Fethullah Gulen on a Global Scale


Date posted: June 22, 2013

James C. Harrington, founder [director] of the Texas Civil Rights Project and professor at the University of Texas at Austin Law School, spoke to a crowd of students, lawyers, judges, and local business people about his new book: Wrestling with Free Speech, Religious Freedom, and Democracy in Turkey: The Political Trials and Times of Fethullah Gulen. Harrington discussed recent changes in Turkey’s legal structure as part of the Gulen Institute’s ongoing lecture series, pointing to the result of the Fethullah Gulen trial as a pivotal victory in the nation’s struggle for civil liberties.

Before turning his attention to Turkey’s recent constitutional amendments, James C. Harrington briefly introduced its faltering history of political change: namely, the series of military coup d’états that began in 1960. He suggested that Fethullah Gulen’s indictment can only be properly understood against this backdrop. And considering the historical tensions between democratic rule and military power in Turkey, Harrington considers Gulen’s ultimate acquittal astounding. The verdict should be viewed as a “huge victory for the Turkish people,” Harrington claimed. He then enumerated the various changes to the Turkish legal system that have resulted from the constitutional referendum of 2010, which he praised as “essentially a Bill of Rights” for the country.

Fethullah Gülen started the movement in Turkey in the 1980s as an education and service movement. He created schools that served as alternatives to the Madrassa schools and allowed girls to get an education.

“It [education] is the great leveler in the United States,” says Harrington. Teachers have the most important job in our society.

“The greatest effect that the movement has had in Turkey is democracy,” says Harrington.

Harrington says that the United States could learn from the Gulen Movement to engage in dialogue again.

“We are not engaged right now as a society in dialogue,” says Harrington. “It is awful what is going on.” It may be hard to engage in dialogue, but we need to compromise.


Related News

Gulen inspired organizations honor world youth in Washington D.C.

One of the award-winning students was Muhammad Haroon Kohgadai from the Afghan-Turk Boys High School in Kabul. Kohgadai was unable to attend the ceremony because he was diagnosed with heart disease at the last minute.

Fethullah Gülen’s lawyers fear attacks on his life amid calls for return to Turkey

“We’re very concerned about his safety,” said Reid Weingarten, a member of Gülen’s legal team, at a press conference on Friday in Washington DC. Weingartern repeated Gülen’s denials that he was involved in the attempted coup attempt and suggested that the Turkish government’s evidence will fall far short of American legal standards. “For Mr Gülen to be involved, he would have to be acting inconsistent with everything he’s done his entire adult life,” he said.

Fethullah Gulen’s Message regarding Rumors Circulated in Turkish Media about a Second Coup Attempt

Fethullah Gulen: Once again, the Turkish media, under government control or government pressure, is circulating horrific rumors, this time about a supposed second coup attempt in the works, supposedly prepared by my sympathizers with the backing of the United States. Such rumors are unfounded and irresponsible.

Why did Fethullah Gülen visit John Paul II?

One of the best-selling weeklies of Turkey, Aksiyon, made Fethullah Gülen’s meeting with Pope John Paul II a cover story on February 2, 1998 and published an published an interview with him. Gülen visited the Pope on February 9, 1998. A summarized excerpt from that interview follows.

Gülen: The coup attempt was an outrageous scenario constructed by Erdoğan

“Last year’s failed coup attempt in Turkey [was] nothing but a false flag orchestrated by Turkey’s autocratic President Erdoğan and his henchmen to create a pretext for [the] mass persecution of critics and opponents in a state of perpetual emergency,” SCF concluded.

Syracuse celebrates Turkish culture, cuisine at City Hall event

Folk dancing and Turkish cuisine were part of Syracuse’s first Turkish Day celebration Wednesday outside City Hall.

Latest News

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

University refuses admission to woman jailed over Gülen links

In Case You Missed It

Friendship Dinner hosted by Pacific Dialogue Foundation in Philippines

Whisked Away – The Turkish government and its program of kidnappings

Hizmet is rooted in the culture of dialogue

Turkey sees unprecedented pressure on media since Dec. 14 operation

Turkish Kimse Yok Mu volunteers staying months to help survivors

Comments on Turkey coup attempt by Prof. John Whyte

Gülen, the most important figure of tolerance and dialogue

Copyright 2023 Hizmet News