 2008
This seemed apt...
... hopefully, folks will forgive the language. I heard this here in Turkey, and the "n" word sometimes gets thrown around by Turks who have no idea of the baggage it carries. I figure, they wrote the joke, so it's a little dishonest to rephrase the thing.
If it's true, all I can say is, way to go, 'Red, White, and Blue'.
To avoid appearing a Rusky-phile, I'll add that Putin's idea of a measured response to conflict is, well, so much like Israel's that it confounds all notions of justice. I reckon Saakashvili got more than he bargained for, but it's all pretty complicated.
In high school, I remember studying a little-known kid named Gavrilo Princip, who somehow managed to spark The Great War by assassinating Franz Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria. Beats the hell out of your best college prank. Chopping the history lecture down to size, EVERYBODY in Europe, and a number of others, decided to get involved in one of the largest land-grabs since the Oklahoma Land Run of 1889.
Quite a few parties involved, and a whole lot of oil, gas, and other stuff. Looks like we're getting ready to see how much like the 20th century we can make our 21st.
A new agent was brought into Langley for training by the CIA. The program took years, and cost millions, as the agent was trained for all possible mission circumstances: jungle and arctic warfare, high an low elevation para trooping, airplane and helicopter flight, deep sea diving, Russian, Ukrainian, Kazakh, and Polish.Reading this article, I remembered the joke...
Weeks of his training emphasized the history and geography of Moscow. The agent became an expert in the Kremlin, and needed to be, as he would be a covert operative in the heart of Soviet Union. Studying maps, local stories and anecdotes, he was prepared to appear a native of Moscow, born and raised, and to reside in the city for five years.
The insertion itself was dangerous, involving (surprisingly) both a submarine and a high altitude jump. After his arrival in Moscow, the operative met his contacts, settled into his safe house, and took his first week to explore the city, finding it just as he had been trained to.
After receiving orders for his first mission, the agent stopped into a local pub, known as a gathering place for intelligence personnel from various agencies. It was a good place to get information.
The agent went to the bar and ordered a vodka, in fluent Russian. Striking up a conversation as the keep poured his drink, he felt confident that he would begin to glean information about the patrons. Setting down the vodka, the bar keep stopped the agent mid-sentence.
"Look, if you want to talk with your KGB friends, go over there, table is in the corner."
The agent was dumbstruck. "How did you recognize that I'm an agent?"
Cleaning out a glass, the bartender looked at him, "Your Russian is fluent, you know city and culture well. Only, we have not a lot of niggers in Moscow."
If it's true, all I can say is, way to go, 'Red, White, and Blue'.
To avoid appearing a Rusky-phile, I'll add that Putin's idea of a measured response to conflict is, well, so much like Israel's that it confounds all notions of justice. I reckon Saakashvili got more than he bargained for, but it's all pretty complicated.
In high school, I remember studying a little-known kid named Gavrilo Princip, who somehow managed to spark The Great War by assassinating Franz Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria. Beats the hell out of your best college prank. Chopping the history lecture down to size, EVERYBODY in Europe, and a number of others, decided to get involved in one of the largest land-grabs since the Oklahoma Land Run of 1889.
Quite a few parties involved, and a whole lot of oil, gas, and other stuff. Looks like we're getting ready to see how much like the 20th century we can make our 21st.
Monday, July 14, 2008
It was a busy week last week...
There's not a lot that I worry about in Istanbul. There are worries, that are often discussed over beer with good friends, but I don't walk around Istanbul scared that any of the below list will actually victimize me. Rather, I take an academic interest in these potential disasters, because they always seem inevitable. The inevitability of the event has nurtured a desire to witness it, a desire to share with Istanbullu (Istanbul natives) the experience and a part of the collective memory. I'm not saying I want to be where it happens, and certainly not suffer from it, but I do want to know more about the event and learn of it through talking with Istanbullu. This might be a journalistic impulse, or that of the oral historian, or plain dumb, but I'd be lying if I denied it.
So, I'm miffed that my exile in Ankara condemned me to miss three out of the five on the list.
Top Five Lurking, Completely Random, and Imminent Fears of Sean Cox in Istanbul:
5. Getting stabbed by a glue-sniffer.
On a scale of 1-17 (as a good friend used to say), 1 being the least likely and 17 the most likely, I project the odds that I may be attacked by a crazy person sniffing glue at about a 4 (though with the present state of unemployment and political disenfranchisement, this number is likely to rise). This is the only thing I ever really worry about in Istanbul, and usually I keep an eye out to avoid situations where I might bump into people high on inhaled household products.
4.5 Blindness from drinking bad Rakı
I only worry about this when I'm drinking suspicious tasting rakı, the anise-flavored alcohol that is oh-so-good with fish and cheese. A few years ago, a moon-shine rakı was "accidentally" bottled by YeniRakı, a major producer of the stuff. A number of people died and several were struck blind. Like I said, it's only a worry when the restaurant you're in runs out of the quality stuff, and instead brings you their "special brew" in a fish bowl from behind the bleach on the counter.
4. Terrorism
Terrorism is a funny concept, and one I generally struggle to wrap my mind around. Depending on who you are and your intentions when you kill innocent people, you are a terrorist. If you attack police, military, jandarm, armed contractors, paramilitaries, or spies, you are also a terrorist (the same is not true of them if they attack you or innocent people). I could lump terrorism in with number two, because the tactics are similar and the experiences at the business end of it are basically the same. It makes me sad, but Turks seem to accept that armed groups (government/military affiliated or ideologically driven) will employ terror against random and unsuspecting civilians, in order to make a point. In any event, I never fear that this will happen to me in Turkey. The glue-sniffers pose a more realistic threat.
3. Tanker Ship Collision in the Bosphorus
The fear is not so much the collision itself, as what might happen to the contents of the tanker involved. Petroleum or chemical products may explode. Other chemical products may seep out and cause illness or death. A major tear in the side of the tanker may enable the glue-sniffing terrorists inside to escape and go on a rampage through the city. You get the picture.
2. Military Coup
This is higher on the list for two reasons. First, I think it more likely to directly affect me than anything else previously listed. Second, if it did happen, it would be way more interesting (for "interesting", read adventure-provoking) than most things previously listed. At least, one thinks so. In reality, it may just mean I take several days off work and have to buy my groceries at a certain time of day. Everybody I know on the political left would probably be detained, so I wouldn't have anyone to drink with. I imagine it would be a period of prolonged boredom, similar to what one experiences when living in Ankara.
1. Earthquake
This is something I think about on a weekly basis. Istanbul sits along the North Anatolian fault line, and has been struck by devastating earthquakes 12 times since the 5th century. The 1,000 mile long, strike-slip fault, transfers pressure from west to east, moving the epicenters of earthquakes along the fault and steadily closer to Istanbul over the years. The last major disaster on the fault, in 1999, leveled the nearby town of İznik, killed nearly 20,000 people, and scared the dickens out of Istanbullu, many of whom spent the next several weeks camping out in the streets. With little (or no) preparation on the part of the Turkish government, this disaster, when it comes, will be one of Biblical proportions.
So, to my chagrin, last week there was a derailed coup attempt, a shooting at the US consulate, and a tanker collision with a public park. All I could do was read the newspapers, which proved better at being retarded (and misleading) than writing informative articles. I refer you to the Turkish Daily News' headline from Friday, Al-Qaeda Linked to Istiniye Attack. Al-Qaida was not merely not involved, but they ran a headline based on speculation... probably a police officer saying, "Al-Qaeda is a terrorist group, maybe they could have done this." I guess it sells papers.
Each of these events probably deserves it's own post... and I'll try to get around to that. With disaster befalling the city I love, I busied myself with a trip to Hattuşaş, the ancient Hittite capital. It made for a lovely weekend.
So, I'm miffed that my exile in Ankara condemned me to miss three out of the five on the list.
Top Five Lurking, Completely Random, and Imminent Fears of Sean Cox in Istanbul:
5. Getting stabbed by a glue-sniffer.
On a scale of 1-17 (as a good friend used to say), 1 being the least likely and 17 the most likely, I project the odds that I may be attacked by a crazy person sniffing glue at about a 4 (though with the present state of unemployment and political disenfranchisement, this number is likely to rise). This is the only thing I ever really worry about in Istanbul, and usually I keep an eye out to avoid situations where I might bump into people high on inhaled household products.
4.5 Blindness from drinking bad Rakı
I only worry about this when I'm drinking suspicious tasting rakı, the anise-flavored alcohol that is oh-so-good with fish and cheese. A few years ago, a moon-shine rakı was "accidentally" bottled by YeniRakı, a major producer of the stuff. A number of people died and several were struck blind. Like I said, it's only a worry when the restaurant you're in runs out of the quality stuff, and instead brings you their "special brew" in a fish bowl from behind the bleach on the counter.
4. Terrorism
Terrorism is a funny concept, and one I generally struggle to wrap my mind around. Depending on who you are and your intentions when you kill innocent people, you are a terrorist. If you attack police, military, jandarm, armed contractors, paramilitaries, or spies, you are also a terrorist (the same is not true of them if they attack you or innocent people). I could lump terrorism in with number two, because the tactics are similar and the experiences at the business end of it are basically the same. It makes me sad, but Turks seem to accept that armed groups (government/military affiliated or ideologically driven) will employ terror against random and unsuspecting civilians, in order to make a point. In any event, I never fear that this will happen to me in Turkey. The glue-sniffers pose a more realistic threat.
3. Tanker Ship Collision in the Bosphorus
The fear is not so much the collision itself, as what might happen to the contents of the tanker involved. Petroleum or chemical products may explode. Other chemical products may seep out and cause illness or death. A major tear in the side of the tanker may enable the glue-sniffing terrorists inside to escape and go on a rampage through the city. You get the picture.
2. Military Coup
This is higher on the list for two reasons. First, I think it more likely to directly affect me than anything else previously listed. Second, if it did happen, it would be way more interesting (for "interesting", read adventure-provoking) than most things previously listed. At least, one thinks so. In reality, it may just mean I take several days off work and have to buy my groceries at a certain time of day. Everybody I know on the political left would probably be detained, so I wouldn't have anyone to drink with. I imagine it would be a period of prolonged boredom, similar to what one experiences when living in Ankara.
1. Earthquake
This is something I think about on a weekly basis. Istanbul sits along the North Anatolian fault line, and has been struck by devastating earthquakes 12 times since the 5th century. The 1,000 mile long, strike-slip fault, transfers pressure from west to east, moving the epicenters of earthquakes along the fault and steadily closer to Istanbul over the years. The last major disaster on the fault, in 1999, leveled the nearby town of İznik, killed nearly 20,000 people, and scared the dickens out of Istanbullu, many of whom spent the next several weeks camping out in the streets. With little (or no) preparation on the part of the Turkish government, this disaster, when it comes, will be one of Biblical proportions.
So, to my chagrin, last week there was a derailed coup attempt, a shooting at the US consulate, and a tanker collision with a public park. All I could do was read the newspapers, which proved better at being retarded (and misleading) than writing informative articles. I refer you to the Turkish Daily News' headline from Friday, Al-Qaeda Linked to Istiniye Attack. Al-Qaida was not merely not involved, but they ran a headline based on speculation... probably a police officer saying, "Al-Qaeda is a terrorist group, maybe they could have done this." I guess it sells papers.
Each of these events probably deserves it's own post... and I'll try to get around to that. With disaster befalling the city I love, I busied myself with a trip to Hattuşaş, the ancient Hittite capital. It made for a lovely weekend.
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