I wanted to compare the defense of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the 7th chairman of the CHP, with the defense of Socrates before his execution with hemlock poison.
Even as centuries pass, the similar characteristics of historical events and heroes remain the same.
The course of history changes, but the destiny of humanity never changes.
Someone is fighting a moral battle for the future of humanity, and someone is fighting for the destruction of humanity and the domination of immoral life.
The battle between good and evil has been going on for three million years.
The greatest crime of the good is disorganization, and the greatest luck of the bad is organization.
Let us be honest, brave, conscientious and moral, first to Allah, then to history, then to society and to ourselves; this society could not digest Kılıçdaroğlu's Alevism and Kurdish identity at the expense of surrendering its future to darkness by not embracing Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu just because of his ethnicity, sect, courage and honorable personality.
This polarized society loves money, power and thieves. Rightist/leftist, religious and irreligious do not matter. It is the only unchanging characteristic of Middle Eastern societies.
He makes money and power his god...
As peace-loving as Socrates was, he was also the opinion leader of the Revolutionary Party, the source of the hated aristocratic philosophy, the seducer of young people whom he dumbed down through debate.
That is why Anitos and Meletos, the leaders of the democrats, thought that Socrates should die and that it would be better that way.
Similarly, Kılıçdaroğlu was the nightmare of Melih Göçek and M. Mir Dengir Fırat on live broadcasts. He was the only leader that Erdoğan did not dare to confront.
Thus, just as Socrates was the first martyr of philosophy and they decided that Socrates should die by drinking hemlock poison, they decided that Kılıçdaroğlu should be erased from the political scene at all costs.
Kılıçdaroğlu in the face of judges in his defense:
“I am here not to defend myself for a crime I have committed, but to record the crimes that have been committed, to hold them to account and to make a note in history.
History has given me the duty to tell the truth and has given you the opportunity to record it.
Your Honor, I stand before you because I called a thief a thief.
I say it again in the presence of you and my beloved nation and in front of history;
‘A man who says, ’Son, have you zeroed the money in the house' is a THIEF.
‘If the man who said ’I only have one ring, if I become rich, I know that I stole it' has become rich, Your Honor, I say again, he is a thief - a thief.
Those who cannot account for their assets due to theft and corruption are taken over by the ruling powers. And this ultimately opens the door to disasters for that country.”.
Because of these words and because of his brave and honorable personality, they had put him in the dock, but with one difference: he was judging justice, judges, the power that put him there and history.
Kılıçdaroğlu's brilliant defense reminded me of the words of Socrates before his execution:
What did Socrates say?
“Socrates: Come on, let's listen to Kriton. If it is crushed, bring the poison, if not, crush it.”.
He owed a single rooster before he was executed. Socrates, the symbol of morality and justice, had not forgotten.
He called out to his friend:
“We bought a cock for Asclepius, fulfill it, don't forget!...”
In his defense, Kılıçdaroğlu said:
“What did Trump say to Erdogan?
‘I will investigate your assets.’
What did the ‘palace’, which had been taken over and had all the powers in its hands, do? It immediately fulfilled what they wanted.
A head of state who is captured by sovereign powers cannot serve his country. This is another fact that history has put before us.
Those who rob the state know me best.
Because they investigated my seven generations to silence me.
He who takes money takes orders.
‘ If you don't have the money to pay, you will be forced to give the land you have,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.
So what did Socrates say about rulers in his defense?
He was saying:
“True rulers are those who know how to rule.
Those who sell themselves as knowledgeable are in reality the most ignorant.
They were like priests and soothsayers who speak beautiful words but do not understand the meaning of what they say.
The truth is, Athenians, God alone is wise.
I remained poor because of my devotion to God.
Meletos has sued me on behalf of the poets, Anytos on behalf of the professionals and politicians, and Lykon on behalf of the orators.
As I said at the outset, it is impossible for me to clear myself of such a serious slander in an instant.
So you are not accusing me of godlessness but of not believing in the gods recognized by the state.
But judges, this man doesn't believe in the Sun and the Moon. He says the sun is stone and the moon is earth.
I am a horsefly created by God to plague the state.
I am God's gift to the city.“.
So what was Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu saying?
“I am Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu!
I'm 75 years old. I've earned all my life by the sweat of my brow.
I raised my children with halal food.
I am Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu!
Don't I have mistakes, regrets and sorrows?
Of course there is.
Your Honor, during the presidential elections, those we knew as nationalists and patriots who said ‘I entrust Kılıçdaroğlu to my family’ as a will turned out to be collaborators, I made a mistake because I believed them.”.
In the same vein, what did Socrates say in his defense?
“The task of interrogating others has been given to me by God, and this path has been shown to me by prophecies, by apparitions, by all the means by which the will of God is revealed to men.
Athenians!
This statement is true and not difficult to prove.
The official duty of the judge is to judge by the measure of the rights of all; he is sworn to judge according to the law, not according to his own whim.
It is injustice that scares, not death...
So I would like to inform you, who have sentenced me to death, that as soon as I die, a much harsher punishment awaits you than the punishment you have given me.
If you think killing me will save you from paying for your life, you are deluded.
Believe me, it will be the opposite of what you think.
A divine spirit protected me!”.
In court, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said this to those who stabbed him in the back, those who pushed the future of the country and the people into darkness, those who gave him their word of honor and reneged on it, those who said they loved him like a father and then backstabbed him at the first opportunity, those who sold him out for money; in front of history and in the presence of judges, he said this to their faces:
“Yes, I was wrong. I didn't realize how bad they could be.
I regret it!
I could not better explain the established order and the danger the country is in. I could not convince our nation. I could not fight more against those who falsify fake videos.
They say, ‘A child who does not receive the love of the village and his family burns that village to keep warm.’
Your Honor, if we don't win those children back, they will burn us. I want to testify in front of you and in front of history.
I am determined to fight!”.
In the same way, Socrates shouted in the face of the judges:
“O my judges!
I would like to tell you about a really amazing incident. Until now, even in everyday work, when I was about to do something bad or wrong, a divine voice inside me would stop me.
But I ask only one thing of you: if my children, when they grow up, strive more for riches or anything else than for virtue, deal with them as I have dealt with you, and punish them.
If they give themselves a value that they don't deserve, if they don't care about what they should care about, if they think they are something when they are useless, treat them the same way I have treated you, the same way I have objected to you, the same way I have been angry with you and tried to stop you.
If you do that, then you will be fair and just to me and to my sons.”.
As a nation, we have surrendered the future of ourselves and our children to darkness for the sake of our own ambition.
It is not too late, we can stand up for a resurrection...