Fanaticism

Turkey's foreign minister on May 29 called for collective efforts against xenophobia, racism, and Islamophobia.

Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu's remarks came in a message commemorating the victims of the deadly 1993 attack on a Turkish family by far-right extremists in the German city of Solingen.

Pope Francis said on Saturday that building walls, occupying territories and religious fanaticism would never bring peace to the Middle East.

The allies and, especially, foes of a state evaluate its strength on the basis of how serious and stable it is on the inside.

Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muiznieks says that the reconciliation process in the Western Balkans has stalled.

In his latest Human Rights Comment, Muiznieks also noted that ethnic divisions and polarization have been growing in the region.

A couple days ago a sweet photo drew my attention. It showed two men sitting down, seen from behind. One was wearing a "Yes" campaign vest, while the other was wearing a "No" vest. The no voter's arm was on the shoulder of the yes voter. They were campaigning on opposite sides but they were still side by side. 

Turkey is no longer polarized. Polarization has reached to such dimensions that as if several "nations of extremes" are living side by side in this country, not only ignoring the sensitivities of the "other" nations but trying to prove their superiority in every way possible. Can this be called "the culture of the powerful"?

Greece might be facing arguably the worst economic crisis in its modern history, but this seems to concern the fanatic football fans very little. Sometimes they seem completely oblivious to the larger scheme of things, and focus only what they deem to be important. The love of their life, their team.

The Turkish media?s highly partisan coverage does not bode well for the ultimate fate of the country?s democracy, according to a leader political science scholar.

It gives us a great deal of hope that we have a new batch of mayors and regional authorities, as well as university rectors who represent the voice of reason and prudence and are unafraid to stand up to and clash with extreme elements both in society and in their respective institutions.