On the night of July 15, 2016 the nation saved the state on the streets; as of the morning of July 16, 2016, neither the country's sociology was the same, nor could its politics remain the same.
The Justice and Development Party (AK Party) is experiencing the activity, the obligation of producing new politics against this new sociology brought on by July 15, adapting to the new situation and change.
Yes, the fight against the Fetullah Terror Organization (FETÖ) relentlessly continues, but in this fight, at times it can be a boomerang, at times the gun can backfire and at times the bomb blows up in one’s face.
The reason is very clear: President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declared Dec. 17 in 2013 as a milestone. Nobody other than himself and the handful of fellow party members as well as some prudent and sagacious individuals around him joined the difficult fight he started. Those who were actually required to join the fight behaved unwillingly. Even the lowly coup attempt on July 15, 2016 was no remedy to this unwillingness; it was not enough to open hearts nor eyes.
Now, because of these unwilling, insincere cowards, there is a fight where boundaries are flexible, permeable, perforated – let’s be a little more optimistic – inclined to transform or perceived to be that way.
There is a saying that translates to English as, “It being talked about is worse than its occurrence,” and in modern times they say, “Perception hides reality.”
The perception that formed in relation to the fight against FETÖ is rapidly hiding reality; hearsays, gossips are taking precedence over what is real and it is rapidly becoming widespread.
“So and so rescued himself, so and so rescued his son-daughter, those who have money or have connections are able to get out, the powerful don’t even get caught, it is only those who are innocent or the weakest link who is harmed, the real criminals walk freely…” These are claims in which reality cannot be proven in most cases. However, they are allegations whose gossip, hearsay, in other words, perception is as dangerous as the reality itself. These are, unfortunately, allegations that strengthen by the day with their disgusting signs, the victimization and discharge of innocent people.
These allegations no longer effect the families of the FETÖ members alone, they also strike the ordinary person.
These allegations are not spread through a perception operation. They emerge quite naturally and disseminate. These allegations are bred by the unwilling, insincere cowards who act like they are in a fight against FETÖ. Those who are afraid, who are hesitant because they have a fault, those who do not fully commit to the fight, those trying to profit even from this, those raising their voices high simply to avoid being investigated, those attempting to fight FETÖ using Fetullah’s immoral methods and tools, those who have the Fetullah mentality even though they may have no organizational ties to the group, those who are pretentious, unreliable, disrepute operation plotters and, of course hypocrites are weakening the fight every single day.
The new sociology cannot and is unable to handle this weakening, this fight in which the boundaries are transitional, and this talk.
The families of our martyrs, our veterans who saved the state on the streets as well as the nation cannot tolerate the weakening of this fight.
The fight against FETÖ has turned into the greatest test the AK Party faces as it heads toward 2019 and the future.
FETÖ supporters will never ever be able to find themselves a place on these lands again. We ended that war with absolute victory. However, the fight against FETÖ was the “minor jihad (struggle),” now, we are face-to-face with the “major jihad,” the “struggle against our own desires.”
This is why change is necessary; “overcoming metal fatigue” is extremely important for this reason.
In the fight against FETÖ, the AK Party is obliged to carry out its responsibility in the most just way; it must show greater sensitivity to ensure that the judiciary fulfills its responsibility.
The matter is not the “management” of perception alone; the matter is more the perception overlapping with reality and the reality also being just.
When heading toward 2019 and the future, the AK Party is going through a tough period, a tough test like the fight against FETÖ. Like always, “those who are willing, sincere and brave” are going to ensure that this fight is won. More room should be made for them. We are going through a period in which we need to be more sensitive to ensure that they are not offended, that hands raised in prayer continue to remain that way, that those speaking do not become silent.
In my last six articles I tried to explain the tough test periods AK Party faces. The reason that the AK Party has come this far is that it has been able to blatantly hold itself accountable at every opportunity. While heading toward 2019 and the future, the AK Party is going to continue to be the leading actor of politics by holding itself accountable, through change, by maintaining its dynamism and ebullience and becoming even stronger.
There is benefit in remembering: We are on stage, on the ground since 1071, and by the grace of God, we are going to continue to be here.
There is a saying attributed to Genghis Khan who destroyed the entire Islamic geography: “What kind of evil have you committed that God sent me to you as punishment…”
As long as we are good, do good, the rest is easy.
