Fatih area of Istanbul

It is interesting that this Arab person bashed Erdogan as almost all Arabs I meet love him.  

He must be a left leaning person. Because most of the lefts do not like Erdogan in Turkey, it is the right wing, plus, older folks, and religious ones that keep him in power. 

Turkey, under Erdogan does not have a good record in jailing so many people.

I have come across many videos on YouTube about people who were jailed for months and years, without cause. They ended up obviously losing their jobs, homes etc. 

What is that phrase, power corrupts and too much corrupts without prejudice. 

One thing I like about Erdogan is, and you might not agree with me was his policy about the Syrians. 

I’m from Fatih, Istanbul. I was born only a block away from the Fatih Mosque, where Fatih Sultan Mehmet’s tomb is at. I tell you this to give you an idea where it is, in case you have been to that area. 

Well that area of Fatih is almost all people from the province of Siirt. That is where my grandparents are from. After WWI, many people from Siirt settled, out of that faraway city (Siirt)  to Istanbul, to find better employment. Similar to Newfoundlanders coming to Alberta for work. 

Anyway, people from Siirt are mostly Turkish Arabs. Because, sorry, this is heading somewhere, but during the Ottoman Empire days, people from El-Sham area, meaning Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria area, settled in Siirt area, because there was wars down in El-Sham. 

So, my ancestors are Arabs from south Syria area, could be Jerusalem area.

But, the Syrian refugees due to the recent wars have settled all around Fatih. Now, that area of Istanbul is full of Arabs. The signs on shops are Turkish, English, and Arabic. Just interesting how my neighbourhood has changed, again it could be worse for some, but good for others, as these people needed a new place to live. 

I guess it is good and bad, I just liked that Turkey took in 4 million plus refugees, while all of Europe complained that 1 million are coming in. 

Also, Turkey taking so many refugees is due to the fact that Arabs and all the other areas around Turkey, even in the Balkans still see Turkey as the grandchildren of the Ottomans, if anyone can save us, it is them, they think. 

Anyway, I wrote too much. 

Take care,