´Genocide´ cartoon in French school shocks Turkish students

Hurriyet Daily

One student said he understood from the cartoon that ´the French do not want to see Turkey in the EU.´

Two Turkish students in a French school have reacted after a cartoon depicting a Turk carrying a basket full of skulls with the words "Armenian Genocide" written on its side was shown in class.
 
The incident occurred at the College Anatole France high school in the city of Montbéliard in France´s Comte region.
 
A teacher displayed a cartoon during a geography and history class and asked students: "What do you understand from this cartoon? Why can Turkey not join the EU according to this cartoon?"
 
The cartoon depicted a mountain with the EU flag erected at its peak. Three stereotypical caricatures of Balkan peoples were drawn climbing the mountain. At the very bottom of the mountain was a "peasant" Turkish man struggling to get up from the ground with a very large basket on his back. The basket was filled with human skulls with the word "Turkey" written on it and the words "Armenian Genocide" above. Behind the Turkish character, a slender man with "France" written over his head was shown adding a skull to the already-full basket. 

Turkish students Muhammed Ali Erki, 17, and İsmail Erdal, 14, said they were shocked to see the cartoon. Erki reportedly asked his teacher, "We did not commit genocide, yet you accuse us of it. What do you think about Algerians?" 

“You are right but this cartoon is not my idea, I need to give this class as part of the curriculum,” the teacher said in reply.
 
Erdal said he understood from the cartoon that "the Frenc do not want to see Turkey in the EU."
 
The students said they had not been able to concentrate on their classes after seeing the cartoon and added that were especially saddened to see North African students making fun of Turkey and Turks.
 
The families of the students notified the anti-racism COJEP International foundation. COJEP President Ali Gedikoğlu said they would bring the cartoon to the attention of the authorities in France and file a complaint with the French Education Ministry to have the cartoon removed from the curriculum.  

Note : It shows the some sickening minds of some racist ignorant french teaching kids such things ....Disgusting..

Take your EU and insert it back where it came out! Hypocrites

It is really disgusting!!!! be happy you have not joined....

It is just hole for your money....

Many  European countries in EU were colonialist and they really committed big crimes against humanity. And yet they think they are innocent like doves and only Turkey is bad. This is hypocracy. They should look at the mirror first.

Well, I am sure , there will some people here will come up and say the same old cliché words that is " You are giving overpatriotic reactions bla bla bla  ", Sorry but whoever find this normal is whether freak or hypocritical. And the EU has been proven as one of the biggest " union of losers  [UL]"  of  the 20´th century. Why should we still want to join their "loser´s camp " ? Who they think they are ? They need us..We dont need them. ..

looooooooool i like to hear the french sarkozi speak about genocide when he himself and many number of his parliament refused to apologise for their war crime in algeria (my country) ......  from 1830 to 1962, the algerian people witness hideous crimes.so  when i hear sarkozi speak about turkey i say: what a hypocracy!!!!!!!!!

Do you want to enter EU? Tell me honestly!

No thanks! Really!

No.

No?

No, not unless they first agree to kick France out.

Then, why are you angry? Why dont you rejoice for not being part of it?

Whenever I hear a Turk I get an impression as if you Turks want so much join the EU but you constantly get denied and it makes you angry.

Why?  

If you hate joining it, why do you comment? Why you care? Why so much emotion? I assume if African League of Nations turned your membership down you wouldnt even be bothered to express your anger or dissatisfaction.

EU considers herself as an elite club. Looks like many wish to join it.

Many want to join EU because after centuries of bloodshed Europe through serious efforts and cooperation has become the cradle of peace, welfare, human rights and democracy.

Lemon,

It is very clear that you want to provoke Turkish users here. Actually, what you are saying is nonsense and has contradiction. Let me explain:

If somebody tries to insult you, naturally you get angry. It doesn´t matter whether you want to make him/her your friend. You can´t say that "Forget it! The one who tries to insult me is not my friend, so, I don´t care what he/she says or does against me." For example, you are not my friend, but still your message affects me. After reading your post, I couldn´t say myself "Don´t care what lemon said. Because I don´t want to make her my friend." Do you see your contradiction, lemon?

Let me say a few words on that buff ": european union is an intellectual club". If the intellectual level of the people who live in european countries is the same with you, then I don´t think we can call it as an "intellectual club". So, what would be the right term for "eu" you can guess yourself.

Metehan,

You are illogic, very very very much.

If I dont want to join any club, and I dont care at all if they want me I shouldnt be angry or express my dissatisfaction about their membership.

Since when you become a god who reads minds and motivations of others?

I ask again: why again and again Turks keep expressing their anger towards EU for not getting into it?

Why? Why? WHY?

So, you want to join EU? 

So, naive and simplistic! EU cannot garantee peace or stability or democracy. Its a schisofrenic and suicidal union. 

What you are telling is a fairy tale about human rights and demo(n)cracy. Dont be so naive. 

I personally think that Turkey is doing way better without EU. She will face economic disaster like her sister Greece if she joins the union. The european regulations and laws will suffocate the Turkish culture as they do to others.

Was it so difficult to see?

Because To prove the point for some brainless european fellows are wrong by thinking that we are desperate to join their union.

Because the common sense of Turks can not stand the hypocrisy of Europeans. Europeans have been talking and giving lesson to the world on humanism, democrasy, modernism etc. for many centuries. Now, one country is testing europeans´ honesty, but they fail and disappoints Turkish people. They forget the humanistic ideas and thoughts in their past and claim that european union, in fact, is a christian club". So, Turkish people think that they have been cheated by the europeans and get angry with them.

Very simple to understand. Isn´t it? 

Observing the reaction of Turks to the shut doors of EU I too get an impression that Turks are desperate. If your reaction was indifferent to the membership access I wouldnt ask the questions.

Please, learn from the fate of Greece.

You do the same thing. How do you know I desperately want Turkey to join EU? If Turkey joins  what will change for me? Nothing. And I know EU will never accept Turkey with its that much population. Only thing that makes me mad is their hyporacy.

You say I shouldnt be mad. Why not? That man carries skulls on his back doesnt symbolise Turkey? Am I not a Turk? Should I not mind this insult because I dont want Turkey to join EU.

I really dont understand your logic.

This is a childish text full of pretenses and prejudices on ridiculous base. Why the heck Turkish people care about european honesty?  Lalalala tralalala! 

Christian club? ech... sigh... Show me christians in europe! Where are they? In fact, you will find twice if not more much amount of devout muslims in comparison to christians.

Get your facts, Europe is completely atheitized today and partially islamized through so called multi culture tolerance. And the foundation of EU is Roman Empire not Christianity!

I read your angry post. And I have this talent of reading between the lines. 

It is impossible to discuss something wiith you reasonably. I give up.

Thats ok. I forgive your impatience towards me, my son. God bless.

You are really a maniac.

Get some sense of humor. I made a parody of a catholic priest. It was supposed to be funny, but you didnt get it. I told you dont understand a thing!

I got used to insults. Its ok because you dont know what you are saying and what you are gonna face in afterlife.

As a citizen of an EU member state I would have welcomed Turkey´s inclusion before one or two of the most recent entrants. Turkey should stay well clear. The bureaucratic EU is riddled with corruption. Turkey is doing very nicely on its own.

Your problem is you talk too big. Everyone has his own truth. Accept that and dont try to save us. Because nobody will thank you for that.

Accepting Greece to European Money Union was a naive decision which was based more on cultural than economic reasons. It was a beautiful thought that Greece to whose culture the whole continent owes so much shares the common currency from its very beginning. The state of Greek economy was ignored at that point. This has been admitted afterwards and this is what we are paying for now.

I personally believe Europe is going to overcome the crisis. The governments have a serious intention to help Greece out also even though it is going to be a long road.

1. Lemon, while you are accusing my text as "childish" and my opinions as "nonsense", you are just presenting yourself as an "illogic, childish and nonsense" person. It seems that it is impossible to make you understand what I am trying to say, but as you have asked me to present a proof on the statement that "European Union is a Christian Club", I am quoting the following passage from a report which you can find in below link. (I hope before sending your reply, you read the whole Report.)

http://www.secularism.org.uk/90440.html

"EU really is a Christian club

NSS Council member ELIZABETH O’CASEY reports from a depressing experience in Brussels

A couple of weeks ago, I attended — as a Council member of the NSS — the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats’ (EPP-ED) hearing on “Cultural Diversity, Religions and Dialogue” at the European Parliament. The meeting was organized with the intention of exploring the role of dialogue and religion within the EU and to formulate potential policies accordingly. I was invited on the premise that it would be good to have a secularist voice present. I was not prepared however for being the only secularist voice present.

The EPP-ED is one of the political groups of the European Parliament; it is the largest of the seven groups with 785 members. Thus, it represents many of the major political parties across Europe who fall into the centre-right/Christian democrat category (for example, the Conservative party of Britain, Nicholas Sarkozy’s UMP party in France or Angela Merkel’s CDU party in Germany).

(.....)  I was constantly reminding myself that I was (alas) in the democratic centre of Europe in the twenty-first century and that I was amongst people belonging to the largest political group of Europe, amongst people with influence. I could not help feel that the speakers and politicians present at this hearing were not representing their constituents, rather that they were illegitimately claiming the EU as a Christian club with which to privilege faith-based groups."

2. Lemon, the following quotation is another proof. It gives the view of Former French President Valery Giscard d´Estaing on Turkey´s membership for European Union. Here is the link:

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2420697.stm

"The man shaping the future constitution of the European Union was quoted on Friday as saying Turkey´s entry into the EU would be "the end of Europe".

Former French President Valery Giscard d´Estaing told Le Monde newspaper that people who backed Turkey´s accession were "the adversaries of the European Union".

Correspondents say there is continuing debate among member countries about whether Turkey is culturally and geographically compatible with the European Union - and that a broad strand of opinion that says it is not."

Dear Lemon, here is another quotation from a european politician´s speech. I think it is enough to write on the topic and this will be my last reply to you.

Does Europe’s new prez really think it’s a Christian club?

I am sorry I cannot accept your talk. There cannot be many truths as there cannot be many salvations and many gods. Because it is illogic.

There is one Truth, one Way and one God.

Why do you say so? I think God is pleased seeing that I care and try bring Good News.

You look at our talk as clash of religions, cultures and civilizations. You see politics. And you think that you should win the "debate". No problem. 

From my point I wish everyone wins and goes to see Heaven. I see all things perishing including politics, health, economics, EU, Turkey, the planet, children, families, good people, bad people, wisdom, stupidity etc.

When you for the last time close your eyes, you will never open them to those things again. All you see will be Gods extreme wrath or grace.

 What a load of cobblers.

We will when we get there and then will see who wiill do this .

We are in no great hurry lemon.

When Eupeans disappear of hypocracy and old age We shall be there.

I think you are beginning to get the general idea; Turks in Eastern and North Africans in Western Europe will look ver good. Europeans will go and join their ancestors, the Romans.