Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

[JohnF]

Seventy seventh anniversary of General Mustafa Kemal Atatürks death today.

He wasn't a perfect man, but he laid the foundations upon which the current Republic of Turkey is built. 

He got rid of the Caliphate (in simple terms, religious government) and separated religion and the state.  Something tells me he would not be a happy man to see such a reversal of that policy by the current government.

'Nuff said I think.

JF

Edit:  For those who want to read a bit more about Atatürk, the Wikipedia page lists many of his great achievements and if you're still interested and want to read more, Andrew Mango's book "Ataturk: The Biography of the founder of Modern Turkey" is one of the better ones. 

[kevin3]

  The folk I know in Hisaronu hold him in great esteem, and to be treated like that after 77 years says much about his leadership qualities.

[Jacqui Harvey]

He will be turning in his grave at what is happening to Turkey just now. 

[Colwyn]

Votes for women, replacement of Arabic script with Roman alphabet, change from the Islamic date system to European year counting; just a few of the revolutionary changes brought in by Ataturk.

[JohnF]

Aye, just a pity the (Kemalist) CHP haven't been able to come up with someone as selfless, trustworthy and dignified as he was in recent years - they may have then been electable!

JF