The Turkish Times/Opinion

Opinion
September 1, 2002
Year 13 No. 306

Sealing the U.S.-Turkish Strategic Partnership Through Cooperation in Iraq?-A View from Ankara
Nihat Ali Ozcan and Ersel Aydinli, August 22, 2002, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy - Ever since talk of American intervention in Iraq began heating up, Turkish policy on cooperation has generally been as follows: keep a close eye on the situation and clearly express reluctance, but if Washington begins to display greater decisiveness, take part in the action. The primary reasons for such a policy are Turkey's immediate proximity to Iraq and its unpleasant memories from the Gulf War. More

What Does "Strategic Partnership" Mean?
Amb. Sukru Elekdag (Ret.) - Over the past few years, America has described its relationship with Turkey by referring to a "strategic partnership." That concept basically reflects the special importance Washington attaches to a country and the privileged "allied relationship" it maintains with it. More

Still in love with an ill city
"There are some things they don’t sell in America"
Asli Omur, Special to The Turkish Times, August 22, 2002 - As I write this it is almost midnight in Istanbul. It is the only real time I can hear myself think properly. Otherwise, it is a blur, I am anxious and feel out of place in the part of the world I wanted to leave my heart in. After living in the USA, I come here and even with the family, I feel disoriented and paralyzed. More

Turkey’s Quest to Join the European Union
Implications for American Policy
Soner Cagatay, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, [Excerpts] - In two long sessions recently, the Turkish parliament adopted a historic reform package… These reforms greatly broaden the liberties of all Turkish citizens. Moreover, they harmonize the country's legal system with that of the European Union (EU), which Turkey has aspired to join since the 1980s… More

Digging Graves for Others (and falling into them)
"Our train is named, Idee Fixe Express, owned by the National Railways of Armenia. The town is Hateville"
Ilyas Botas, Special to The Turkish Times - Brilliant ideas don't come around often - especially to me. So I thought I'd better sit and write it down, for tomorrow, I may forget what it was. I think I have figured out how to keep Armenian hate-crusaders locked in a circle, or more correctly, locked in the twilight zone. More

The not so Imminent Iraq War
M. Orhan Tarhan - I wrote on March 15, 2002 an article titled "The Coming Iraq War" At that time it looked like the Iraq War was quite imminent. According to President George W. Bush, it is still imminent, but he says (a) he does not have a plan on his desk, (b) he has not decided yet about a date, and (c) he does not know how to do it best. More

Of Turks and Kurds
William Safire, The New York Times, August 26, 2002, Washington - Faced with a charge by Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld last week that Al Qaeda elements were in Iraq; And in light of detailed reports in this space and elsewhere naming names of "Afghan Arab" terrorists sent to assassinate Kurdish leaders who were captured by anti-Saddam Kurds in northern Iraq; More

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LETTERS

"We apologize to the Turkish Community"
August 7, 2002
FROM: Neve Savage, Vice President for Marketing Communications AT&T
TO: Mr. Abraham H.Foxman
Anti-Defamation League

Dear Mr.Foxman:
We appreciate your bringing this to our attention. Clearly there is no desire or intent to offend anyone. Indeed, the team who created this communication is a multi-national group, including Asians, Europeans and Africans, as well as Americans. They will be unhappy about any unfortunate and unintended impact of their work. We are sorry this entirely innocent communication can be misunderstood. We apologize to any in the Turkish community or indeed to anybody who was offended.

This advertisement will end nationally on 8/18. There may be lingering use in a very few markets but it will be replaced as soon as possible. We certainly make every attempt to avoid even innocent, unintentional offense to anyone.

Thank you again for bringing this to our attention.

Sincerely,
(signed)
Neve Savage

AT&T Ad Features a Dog Named "Turk"
"Awareness, sensitivity and acceptance of human diversity is not achieved until it is achieved for all groups that compose that diversity"

August 9, 2002
Mr. Neve Savage
Senior Vice President, Marketing & Advertising
AT&T Wireless
5 E. Midland Avenue
Paramus, NJ 07652
Fax. (908) 696-4434

Dear Mr. Savage:
My wife and I are both second-generation Turkish Americans, own two beautiful golden retrievers, and are AT&T Wireless customers.

AT&T Wireless’ national media campaign concerning its "mLife" product features a dog by the name of "Turk." I happened to come across your "mLife" advertisement twice: New York Times (July 23, 2002, A-11) and Washington Post (August 5, 2002, A-3). As I understand, your advertisement is also being aired on local television networks (Fox, NBC, ABC).

This letter is to kindly request that you please change the name of the dog and pull the advertisement.

The name of the dog which appears in the AT&T Wireless ad is "Turk". The word, "Turk" can be understood at different levels. First and foremost, however, the word "Turk" is used to designate a person of Turkish origin. Second, when "Turk" appears in the surname of a person of Turkish origin, it always has an ethnic definition, such as in the name of the Sacramento Kings’ Turkish player, Hidayet Turkoglu (translated as, Turkson).

Third, there are "positive" stereotypes in the use of the word "Turk" such as "young Turk" to describe a reformist. Fourth, "Turk" can be used as a negative stereotype to describe a rude, vulgar, or repulsive person, as provided in Webster’s Dictionary. I believe that positive and negative stereotypes are both inappropriate in that they reinforce prejudices.

Fifth, when "Turk" appears in the name of a person not of Turkish origin, it probably does not have an ethnic root. It is purely a homonym to the word’s ethnic version. One might argue that such was the case of the AT&T dog -- that its name was purely a homonym of the ethnic "Turk" and coincidental. This argument, however, is weak because popular animals tend to receive popular dog names, such as "Duke" and "Rover", or the names of specific, popular people. The Saint Bernard in "Beethoven" and the mule "Abraham" in "Lady Hawk" are examples. The argument fails for the further reason that even if the dog’s name "Turk" is a homonym of the ethnic "Turk" and purely coincidental, the predominately ethnic meaning of "Turk" should have caused the AT&T Wireless advertisement team to disqualify the name based on ethnic sensitivity and awareness.

As with every element of the AT&T Wireless ad, the name of the dog is the product of the thoughts, discussions and decisions of the advertisement team. I believe that the AT&T Wireless advertisement team could have been more sensitive to the issue of naming its lost dog with what would naturally be considered the name of an ethnic group.

A universal and objective test to determine the appropriateness of the ad might be to substitute in the place of "Turk", the name of an ethnic, racial, or religious group for which our society may have greater awareness and sensitivity, and to offer the benefit of the doubt to the giver of the name by assuming that the name given the dog is purely a homonym of its ethnic, racial, or religious version, and coincidental. I believe that no matter how endearing the dog or innocent the giver of the name may be, such a substitute name would not be acceptable due to its collateral damage to a group within society and to society as a whole.

Awareness, sensitivity and acceptance of human diversity is not achieved until it is achieved for all groups that compose that diversity. The process - a long one that requires time and education - is one I hope AT&T Wireless will support.

Thank you for your consideration and understanding. Please feel free to call me if I can be of assistance.

Best regards,
Günay Evinch