How is this fair?

Let’s be truthful: ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ are not competing on equal terms in the referendum campaign before us. The resources of the state, all media channels, a huge economic force, municipalities, the fields and the gardens have been mobilised for ‘Yes’.

As to the ‘No’ side, they are constantly being arrested, their meetings are denied permission and their lectures are cancelled. The arresting of 22-year-old student Ali Gül, who made a ‘No’ video, has virtually come to symbolise everything. Selahattin Demirtaş is behind bars. Ayhan Bilgen and Meral Danış Beştaş, planned to be the face of ‘No’ in the HDP, are on remand. Newspapers are under tight control. The same goes for universities. In fact, apart from the CHP, nobody is permitted to hold proper ‘No’ rallies.

When there is intimidation on social media against circles that support ‘No’ in the referendum, sometimes a huge wave of rebellion swells up within me. I find myself saying, ‘With this kind of intimidation, my dad would also win the election.’ The sentence, ‘If you’re a man, compete on equal terms’ forms on the tip of my tongue. I curse this extent to which the rules of democratic competition of a country with seventy years’ experience of the multiparty system are being held in contempt.

But, then I hold myself back. Why? Because feminists get pretty cross with such sentences starting, ‘If you’re a man ...’ They say it is not right to turn this issue into an issue of manliness and cowardice. And they are right. I mean, after all, what are these manliness-womanliness criteria, for heaven’s sake? I tell myself not to go there, Aslı, not to sink to these levels.

All the same, when reading of the ‘Yes’ campaign’s successes and all-reaching organisation, I am reminded of an incident that a businessman spoke of with pride years ago. It seems that one day this one particular businessman got into an argument with one particular left-wing student. He got mighty cross. He called out to his men, ‘Grab him’ and rained out slaps and punches at the young man who he was having held by both arms. And he talked about this left, right and centre as if it were an example of great courage. So far removed from reality was he that, in his description of it, he considered it to be a great feat to beat up a young man after having him restrained by three people. Well done!

So, how did we get here? From the point at which ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ votes are not wrestling on equal terms. There was coverage this week in newspapers of the disproportionate amounts of time allotted by the state broadcaster TRT to the ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ campaigns. The gulf between the two is an even bigger a joke than at every election. But the real trouble comes with the drama being experienced in the media and public space away from TRT. The lack of any serious ‘No’ campaign presence on any news channel; the intimidation in Anatolia; the obligation for news channels having pretentions to be serious to run programmes with a list of ‘forbidden guests’; the barring from the screens of the CHP to an extent and almost entirely when it comes to the HDP and opposition figures in the MHP. Over and above this, the anti-No stance adopted by the state’s law enforcement forces and the judiciary.

All of these are indisputable truths. These are pitiful times for democracy.

But, as I said, you cannot get up and say, ‘What kind of manliness is this?’ You will then get feminists’ backs up. So, we need to find other terminology. How about if we say, ‘Is this your fairness?’ But, there are not many in the country who care about fairness. These are no longer ‘sacred’ notions.

Indeed, it is hard to work out who gives a damn about what any more. Let’s say the notion of ‘manliness’ has lost its meaning. But, only if such notions as honour, rectitude, equality, justice and fairness have also become worthless. Nobody is ashamed, dejected or bothered by it.

If so, why are we living together?

Aslı Aydıntaşbaş