Satire in Germany attacking Erdogan and Turkish politics
Lately there has been a lot of controversy in Germany over the issue of political satire criticising Erdogan and his regime in Turkey.
It all started with this video by Extra-3 on NDR
Personally I think it is quite funny. But Erdogan, unsurprisingly, does not have a sense of humour, and made this a diplomatic issue.
I think that was a pretty bad move, because if he had just ignored it, I do not think it would have been a big deal. The video does not really say anything any halfway awake observer of Turkey would know anyway. Erdogan is almost exactly the “thinly veiled dictator about to install a full-blown fascist dictatorship” that Putin is regularly painted as in Western media. And it is not like the video was aired as part of a primetime show with millions of viewers.
It might have been delusions of grandeur or too much machismo or just stupidity on the Turkish side, who knows? The Turks summoned the German ambassador and demanded the deletion of the video. This reaction made headlines in Germany.
In response public TV station NDR re-released the video with English and
Turkish subtitles: here and here
The situation escalated when Jan Böhmermann shared his “poem” for Erdogan with his audience in his show Neo Magazin Royale.
Unlike the lyrics of the original video, his text was in no way even remotely clever or politically uncomfortable. It is the sort of unsophisticated insult that twelve-year-olds might hurl at one another, and actually insults the “insulter” more than the “insulted”, especially since we are not talking about twelveyear-olds here but grown men.
On its own it is pitiful drivel, but in the wider context of the debate and the narrower context of his show it is masterful satire.
Böhmermann introduced his “poem” by saying that he would demonstrate the limits of what is acceptable by the standards of German law by violating them completely.
Rough literal translation:
“stupid, cowardly and uptight
that’s Erdogan, the president
His junk smells of döner
pig’s farts smell nicer
He hits girls while wearing rubber masks
His favourite sports are f** goats and discriminating minorities
Kicking Kurds and beating Christians, while watching child pornography.
In the evenings, instead of sleeping
Blow jobs with hundreds of sheep
Erdogan is a president with a very small dick.
All the Turks say: The stupid bitch has shrivelled balls.
From Ankara to Istanbul everyone knows this man is gay
Perverted, lice infested, zoophilic …
His head as empty as his balls
The star of every gang bang party
Until his dick hurts when he pees
That is Recep Erdogan, the Turkish president”
This was another opportunity for Erdogan to stay calm and not react. That would have made Böhmermann look like a complete fool and Erdogan like “the better man” in the eyes of the German public. And that would have been that.
I am of course aware that Erdogan’s main concern is not how the German public sees him, but if he thinks that his constituency will think better of him for getting into petty fights with foreign schoolyard bullies, I really hope and would guess that he is wrong.
This theatre only makes sense if it is mainly for the Turkish community in Germany. Divide for now, conquer later…
Well, Erdogan did not “keep his cool” and made this a serious political affair. ZDF has caved-in to some extend and removed the video from their website.
The law, that allows foreign governments to sue people in Germany for insulting high-ranking representatives, states that persecution requires the German government’s consent.
It will not come as a surprise that Teflon-Merkel would not take sides.
It’s with the courts now…
Russian aggression against NATO peacekeepers
Hardly a week goes by without a new story about reckless military action by
Russian pilots endangering NATO peacekeeping forces. It happens
everywhere and they attack everything.
If the Russians do not stop their aggressive posturing this might very well end in an unfortunate event with serious consequences…
SPIEGEL dutifully reports but not everyone buys it:
Here are the first comments:
1.)What is the big deal? In Top Gun this was an excellent manoeuvre. I cannot say if NATO aircraft cruise close to the Russian border. But if they do so with switched off transponders, it is no surprise that sooner or later someone comes to check on them.
2.)Actually NATO is concentrating troops in the east. It is understandable that Russia wants to keep an eye on that. I would try not to fall for every provocation and put cheap but effective measures in place without getting too involved. In my opinion NATO just provokes reactions.
Multiple signals are sent. The signal to Russia is an unconcealed threat. The signal to the population at home is: Look at our fire brigade over here. Would we deploy it if there were no fire burning? It is important to ask which motives drive these actions.
3.)Eh – What business have the USA in the Baltic Sea again!? The Russians have a point there. Or does the Baltic Sea border on US territory? When they send their planes here they should not be surprised that the people who live here come to take a look…
4.)Always blind on one eye. Care to bet how many times the US violated Russian airspace during the cold war? Such approaches in neutral airspace are nothing by comparison. And then the cry for sanctions.
What about the US war in Iraq or the ongoing operations in Afghanistan, where German soldiers supposedly defend democracy?
Actually it was the USA who supplied the Talibans with weapons in the first place. Ergo, this is just about geopolitical strategic interests and Merkel faithfully follows in the US wake. Remember Schröder who did not participate in the Iraq war, much to America’s dislike. Not such a stupid vassal, but independently using his brain.
This is one more proof that Putin has crafted a very sophisticated army of internet trolls. But they cannot completely silence the voice of reason:
5.) They are welcome to try. But they will not succeed. It is dangerous to even try, because this might lead to a new Cold War. So, what good is this? Somehow there are always people who like rattling sabres. Luckily our elected representatives have been more or less reasonable so far.
I will not bore you with all the comments, but to give you a fuller picture here are some more:
We had him already (#2), but OK.
6.)More sanctions? What for? If there will be war, it will be because of the sanctions. Does anyone want that? Is that why there are ever more sanctions? Is that why troops are being concentrated in the east? Sanctions are a hostile act and they often result in war in the end. It is also remarkable that, at this stage already, there is an effort to involve as many nations as possible in this military posturing. What would you say if next the Chinese set up military bases next to EU borders?
7.)The Evil Russians – The Russians dare inspect a US warplane closing in on their borders. What exactly is the “Ami” doing over the Baltic Sea again? If the Russians were flying in the Caribbean Sea close to Cube and were intercepted by US fighters, there would be less of an outcry about US aggression. In my opinion this is primitive agitation for stupid people. The media should be unbiased in its reporting.
8.)What is the problem? – What is the purpose of this article? Everyone, including Russians and Chinese are allowed to operate in international airspace and waters – this is not a privilege of of US and NATO forces.
What would US forces do if a Russian jet or ship was found in the Golf of Mexico? This article is just trying to make Russians look bad – nothing more!! The Russians are on their toes, and have to be in my opinion. When will the propaganda against Russia stop???
9.)The Ephil Russian – has an eye on the forces conducting provocative manoeuvres on his borders. That is super ephil! Never ever have the USA committed any act of aggression against another country or nation. They are the proverbial angels of peace spreading their salvation all across the world.
10.) Thanks for the Kremlin propaganda – Good journalism is more than just repeating statements from Moscow. Is international airspace international or can Moscow dictate who is allowed to fly there? If one feels threatened, one should seek dialogue, but this sh*t is just Soviet “Bollerkram” (that is not a German word, it’s hard to say what it is supposed to mean. Probably something like overly bold boasting? – C)
Take away from that what you will.
As of this writing there are a total of 327 comments to this article. If you
understand German and have the stomach for it… Go for it.
Did I give you a decent overview of how Germans view this issue? I don’t think so.
Did I give you a decent overview of how Germans who read this article view this issue? I don’t think so.
Did I give you a decent overview at least of how the Germans who read this
article and commented on it, think about this? I don’t think so.
Did I translate the first ten comments, just because they were the first ten
comments? Yes, exactly.
But honestly, would I have taken the time to do so, if they had almost all been very critical of what I think to be true? I don’t think so.
Do you ever read the small print to headlines that make you sick?
Don’t do it. That is where we steal your souls…
Europe’s Migration Crisis: No End In Sight
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-05-02/europes-migration-crisis-no-end-sight
“Nightmare” Mistake: Visa Free Travel For 80 Million Turks Coming Up
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-05-02/%E2%80%9Cnightmare%E2%80%9D-mistake-visa-free-travel-80-million-turks-coming
(exchange having the Turks “closing” the borders for opening them to them plus Billions of EUR as gift)
http://deutsche-wirtschafts-nachrichten.de/2016/04/28/eu-militaer-probt-fuer-buergerkrieg-in-deutschland/
EU military is rehearsing for a civil war in Germany
German Economic News | Published: 28.04.16 12:34 PM
Police units and military of the EU have carried out in North Rhine-Westphalia, Exercise for a civil war event in Germany. The left member of the Bundestag Andrej Hunko protested about the secrecy, because to him were denied admission to the Practice site.
Satire by definition would be the weapon of the feeble ones against mighty ones, as a more symbolic defense from below against ruthless power in the hope that those in power that cannot be overpowered can be influenced to think again. Germans in power never accept such calls and will destroy everybody trying to tech them such a lesson (obviously without ever saying so openly). Therefore, „satire“ in Germany, in any case „satire“ broadcast by a government propaganda channel as the ZDF, is an instrument of those upstairs and in power, of the government, against a perceived enemy below them in the traditon of Der Stürmer’s „satires” against Jews. Since the German powers are unfathomably primitive, their „witty“ hate propaganda against a current target can only be utterly primitive, too, and is, as Böhmermann‘s translated „satire“ shows. NATO‘s „partner” Erdogan is definitely on the black list of the FreeWest, and now our „German” government, with its ZDF fart, has clearly opened the hunt for his head. Böhmermann‘s verbal „going physical“ is reminiscent of the „satire“ of the „taz“ paper against Lech Kaczynski, whose death was necessary because he „looked like a potato“, and thus we may expect our bundewehr bombing specialists to do their best to solve the Erdogan problem, too. However, one should not exclude the possibility that Erdogan could be aware of that and follow the old rule „do it to them before they do it to you.“ Turkey under Erdogan seems to be much more ressourceful than Poland in 2007… And so, in the end, this could be a fabulous chance for us Germans to get rid of that infathomably stupid and evil government of ours which otherwise pretends to be „alternativlos“ and unkaputtbar for at least a 1,000 years.
P.S. for Martin aus Sowjetisch Ost Berlin: the folks you hate so much because 1,000 years ago they did unto others, even „their own people“ what everybody else did do then and does do now especially to their own people (stab them in the back) have their national holiday today: How about going to Kostrzyn (where there will be a folk music impreza) or to Slubice (where they‘ll have another family remmidemmi on the meadow near Mary‘s church with Kaffee and Kuchen just as in Berlin) to find out whether they are really the horrible untermenschens you preach they are?
bp
@bimboplumpe: Boehmermann, no. Not in this specific case. I had assumed that myself at first (check the archives), but later it became clear that it wasn’t the case. Would Erdogan be on that list (as we had hoped for) for what would there be Merkel’s crud ape dance now?
As for Kuestrin: Since when is the annual Woodstock festival performing FOLK music?
Been in Poland about 60 times weeks and months long since 1985.
NO: I’m not such a German idiot who only goes there for cheap gasoline or whatever other things nobody needs.
I know Poland and especially Kostrzyn and a bit less so (because it is not so nice) Slubice.
That’s where I collected my experiences that they don’t like communists and hate Russia and neither thank Stalin nor Lenin.
For me that’s bad enough.
Something new now?
> Untermenschen
When making such claims, show me the single spot globally where you believe I ever in my life used such a term.
Maybe you love Poles and Germans, I don’t.
And I also avoid such orc Timoshenko language.
I don’t remember Martin to have been used such word “untermensch” but I use now : All those who help the Empire including Angie are the real Untermenschen
tnx, ioan.
And also agreed in the matter.
This article should be part of this SITREP…
.
How NATO-linked Think Tanks Control EU Refugee Policy
“Last October 8, 2015 amid the great stream of hundreds of thousands of refugees flooding into Germany from Syria, Tunisia, Libya and other lands, a newly self-confident German Chancellor Angela Merkel proclaimed on a popular German TV program, “I have a plan.” [..]”
“Since that point, with iron-hard resolve, the German Chancellor has defended the criminal Erdogan regime in Turkey, an essential partner in her “plan.”
Most of the world has looked on with astonishment as she ignored principles of free speech and decided to prosecute publicly a well-known German TV comedian, Jan Böhmermann, for his satirical remarks about the Turkish President. They were astonished as the symbol of European democracy, the German Chancellor, chose to ignore Erdogan’s imprisonment of opposition journalists ands his shutting of Turk opposition media as he proceeded with plans to establish a de facto dictatorship rule within Turkey [..]”
“Those seemingly inexplicable actions from the once-pragmatic German leader appear to go back to her embrace of a 14-page document prepared by a network of pro-NATO think-tanks, brazenly titled “The Merkel Plan.” [..]”
“ “her” plan was given to her just four days earlier, on October 4, in a document already titled The Merkel Plan, by a newly-created and obviously well-financed international think-tank called the European Stability Initiative or ESI [..]”
“The ESI came out of NATO-led efforts to transform South East Europe following the US-instigated war in Yugoslavia during the 1990’s that resulted in the Balkanization of the country and establishment of a major USA and NATO airbase, Camp Bond Steel in Kosovo.
Current ESI Chairman directly responsible for the final Merkel Plan document is Istanbul-based Austrian sociologist, Gerald Knaus. Knaus is also a member of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), and an Open Society [Soros] Fellow [..]”
“The Open Society Foundations is the network of tax-exempt “democracy-promoting” foundations created by George Soros on the collapse of the Soviet Union to promote “free market” pro-IMF market liberalization of former communist economies that opened the doors for the systematic plundering of invaluable mining and energy assets of those countries. Soros was a major financier of the liberal economic team of Boris Yeltsin [..]”
–
I do recommend you folks to read the whole article: http://journal-neo.org/2016/04/27/how-nato-linked-think-tanks-control-eu-refugee-policy/
-TL2Q
PS: I apologize for all the bolden parts, but sometimes you need to employ such gimmicks to attract people’s attention.
The so called EU has terminally lost the last remains of what may once have been its mind:
EU Plans $290K Per Person Fine For Countries Refusing “Fair Share” Of Refugees; Angry Response Ensues http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-05-04/eu-plans-290k-person-fine-countries-refusing-fair-share-refugees-angry-response-ensu
Martin, that link is just wonderful! My Schadenfreude is all but uncontrollable now seeing the Empire’s total, indeed very explicit contempt of Poland’s “National Catholic” heritage. Just as the Eastern Europeans thought they had “made it”, Massa starts trashing everything the faithful had been aspiring to. Put bluntly, European values applied to people deserving them!
As an extra bonus, the Psheks will go particularly apeshit seeing Russia keeping herself out of Merkel’s and Erdogan’s reach.
No reason to be happy.
Here in “germany” many many folks even still defend the poor innocent dear little Ukraine which suffers so severly from evil eveil Russia’s “””””AGGRESSION”””””
What makes you believe that anyone of these idiots ever reads ZeroHedge nor notices anything else – you could explain it to most 2 hours long and they still “think” they live in a democracy with whatever “values” …..
Then the Poles – well, they must assume Putin is behind this all.
As much as I appreciate the polish and hungarian (and slowakian) nationalists – at another spot they are also united: When you hear them speaking about “Russian aggression” and “how they suffered” under soviet “””””occupation”””””
The only thing we can one day be happy about: Everything will blow up.
But let’s at least make 100% sure that this also kills the “elite”.
Then at least it wasn’t for nothing. Sometimes you need to tear down a building to remove the bugs …
Easy enough: I simply don’t have any compassion whatsoever here — neither for the honorary Euro-trash of Eastern Europe, nor for the “genuine” Euro-trash of proud MSM parrots further West. Their reactionary hysteria is great fun to watch as Massa has started to behave in particularly strange and wondrous ways as of late.
Russia should unceremoniously nuke the whole lot. That would be something worthy of a sincere “Peace Prize” in stark contrast to pompous Western self-promotion imbecilities. Strange NATO hasn’t been awarded as yet.
Waiting for Mai 22 in Austria – will it be a small chance,a small light ?