Turks are a dangerous people, Elia Kazan

Oscar-winning director Elia Kazan (“Streetcar Named Desire”, “Viva Zapata”, and “On the Waterfront”) toured Turkey when he traveled to “Kayseri”, his mother’s hometown.

In his autobiography (“A Life,” Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. 1988), the Greek-born Kazan wrote the following about Turks: “They humble themselves before authority, then break loose in demonstrations of anger beyond bounds…

When are the Turks going to respect human rights? When will they give up police rule? I doubt whether this will happen for many years.

They are dangerous people, and the honor of their males always seems to be on trial; their courage has to be publicly reestablished again and again.

They need to show the world that they cannot be intimidated, still, they fear their authority figures, and they damned well should, not because they elect them but because those with power will suddenly and unexpectedly use ultimate force over their subjects. When a Turk bends his head in obedience that is the time to watch out.”

By Jirair Tutunjian keghart.org