Misrepresentation of Fethullah Gülen in English-language media

Mehmet Kalyoncu

Fethullah Gulen

For an average American and European reader, the name Fethullah Gülen may not necessarily be a familiar one. That Gülen is a scholar who has inspired millions of volunteers across the world to engage in educational and intercultural initiatives, that he publically denounced Osama bin Laden for the shame that the latter brought upon Islam, and that he advocated Turkey’s full membership in the European Union at time when his counterparts opposed it by simply viewing the EU as a Christian club with Zionist touches, are not something that the average reader would know, either.

Recently the English-language media have been increasingly covering Gülen and the worldwide civil society initiatives he has inspired. However, the language in general and the way certain politically significant words can be used in some of this media coverage are somewhat problematic in the sense that they fail to present the full picture about Gülen, if not deliberately create doubts and prejudices about him.

Controversial remarks to prove costly for MHP

Fatma Dişli Zıbak

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli, whose controversial statements regarding the video scandals shaking his party occupied column inches throughout last week, continued to be a subject of debate over the weekend. Bahçeli’s unfortunate statements in which he pointed to Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, who has pioneered extensive educational activities around the world, as the mastermind behind video scandals involving several MHP members will prove costly for the party ahead of the June 12 general elections, columnists say.

Bugün’s Ahmet Taşgetiren interprets Bahçeli’s attack on Gülen as an effort to convince the MHP voter base that the party is under attack from outside forces, but he thinks this is the kind of effort which is doomed to fail because MHP supporters are careful and aware enough to see and appreciate the services Gülen has provided to serve the interests of the country.

Kemalist fabrications

İhsan Yılmaz

I have been arguing here in this column that there has been a psychological war campaign against both the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the Gülen movement at home and abroad.