Applause to Gülen From the Heart

Actually, I would have expected nothing else from Fethullah Hodja. He is following the path of his ancestors in a way that becomes them. For centuries Turks have shown all people love and respect. They did not bring religious war or oppression in their wake; to the contrary, they enabled people to gain their freedom. Even in the Balkans. The other day I went to Hungary. They always praise Turks. I went to Romania. Turks are met there with the same love.

For some time I have been following Fethullah Gülen Hodja's "tolerance" initiatives, and I applaud this. Today, we can hold these beautiful social values in a way that is worthy of the world. Great catastrophes that happened elsewhere and events that occurred in Germany cannot be erased for thousands of years. They are constantly in the news. Nothing can be erased from history. Gülen's activities are an enterprise to be applauded. Let me add that if my ancestors had not seen that tolerance from the Ottomans and Turkey, I would not be alive.

Jefi Kamhi, Zaman, 3/11/98