Comments on: Darwin Is Too Hot for Turkish Officials: Evolution Article Gets Censored

By: Aykut

Aykut — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:00:50 +0000

The matter of the fact is, Darwin is viewed in many east asia and african countries as trying to conceal racism with science, not only in Turkey.
This is one of his letters;

http://darwin-online.org.uk/content/frameset?viewtype=side&itemID=F1452.1&pageseq=334

I suppose if a man with such credibility in the scientific society reduces himself to groundless accusations as these that credibility will begin to weaver sooner or later.
I honestly cant see anything bigger than European and American (Caucus races) having more support for Darwin than anywhere else in the world.
Its not that Turks dont believe in the idea of evolution and has nothing to do with the fact that Turkey is a muslim country, its just too hard to believe words of a man claiming one thing one day and completely the oppsite the next.

By: Uzay Sezen

Uzay Sezen — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 02:08:26 +0000

Mika, in an interconnected world we cannot ignore a node and leave to boil down with its own problems. Turkey has recently became a staging ground for creationists:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/17/science/17book.html

John, the explanation from TUBITAK came after overwhelming number of protests.

By: John

John — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 07:19:49 +0000

According to the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK), who publish the journal in question, this is not a case of censorship. They point out the many evolutionary texts the organisation is responsible for. They also say we can expect a special issue devoted to evolution this year.

Press release here:
http://www.tubitak.gov.tr/home.do?ot=5&rt=3&sid=0&cid=13697

By: Mika

Mika — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 10:00:29 +0000

Why is it such a big news that in Turkey they censored one science article? They do that in the USA all the time. Is the memory that short? Evolution was banned in Kansas; denied, buried, silenced, made illegal, ripped out of school books, etc. You do not have to go all the way across the Atlantic to find that kind of sabotage of the truth. It is a real shame that Kansas, USA, has made us such a joke in the Western World. Not to mention the whole “Creationist” propaganda that further gives us the Weirdos of the World-status. Nothing to be proud about.

By: Uzay Sezen

Uzay Sezen — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 23:34:12 +0000

This is an outrageous event. Sadly, Turkey is rapidly sliding into being a rather conservative (radical) state. Financially strong creationist groups spend inconceivable amounts of money to produce gorgious glossy hardcover books which has no scientific basis claiming to refute evolution. Same groups are banning access to internet sites with strange court cases. They open those cases in towns where judges have been known to be strategically replaced by the islamist government. Scientists are under intense creationist propaganda with the good old arguments.

Soon I am pretty sure this forum will be flooded by the followers of the creationist groups (a.k.a Harun Yahya, a fake pen name) who are systematically tracking such articles. Secularist folks in Turkey are frustrated, overhelmed and feel rather marginalised with such happpenings occuring almost daily.

By: Steve Anderson

Steve Anderson — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 18:42:08 +0000

How about a citation for such outrageous claims, such as Darwin considered the Turks an inferior race?

By: Starwatcher16253647

Starwatcher16253647 — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 18:03:04 +0000

I had thought I had remembered reading that turkey was a rather secular society, I am rather surprised they choose to censor.

By: Michael

Michael — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:59:49 +0000

All peoples deserve access to information and opinion. Where that is stifled, ignorance and war result. The internet should be unfettered and accessable in all countries.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:12:08 +0000

Armenians have never been in better company. The Turkish government censors information on the Armenian genocide and on Darwin’s theory. Can anybody doubt the desperation of these fools? The Turkish people deserve better.

By: Eliza Strickland

Eliza Strickland — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:09:31 +0000

I also have never heard anything about Darwin's thoughts on Turkish people. And while he certainly wasn't immune to the prejudices of his time, he did come from a family of abolitionists. This 80beats post has full explanation of how his anti-slavery views may have influenced his work on evolution, and the comment thread has an impassioned debate.

By: docdeal

docdeal — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 03:00:06 +0000

i was not aware that Darwin believed the Turks to be an inferior ethnic group or race. the truth about differences between the races is a hot button issue those within generalization parameters there are obvious differences. however just as there are exceptions to every rule there are those within their respective races that buck the tyrend of general findings. for instance, it is obvious that among ashkenazi jews the group is disproportionally represented with Nobel Laureates, scientific achievements and IQs higher than 140. Yet I am certain the group also has idiots, imbeciles and morons like the rest of us.

By: Truk

Truk — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:39:24 +0000

Darwin believed Turks were an inferior race. Ofcourse they re not going to put him on a cover of a magazine..