How Turks Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love Tear Gas

[octoberlib]

History has prominent examples that demonstrate the power of non-violent resistance against government repression. The movements led by Martin Luther King, Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, and others like them come to mind. The non-violent protests that are now in their third week in cities across Turkey add a rare ingredient to the mix: humor. The Turks are in the process of crafting an unlikely historical story that exemplifies how the power of humor and innovation can be effectively harnessed against government repression and abuse. Here is a five-step guide to how Turks stopped worrying and learned to love tear gas.

1. Turn insults into points of pride. When a defiant Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the protestors as "Capulcu" (pronounced "CHA-pul-dju" and roughly translated to "riffraff&quot , instead of taking it as an insult, the protestors embraced their newfound labels with pride. Overnight, the word morphed from an insult to a compliment. Thousands of Turkish Facebook users changed their first or last names to "Capulcu" and national and international celebrities self-described themselves as "Capulcu" to express their support. The root of the Turkish noun (Capul) was then converted into a verb by adding the English suffix "ing," creating a neologism (Capulling) that now means "standing up for your rights." A music video titled "Everyday I'm Capulling" was promptly created to the tune of the lyrics "Everyday I'm Shuffling" from LMFAO's Party Rock Anthem.

2. If you get slapped, turn the other cheek. Many protestors have come to proudly refer to the bruises they inherited from police abuse as "Erdogan's kisses." When tear gassed, some have responded with outcries of "More!" When a rare lapse occurred in the rampant use of tear gas, protestors phoned the police to express their concerns and ask when and where the tear gassing would recommence so they can show up in a timely fashion to consume their daily dose. A widely circulated photo depicted two protestors in Ankara carrying an injured police officer to safety.

3. Respond to violence with humor. The protestors have retaliated against the use of pepper gas by throwing red peppers at the police. The pepper-gas fiend Prime Minister has now been nicknamed "Red Hot Chili Erdogan" and "Gasfather." A group of students from Bogazici University in Istanbul wrote and performed a jazz song on protest grounds that likens the taste of pepper gas to honey. Other humorous slogans encountered on protest grounds include "Tear gas works wonders on your complexion," "Tear gas helps you lose weight," and "I haven't showered for days; wash me, water cannon!" Tear gas canisters have become a popular vase substitute for flowers presented during the courtships that began on protest grounds.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ozan-varol/turkey-protests-erdogan_b_3421589.html

[Matariki]

1. Courageous