What is it with Turks and Mustafa Kemal Ataturk? Why do they worship him?!?

Question

Now, I'm an American and our first president, George Washington, he was a great guy too, who fought heroically and victoriously for our nation's freedom.

But in the US we don't have:

- Washington's face on every single currency

- a giant masoleum to venerate Washington

- to stop our cars at the exact moment Washington died (whenever that is)

- laws against insulting Washington (we DO have free speech!)

- statues of Washington basically everywhere

I mean, I can understand that Ataturk made the Turks nonreligious and everything, but he wanted people to worship him instead?!?!

So he basically wanted Turkey to be like North Korea??

Answer 1

@Greek Goddess above me:

Turkey and Israel are not part of the EU, where did you get this source of information from??

Answer 2

Because he is the only person who could win a war against imperialism.

Answer 3

he brought change that the people wanted and embraced. since you are an american, there is no point in discussing these issues with you, you dont care and you dont understand. read some books about the subject, good luck with your education.

Answer 4

well let me put it this way to you...in 1903 the balkan wars where happing ..the greeks where advancing to wards ankara...the super powers  stepped in and an aliance with greece and turkey was drawn up..ok so now turkey was left with picking up the pices so..they neded a strong leader ..before this you have to understand that turks like the greeks are a proud nation..they had most of euroupe under thier controll for almost 500years now in the beging of the 20 th century theyhad lost every thing the ottaman empire came to a close and where about to lose every thing even thier identiy..the country was still in a vice roy goverment  the last vice roy was ali pasha..then the YOUNG  TURK REBELLION happend  they got rid of the vice roy...now a new goverment was needed .it would come in the form of KAMAL ATTATURK.. a colnoel in the turkish army .. with a western education and his ideas where the same..he saw that for turkey to survive in the 20 th century they had to radically change the old ways he started with relegion and put all his emphasis on turks being turks first and foremost turks not just a country of relegious zealots but a progrsive country to be turkiskish first then every thing else .he bought  the country in to the modern world in all aspects from education to the army ...now why do they whorship him? wouldnt you respect  some one who made america  what you are?...  that is the feeling every turk has for kamal attaturk.he was called the FATHER OF MODERN TURKEY... and iam a greek..i can see that..

Answer 5

because he is the reason why girls like me can freely use internet and answer your questions in a country that is nothing like north korea

Answer 6

He is a powerful symbol for a lot of things, such as Turkey's independence, territorial integrity and commitment to a rational, secular democracy. (If you don't see why, read his biography.) When people feel that these things are in danger, they turn to Ataturk for inspiration and encouragement. Are these things in danger? Many people feel that integration with the EU and the consequential opening-up of the Turkish economy are dangerously undermining Turkish independence. Kurdish separatism and Armenian claims on Turkish territory are constant threats on territorial integrity, while Islamist political movements threaten the rational, secular democracy. As long as these threats persist, Ataturk will remain a source of inspiration for any Turk who dreams of getting out of this mess one day. If Turkey ever manages to solve these critical issues, then she can start looking toward the future with more confidence and self-assurance, and finally move on beyond the cult of Ataturk.

Answer 7

Because he westernized and modernized Turkey.  Turkey has consistently considered themselves "European" and through his modernization of their government and social system, he was able to bring them closer to that goal.  To date, they have considered themselves part of the EU.

And, you shouldn't ask a question about someone else's culture, while filling your question with insults and judgments about their culture.  Americans are just as backwards and idiotic as people from any other place and statements like the ones you just made, prove that.

Answer 8

Turks do not worship Atatürk. But there is a deep respect.

And there is also an issue related to timeline. It has been 70 years since Atatürk died. George Washington left the office in 1797. Turks are at their 11th president. To make a comparison, Lincoln was 16th president of the U.S and Bush junior is 43th. It would be a much healthier comparison to see how Washington were an important figure of reference during Polk's presidency. Polk was the 11th president.

Yes, Turks do some symbolic gestures of respect towards Atatürk and print Atatürk's pictures at their currency. However none of this is set up by Atatürk himself. Actually Turkish law on currency forsees the picture of the actual president to printed on the banknotes. This has been tried during 1940s. But people wanted to have the picture of Atatürk instead of the president of that time. And none of the following presidents tried to put their own pictures.

One factual error in your question is that Atatürk did not make Turks nonreligious, he established a secular state. There is a difference.

Another thing is that, George Washington was not alone. You have your Founding Fathers. Every one of them contributed to the establishment of an independent state, both in theory and in practice. But Atatürk did what he did all by himself, he was alone, he was the one and only.... And he still is. This is what makes him unique.

Answer 9

It's just something you could never understand if you're not atleast 1% Turk.  The love for Ataturk is just unexplainable and we don't "worship" him just because he told us to.  We idol him because he was a good leader and changed Turkey for the better.  I guess it's hard for an American to understand that sort of a politician...

Answer 10

Just one thing, Americans named their capital city after George Washington. Thats above all those uve listed up there. I cant imagine how it would be if we named Ankara as Atatürk, hah.

Btw I dont believe youre an ordinary American but another enemy of Turks troll. Just for your information, we are gonna exist and are getting better just out of spite. U cant stop us whatever you do or whatever you slander.

To answer your question, we dont worship him and only a middle eastern like you would say Atatürk made Turks non religious.

TO GREEK GÖTTESS: The only Greek Goddess u can be is Ekhidna with that looks and well judging from your level of general knowledge, there is no way that u know who she is. By the way Turks are lighter than Greeks