Corrupt Politicians and Tools of the Gulen Movement
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Monday, February 27, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Gulen backed USA State Resolutions - they are busy little cockroaches.
Gulenist state resolutions
Page created June 11, 2011; updated Nov 8, 2011
by C.A.S.I.L.I.P.S. - Citizens Against Special Interest Lobbying in Public Schools
The spring of 2011 saw a spate of Gulenist resolutions appearing before state legislatures across the US, nominally to recognize American-Turkish friendship and economic ties. It seems probable that they were also aimed at facilitating and legitimizing the Gulenist agenda, and counteracting any negative publicity about the Gulen charter schools or Turkey's Gulen-backed AKP government. As nearly all referred also to the size and/or rapid growth of the Turkish economy, the timing was noteworthy, as it coincided with a brief period of rapid growth in Turkey's GDP. Already by fall 2011, press coverage of Turkey's economic indicators was far less favorable, but the resolutions were a done deal.
The total number of states that are known to have adopted Gulenist resolutions is now 21.
Many of these resolutions explicitly mention Gulenist organizations (all are TAA members) including:
· Acacia Foundation, Washington (state)
· Foundation for Inter-Cultural Dialogue, Arizona
· Institute of Interfaith Dialog, Texas (branches in other states)
· Interfaith Dialog Center (IDC) New Jersey
· Istanbul Center, Georgia
· Jackson Raindrop Turkish House, Mississippi
· Mid-Atlantic Federation of Turkic American Associations
· Niagara Foundation, Illinois (branches in other states)
· Pacifica Institute d.b.a. Rosegarden Turkish-American Cultural Center
· Pacifica Institute-Idaho
· Pacifica Institute-Utah
· Pioneer Academy of Science, New Jersey
· Rumi Forum, Washington DC
· Turkish-American Association of Kentucky
· Turkish-American Federation of the Midwest
· Turkish-American Society of Nebraska
· Turkish Cultural Center New Jersey (TCC-NJ)
· Turkish Cultural Center of Pennsylvania
· Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians, Texas
· West America Turkic Council
Concerns about political repression in Turkey and the increasing authoritarianism of Turkey's Prime Minister Erdogan were already on the rise in early 2011 and further escalated after the arrests in March 2011 of award-winning journalist Nedim Sener and journalist/author Ahmet Sik, as well as the government's attempt to eradicate Sik's book about Fethullah Gulen. Repression of the Kurdish people in Turkey continues under Erdogan, and other minorities such as the Alevis still struggle for equal rights. Despite all these serious concerns, some of which were well-publicized in the U.S. and European media, Gulenist resolutions were making their way through state legislatures, with nearly all of them referring to Turkey as "cherishing the universal values of freedom, democracy, and human rights."
No doubt a number of individual citizens of Turkey do value freedom and democracy, but it is questionable whether the current Turkish government merits such praise from our state legislatures in view of its recent record.
A noteworthy point about these resolutions is the remarkable similarity in their phrasing across states, once again showing the high level of coordination of Gulenist organizations across the US. This similarity also shows that the impetus behind these resolutions came from the Gulen Movement itself, not the sponsoring legislators. Several of the resolutions mention state legislators participating in Gulenist Turkey trips.
Here is state-by-state information on Gulenist state resolutions that have been identified to date.
Arizona
Senate Resolution 1010, 50th Legislature
"Whereas, the Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing allies, both dearly cherishing the universal values of freedom, democracy and human rights; and..."
.........
"That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona transmit an official copy of this Resolution to the Foundation for Inter-Cultural Dialogue and its umbrella organization West America Turkic Council."
Arkansas
House Resolution 1033, March 30, 2011
"WHEREAS, the Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing allies, both dearly cherishing the universal values of freedom, democracy, and human rights; and.......
"WHEREAS, in its alliances with the United States, the Republic of Turkey has demonstrated its commitment to world peace and liberty, as well as its tolerance of others in secular and religious venues; and
.........
"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT upon adoption of this resolution, an appropriate copy shall be provided to the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians by the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives."
Georgia
House Resolution 555
"Commending the Turkish-American community in Georgia and the Istanbul Center and recognizing March 29, 2011, as Turkish-American Day at the state capitol; and for other purposes."
..........
"NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body commend the Turkish-American community of Georgia and the Istanbul Center for their contributions to the State of Georgia and recognize March 29, 2011, as Turkish-American Day at the state capitol."
Global Atlanta, April 1, 2011 "State Government Honors Turkish Community"
"Tarik Celik, executive director for the [Istanbul] center, accepted the Senate resolution, which recognized the contributions of the 8,000 Turkish-Americans and 500 Turkish owned businesses in Georgia."
Hawaii
House Resolution 30, 26th Legislature, 2011
The version that passed can be viewed here, and here are some public comments.
"WHEREAS, the Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing allies that cherish the universal values of freedom, democracy, and human rights; and
"WHEREAS, in its alliance with the united States, the Republic of Turkey demonstrates a commitment to world peace and liberty, as well as a tolerance of others regarding secular and religious issues; and......"
The resolution was mentioned in articles of the Hawaii Free Press on March 6, 2011 and May 22, 2011; they reported that "HCR30 only passed after being stripped of all references to Gulen front groups." The original version mentioned the Pacifica Institute.
Idaho
Senate Resolution No. 102, Sixty-first Legislature First Regular Session - 2011
"WHEREAS, the Senate of the state of Idaho in the First Regular Session of the Sixty-first Idaho Legislature recognizes that the Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing allies, both embracing the universal values of freedom, democracy and human rights;
"WHEREAS, the United States and the Republic of Turkey have shared common ideals, in which freedom and democracy are the foundation of peace, prosperity and security; and....."
"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that an official copy of this resolution be distributed to the West America Turkic Council and to the Pacifica Institute-Idaho."
Indiana
Senate Concurrent Resolution 36 - 2011 1st Regular Session
"Whereas, The Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing allies, both cherishing the universal values of freedom, democracy, and human rights;
"Whereas, In its alliances with the United States, Turkey has demonstrated its commitment to peace and liberty, as well as its political and religious tolerance; ..........
"Whereas, The Niagara Foundation and the Turkish- American Federation of the Midwest are huge proponents of the Turkish-Hoosier Friendship Task Force;
"Whereas, Within the last three years, 400 civic leaders, elected officials, and academics traveled to Turkey to strengthen the relationship between Hoosiers and Turkish people. .........
"The Secretary of the Senate is hereby directed to transmit a copy of this Resolution to Bilal Eksili."
[Bilal Eksili is affiliated with the Holy Dove Foundation, another Gulenist organization.]
Kansas
Senate Resolution No. 1811; Adopted Feb 8, 2011
Sponsor: Senator Chris Steineger
"WHEREAS, The Republic of Turkey is a democratic, secular, unitary, constitutional republic;
and
"WHEREAS, The Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing
allies. Both nations cherish freedom, democracy and human rights; and
"WHEREAS, In its alliances with the United States, the Republic of Turkey has demonstrated
its commitment to world peace and liberty, as well as its tolerance of others in secular and
religious venues; ...."
Kentucky
SR202 11 Reg. Sess.
"WHEREAS, the Turkish-American Association of Kentucky is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 2006 to offer services to Turkic and Turkish-American people living in Louisville and neighboring cities; and
"WHEREAS, the Turkish-American Association of Kentucky is working in cooperation with members of the General Assembly to bring cultural exchange and friendship between lawmakers and the Turkish-American community in Kentucky; and
"WHEREAS, members of the Turkish-American Association of Kentucky who are introducing the program to the General Assembly include Mahmut Yeter, President, Mid-Atlantic Federation of Turkic American Associations; Emre Celik, President, Rumi Forum, Washington, D.C.; Sinan Bilgen, Member, Turkish-American Association of Kentucky; Nazif Muhtaroglu, Member, Turkish-American Association of Kentucky; and Mehmet Saracoglu, Member, Turkish-American Association of Kentucky; and .......'
Louisiana
House Resolution NO. 192, Regular Session, 2010
Sponsor: Representative Jim Tucker
Adopted June 20, 2010
"WHEREAS, the Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing allies, both dearly cherishing the universal values of freedom, democracy, and human rights; and
WHEREAS, in its alliances with the United States, the Republic of Turkey has demonstrated its commitment to world peace and liberty as well as its tolerance of others in the secular and religious venues;...
"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians."
Mississippi
House Resolution 45 - 2011 Regular Session
By: Representatives Dedeaux, Zuber, Holland, Reynolds, Scott, Bell
"A resolution recognizing the contributions of the Republic of Turkey and the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians, including the value of Mississippi's positive relationship with them, and recognizing the Mississippi-Turkish Hospitality Leadership Network."
"WHEREAS, the Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing allies, both cherishing the universal values of freedom, democracy and human rights; and
"WHEREAS, in its alliances with the United States, the democratic nation of Turkey has demonstrated its commitment to world peace and liberty, as well as its tolerance of others in both secular and religious venues; and .........
"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians, the Institute of Interfaith Dialog, the Jackson Raindrop Turkish House and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps."
Missouri
The website of State Senator Joe Keaveny (accessed Nov 8, 2011) states that "I met with members of the Turkish community in Missouri, and briefed them on legislative happenings in the Missouri Senate. This group of people was honored with a standing ovation and a goodwill resolution passed by the House, which recognizes the Turkish community in our state and honors their friendship. // Two members of the community were Mehmet Salih Erdogan and Ismail Ozgun, Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputies from Denizli and Balikesir. They were applauded for their efforts for the Niagara Foundation, an interfaith dialogue organization founded by Turkish citizens active in the Midwestern states of the U.S., the Turkish American Society of Missouri (TASOM), and the Chicago-based Turkish American Federation of Midwest, an umbrella organization of Turkish organizations in Midwestern states."
A Today's Zaman article of May 1, 2011 entitled "Missouri honors Turks with goodwill resolution" also refers to this.
The number and full text of this resolution have not yet been located.
Nebraska
Legislative Resolution 204, 102nd Legislature First Session. Adopted May 25, 2011.
Introduced by Senators Brenda Council, Tanya Cook, Amanda McGill, Heath Mello, Jeremy Nordquist.
"WHEREAS, the Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing allies, both cherishing the universal values of freedom, democracy, and human rights; and
WHEREAS, in its alliances with the United States, Turkey has demonstrated its commitment to peace and liberty, as well as its political and religious tolerance;...
"WHEREAS, the Niagara Foundation of Nebraska, a not-for-profit organization subsidized by citizens of Turkey and America, has recognized the efforts of influential Nebraskans for their contributions to the atmosphere of tolerance and diversity in Nebraska; and
WHEREAS, the Turkish American Society of Nebraska, a not-for-profit organization, is instrumental in assisting many displaced immigrants invited to Nebraska; ...
...That a copy of this resolution be sent to Ismail Ozcan, Executive Director of the Niagara Foundation of Nebraska."
New Jersey
A state resolution is mentioned on the website of the Turkish Cultural Center of New Jersey. As often happens on Gulenist websites, the article is not dated; it is stated that this happened on Nov 22, presumably 2011 although this is not stated. Here are excerpts of the description from the TCCNJ website:
"NJ Assembly, NJ Senate and Governor's Office declared November 22nd as Turkish Cultural Heritage Day. Turkish American organizations Interfaith Dialog Center (IDC), Pioneer Academy of Science, Turkish Cultural Center (TCC-NJ) were given resolutions by aforementioned offices since their contributions to NJ in education, culture and promoting interfaith dialog.
"Resolution ceremonies were held in both the State Senate and Assembly. Director of the IDC Dr. Levent Koc, Director of the TCC-NJ Mevlut Kirazli and Principal of Pioneer Academy were joined on the floor by three Congressional Members from Turkish Grand Assembly, Abdurrahman Kurt, Canan Candemir Celik and Mehmet Nil Hidir. .......
"Speaker of the Assembly Sheila Y. Oliver presented the resolutions and, Assemblyman Thomas Giblin praised IDC's activities, which he attended many times. He also talked about his several visits to Pioneer Academy, whose academic success and good management he appreciated very much. Assemblywoman Alison Littell McHose too talked about IDC's activities and her trip to Turkey with IDC in the summer of 2009."
(Note: In August 2011, the Interfaith Dialog Center was renamed the Peace Islands Institute.)
New Mexico
Senate Memorial 10, 50th Legislature, 1st Session
"Whereas, The Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing allies, both dearly cherishing the universal values of freedom, democracy, and human rights,
"Whereas, In its alliance with the United States, the Republic of Turkey has demonstrated its commitment to world peace and liberty, as well as its tolerance of others in the secular and religious venues;
..........
"Be it further resolved that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians..."
Oklahoma
HR 1103 Second Regular Session of the Fifty-second Legislature, May 25, 2010
"A Resolution recognizing the many contributions made by citizens of the Republic of
Turkey; creating Oklahoman-Turkish Friendship Alliance to further Oklahoma-Turkey
relations; and directing distribution."
HCR 1002 First session, 53rd Legislature. Adopted Feb 7, 2011
Sponsors: Gary Stanislawski, John Sullivan
"WHEREAS, the Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing allies, both dearly cherishing the universal values of freedom, democracy and human rights; and
"WHEREAS, in its alliances with the United States, the Republic of Turkey has demonstrated its commitment to world peace and liberty, as well as its tolerance of others in the secular and religious venues; and...
"THAT an official copy of this resolution be distributed to Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians."
Oregon
House Resolution 2 - 76th Oregon Legislative Assembly--2011 Regular Session
"Whereas the Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing friends and allies, both dearly cherishing the universal values of freedom, democracy and human rights; and
"Whereas in its alliance with the United States, the Republic of Turkey has demonstrated its commitment to world peace and liberty, as well as its tolerance of others in the secular and religious venues; and
.................
“Resolved, That a copy of this resolution shall be sent to the Pacifica Institute doing business as the Rosegarden Turkish-American Cultural Center and to its umbrella organization, the West America Turkic Council.”
An article appeared in the Portland Islam Examiner on April 12, 2011 discussing this resolution:
"The declaration was sponsored by Rep. Tim Freeman a republican from the Umpqua Region and Portland democrat Rep. Jules Bailey. Freeman told lawmakers that the idea stemmed when he was on a legislative trip to Republic of Turkey last year. The trip which was hosted by Portland's Rosegarden Turkish-American Cultural Center exposed Freeman to the possibilities of Europe's sixth-largest economy."
Pennsylvania
Senate Resolution No.114 Session of 2011
Introduced by Smucker, Brubaker, Farnese, Dinniman, Alloway, Greenleaf, Fontana, Schwank, Boscola and Tartaglione, May 9, 2011
Adopted, May 9, 2011
In contrast to other states, this resolution makes no mention of Turkey's commitment to democracy or human rights.
"RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the Turkish Cultural Center of Pennsylvania, 274 W Main St., Leola, PA 17540."
Texas
Texas has gone further than all other states, as it has in everything connected to Gulen, by honoring not just Gulenist organizations, but their leader himself. On January 25, 2011 the Texas Senate passed SR 85, a resolution honoring Fethullah Gulen. The authors were Eddie Lucio III, Troy Fraser, Joan Huffman, Jane Nelson, Leticia Van de Putte.
Utah
State Joint Resolution 21, 2011 General Session
Chief Sponsor: Peter C. Knudson
House Sponsor: Eric K. Hutchings
Co-sponsor: Curtis S. Bramble
"WHEREAS, the Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing allies, both dearly cherishing the universal values of freedom, democracy, and human rights;
"WHEREAS, in its alliances with the United States, the Republic of Turkey has demonstrated its commitment to world peace and liberty as well as its secular and religious tolerance of others;
.....
"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the West America Turkic Council and to the Pacifica Institute-Utah."
Virginia
Senate Joint Resolution NO. 455
Patrons––Petersen, Barker, Colgan, Herring, Houck, Howell, Locke, Marsden, McDougle, Miller, Y.B.,
Norment, Puckett, Puller and Stuart; Delegates: Carr, Ebbin, Plum, Scott, J.M., Sickles and Watts
Agreed to by the Senate, February 23, 2011
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 26, 2011
"WHEREAS, the Republic of Turkey and the United States are long-standing allies, both cherishing the universal values of freedom, democracy, and human rights; and
"WHEREAS, in its alliances with the United States, the Republic of Turkey has demonstrated its commitment to world peace and liberty, as well as its political and religious tolerance; and
........
"WHEREAS, in Northern Virginia, Turkish Americans are proprietors of businesses specializing in
granite, tile, and iron works, many others are professors at Virginia institutions of higher education, and there are 15 state chapters of the Mid-Atlantic Federation of Turkic American Associations throughout the Commonwealth; ...."
Washington
House Resolution No. 2011-4640, 62nd Legislature, Regular Session
Representatives Upthegrove, Liias, Eddy, Cody, Kenney, Billig, Appleton, Miloscia, Dickerson, Haigh, Hudgins, Kelley, Ladenburg, Stanford, Lytton, Reykdal, Orwall, McCoy, Fitzgibbon, Maxwell, and Ryu
Adopted March 16, 2011
"WHEREAS, The Washington State and Turkish Constitutions are rooted in the shared principles of
democracy, equality, and religious freedom; and
"WHEREAS, The Republic of Turkey is the world's fifteenth largest economy and a valued trading
partner with the State of Washington, with over three hundred fifty million dollars in products exported to that nation in 2009; .....
"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted by the Chief Clerk of
the House of Representatives to the West America Turkic Council and the Acacia Foundation."
No doubt a number of individual citizens of Turkey do value freedom and democracy, but it is questionable whether the current Turkish government merits such praise from our state legislatures in view of its recent record.
A noteworthy point about these resolutions is the remarkable similarity in their phrasing across states, once again showing the high level of coordination of Gulenist organizations across the US. This similarity also shows that the impetus behind these resolutions came from the Gulen Movement itself, not the sponsoring legislators. Several of the resolutions mention state legislators participating in Gulenist Turkey trips.
Here is state-by-state information on Gulenist state resolutions that have been identified to date.
Arizona
Senate Resolution 1010, 50th Legislature
"Whereas, the Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing allies, both dearly cherishing the universal values of freedom, democracy and human rights; and..."
.........
"That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona transmit an official copy of this Resolution to the Foundation for Inter-Cultural Dialogue and its umbrella organization West America Turkic Council."
Arkansas
House Resolution 1033, March 30, 2011
"WHEREAS, the Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing allies, both dearly cherishing the universal values of freedom, democracy, and human rights; and.......
"WHEREAS, in its alliances with the United States, the Republic of Turkey has demonstrated its commitment to world peace and liberty, as well as its tolerance of others in secular and religious venues; and
.........
"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT upon adoption of this resolution, an appropriate copy shall be provided to the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians by the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives."
Georgia
House Resolution 555
"Commending the Turkish-American community in Georgia and the Istanbul Center and recognizing March 29, 2011, as Turkish-American Day at the state capitol; and for other purposes."
..........
"NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body commend the Turkish-American community of Georgia and the Istanbul Center for their contributions to the State of Georgia and recognize March 29, 2011, as Turkish-American Day at the state capitol."
Global Atlanta, April 1, 2011 "State Government Honors Turkish Community"
"Tarik Celik, executive director for the [Istanbul] center, accepted the Senate resolution, which recognized the contributions of the 8,000 Turkish-Americans and 500 Turkish owned businesses in Georgia."
Hawaii
House Resolution 30, 26th Legislature, 2011
The version that passed can be viewed here, and here are some public comments.
"WHEREAS, the Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing allies that cherish the universal values of freedom, democracy, and human rights; and
"WHEREAS, in its alliance with the united States, the Republic of Turkey demonstrates a commitment to world peace and liberty, as well as a tolerance of others regarding secular and religious issues; and......"
The resolution was mentioned in articles of the Hawaii Free Press on March 6, 2011 and May 22, 2011; they reported that "HCR30 only passed after being stripped of all references to Gulen front groups." The original version mentioned the Pacifica Institute.
Idaho
Senate Resolution No. 102, Sixty-first Legislature First Regular Session - 2011
"WHEREAS, the Senate of the state of Idaho in the First Regular Session of the Sixty-first Idaho Legislature recognizes that the Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing allies, both embracing the universal values of freedom, democracy and human rights;
"WHEREAS, the United States and the Republic of Turkey have shared common ideals, in which freedom and democracy are the foundation of peace, prosperity and security; and....."
"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that an official copy of this resolution be distributed to the West America Turkic Council and to the Pacifica Institute-Idaho."
Indiana
Senate Concurrent Resolution 36 - 2011 1st Regular Session
"Whereas, The Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing allies, both cherishing the universal values of freedom, democracy, and human rights;
"Whereas, In its alliances with the United States, Turkey has demonstrated its commitment to peace and liberty, as well as its political and religious tolerance; ..........
"Whereas, The Niagara Foundation and the Turkish- American Federation of the Midwest are huge proponents of the Turkish-Hoosier Friendship Task Force;
"Whereas, Within the last three years, 400 civic leaders, elected officials, and academics traveled to Turkey to strengthen the relationship between Hoosiers and Turkish people. .........
"The Secretary of the Senate is hereby directed to transmit a copy of this Resolution to Bilal Eksili."
[Bilal Eksili is affiliated with the Holy Dove Foundation, another Gulenist organization.]
Kansas
Senate Resolution No. 1811; Adopted Feb 8, 2011
Sponsor: Senator Chris Steineger
"WHEREAS, The Republic of Turkey is a democratic, secular, unitary, constitutional republic;
and
"WHEREAS, The Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing
allies. Both nations cherish freedom, democracy and human rights; and
"WHEREAS, In its alliances with the United States, the Republic of Turkey has demonstrated
its commitment to world peace and liberty, as well as its tolerance of others in secular and
religious venues; ...."
Kentucky
SR202 11 Reg. Sess.
"WHEREAS, the Turkish-American Association of Kentucky is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 2006 to offer services to Turkic and Turkish-American people living in Louisville and neighboring cities; and
"WHEREAS, the Turkish-American Association of Kentucky is working in cooperation with members of the General Assembly to bring cultural exchange and friendship between lawmakers and the Turkish-American community in Kentucky; and
"WHEREAS, members of the Turkish-American Association of Kentucky who are introducing the program to the General Assembly include Mahmut Yeter, President, Mid-Atlantic Federation of Turkic American Associations; Emre Celik, President, Rumi Forum, Washington, D.C.; Sinan Bilgen, Member, Turkish-American Association of Kentucky; Nazif Muhtaroglu, Member, Turkish-American Association of Kentucky; and Mehmet Saracoglu, Member, Turkish-American Association of Kentucky; and .......'
Louisiana
House Resolution NO. 192, Regular Session, 2010
Sponsor: Representative Jim Tucker
Adopted June 20, 2010
"WHEREAS, the Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing allies, both dearly cherishing the universal values of freedom, democracy, and human rights; and
WHEREAS, in its alliances with the United States, the Republic of Turkey has demonstrated its commitment to world peace and liberty as well as its tolerance of others in the secular and religious venues;...
"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians."
Mississippi
House Resolution 45 - 2011 Regular Session
By: Representatives Dedeaux, Zuber, Holland, Reynolds, Scott, Bell
"A resolution recognizing the contributions of the Republic of Turkey and the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians, including the value of Mississippi's positive relationship with them, and recognizing the Mississippi-Turkish Hospitality Leadership Network."
"WHEREAS, the Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing allies, both cherishing the universal values of freedom, democracy and human rights; and
"WHEREAS, in its alliances with the United States, the democratic nation of Turkey has demonstrated its commitment to world peace and liberty, as well as its tolerance of others in both secular and religious venues; and .........
"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians, the Institute of Interfaith Dialog, the Jackson Raindrop Turkish House and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps."
Missouri
The website of State Senator Joe Keaveny (accessed Nov 8, 2011) states that "I met with members of the Turkish community in Missouri, and briefed them on legislative happenings in the Missouri Senate. This group of people was honored with a standing ovation and a goodwill resolution passed by the House, which recognizes the Turkish community in our state and honors their friendship. // Two members of the community were Mehmet Salih Erdogan and Ismail Ozgun, Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputies from Denizli and Balikesir. They were applauded for their efforts for the Niagara Foundation, an interfaith dialogue organization founded by Turkish citizens active in the Midwestern states of the U.S., the Turkish American Society of Missouri (TASOM), and the Chicago-based Turkish American Federation of Midwest, an umbrella organization of Turkish organizations in Midwestern states."
A Today's Zaman article of May 1, 2011 entitled "Missouri honors Turks with goodwill resolution" also refers to this.
The number and full text of this resolution have not yet been located.
Nebraska
Legislative Resolution 204, 102nd Legislature First Session. Adopted May 25, 2011.
Introduced by Senators Brenda Council, Tanya Cook, Amanda McGill, Heath Mello, Jeremy Nordquist.
"WHEREAS, the Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing allies, both cherishing the universal values of freedom, democracy, and human rights; and
WHEREAS, in its alliances with the United States, Turkey has demonstrated its commitment to peace and liberty, as well as its political and religious tolerance;...
"WHEREAS, the Niagara Foundation of Nebraska, a not-for-profit organization subsidized by citizens of Turkey and America, has recognized the efforts of influential Nebraskans for their contributions to the atmosphere of tolerance and diversity in Nebraska; and
WHEREAS, the Turkish American Society of Nebraska, a not-for-profit organization, is instrumental in assisting many displaced immigrants invited to Nebraska; ...
...That a copy of this resolution be sent to Ismail Ozcan, Executive Director of the Niagara Foundation of Nebraska."
New Jersey
A state resolution is mentioned on the website of the Turkish Cultural Center of New Jersey. As often happens on Gulenist websites, the article is not dated; it is stated that this happened on Nov 22, presumably 2011 although this is not stated. Here are excerpts of the description from the TCCNJ website:
"NJ Assembly, NJ Senate and Governor's Office declared November 22nd as Turkish Cultural Heritage Day. Turkish American organizations Interfaith Dialog Center (IDC), Pioneer Academy of Science, Turkish Cultural Center (TCC-NJ) were given resolutions by aforementioned offices since their contributions to NJ in education, culture and promoting interfaith dialog.
"Resolution ceremonies were held in both the State Senate and Assembly. Director of the IDC Dr. Levent Koc, Director of the TCC-NJ Mevlut Kirazli and Principal of Pioneer Academy were joined on the floor by three Congressional Members from Turkish Grand Assembly, Abdurrahman Kurt, Canan Candemir Celik and Mehmet Nil Hidir. .......
"Speaker of the Assembly Sheila Y. Oliver presented the resolutions and, Assemblyman Thomas Giblin praised IDC's activities, which he attended many times. He also talked about his several visits to Pioneer Academy, whose academic success and good management he appreciated very much. Assemblywoman Alison Littell McHose too talked about IDC's activities and her trip to Turkey with IDC in the summer of 2009."
(Note: In August 2011, the Interfaith Dialog Center was renamed the Peace Islands Institute.)
New Mexico
Senate Memorial 10, 50th Legislature, 1st Session
"Whereas, The Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing allies, both dearly cherishing the universal values of freedom, democracy, and human rights,
"Whereas, In its alliance with the United States, the Republic of Turkey has demonstrated its commitment to world peace and liberty, as well as its tolerance of others in the secular and religious venues;
..........
"Be it further resolved that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians..."
Oklahoma
HR 1103 Second Regular Session of the Fifty-second Legislature, May 25, 2010
"A Resolution recognizing the many contributions made by citizens of the Republic of
Turkey; creating Oklahoman-Turkish Friendship Alliance to further Oklahoma-Turkey
relations; and directing distribution."
HCR 1002 First session, 53rd Legislature. Adopted Feb 7, 2011
Sponsors: Gary Stanislawski, John Sullivan
"WHEREAS, the Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing allies, both dearly cherishing the universal values of freedom, democracy and human rights; and
"WHEREAS, in its alliances with the United States, the Republic of Turkey has demonstrated its commitment to world peace and liberty, as well as its tolerance of others in the secular and religious venues; and...
"THAT an official copy of this resolution be distributed to Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians."
Oregon
House Resolution 2 - 76th Oregon Legislative Assembly--2011 Regular Session
"Whereas the Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing friends and allies, both dearly cherishing the universal values of freedom, democracy and human rights; and
"Whereas in its alliance with the United States, the Republic of Turkey has demonstrated its commitment to world peace and liberty, as well as its tolerance of others in the secular and religious venues; and
.................
“Resolved, That a copy of this resolution shall be sent to the Pacifica Institute doing business as the Rosegarden Turkish-American Cultural Center and to its umbrella organization, the West America Turkic Council.”
An article appeared in the Portland Islam Examiner on April 12, 2011 discussing this resolution:
"The declaration was sponsored by Rep. Tim Freeman a republican from the Umpqua Region and Portland democrat Rep. Jules Bailey. Freeman told lawmakers that the idea stemmed when he was on a legislative trip to Republic of Turkey last year. The trip which was hosted by Portland's Rosegarden Turkish-American Cultural Center exposed Freeman to the possibilities of Europe's sixth-largest economy."
Pennsylvania
Senate Resolution No.114 Session of 2011
Introduced by Smucker, Brubaker, Farnese, Dinniman, Alloway, Greenleaf, Fontana, Schwank, Boscola and Tartaglione, May 9, 2011
Adopted, May 9, 2011
In contrast to other states, this resolution makes no mention of Turkey's commitment to democracy or human rights.
"RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the Turkish Cultural Center of Pennsylvania, 274 W Main St., Leola, PA 17540."
Texas
Texas has gone further than all other states, as it has in everything connected to Gulen, by honoring not just Gulenist organizations, but their leader himself. On January 25, 2011 the Texas Senate passed SR 85, a resolution honoring Fethullah Gulen. The authors were Eddie Lucio III, Troy Fraser, Joan Huffman, Jane Nelson, Leticia Van de Putte.
Utah
State Joint Resolution 21, 2011 General Session
Chief Sponsor: Peter C. Knudson
House Sponsor: Eric K. Hutchings
Co-sponsor: Curtis S. Bramble
"WHEREAS, the Republic of Turkey and the United States of America are long-standing allies, both dearly cherishing the universal values of freedom, democracy, and human rights;
"WHEREAS, in its alliances with the United States, the Republic of Turkey has demonstrated its commitment to world peace and liberty as well as its secular and religious tolerance of others;
.....
"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the West America Turkic Council and to the Pacifica Institute-Utah."
Virginia
Senate Joint Resolution NO. 455
Patrons––Petersen, Barker, Colgan, Herring, Houck, Howell, Locke, Marsden, McDougle, Miller, Y.B.,
Norment, Puckett, Puller and Stuart; Delegates: Carr, Ebbin, Plum, Scott, J.M., Sickles and Watts
Agreed to by the Senate, February 23, 2011
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 26, 2011
"WHEREAS, the Republic of Turkey and the United States are long-standing allies, both cherishing the universal values of freedom, democracy, and human rights; and
"WHEREAS, in its alliances with the United States, the Republic of Turkey has demonstrated its commitment to world peace and liberty, as well as its political and religious tolerance; and
........
"WHEREAS, in Northern Virginia, Turkish Americans are proprietors of businesses specializing in
granite, tile, and iron works, many others are professors at Virginia institutions of higher education, and there are 15 state chapters of the Mid-Atlantic Federation of Turkic American Associations throughout the Commonwealth; ...."
Washington
House Resolution No. 2011-4640, 62nd Legislature, Regular Session
Representatives Upthegrove, Liias, Eddy, Cody, Kenney, Billig, Appleton, Miloscia, Dickerson, Haigh, Hudgins, Kelley, Ladenburg, Stanford, Lytton, Reykdal, Orwall, McCoy, Fitzgibbon, Maxwell, and Ryu
Adopted March 16, 2011
"WHEREAS, The Washington State and Turkish Constitutions are rooted in the shared principles of
democracy, equality, and religious freedom; and
"WHEREAS, The Republic of Turkey is the world's fifteenth largest economy and a valued trading
partner with the State of Washington, with over three hundred fifty million dollars in products exported to that nation in 2009; .....
"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted by the Chief Clerk of
the House of Representatives to the West America Turkic Council and the Acacia Foundation."
Gulen Politicians in Oregon and Gulen
Watch out Oregon they are coming for your kids!
The West American Turkic Council is an umbrella organization committed to the advancement of interactions between American and Turkish, Turkic and Eurasian people.
http://www.salem-news.com/articles/february182012/turkish-americans.php?message= Eurasian people.
The event will be held at Willamette University's Montag Den Hall. Photo courtesy: http://idebate.blogspot.com |
(SALEM, Ore.) - On Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012, Rosegarden Turkish American Cultural Center in cooperation with The West American Turkic Council, will be hosting the 2nd Annual Turkish-American Legislative Dialogue and Friendship Dinner. The dinner will be held at the Montag Den Hall of the Willamette University and co-hosted by Representative Jules Bailey and Representative Tim Freeman.
An estimated one hundred legislators and community leaders from Salem and the grater Portland area are expected to attend this dialog dinner. It is hoped that it will facilitate positive interaction between the Turkish-American community and those representing the citizens of the state of Oregon. The keynote speaker for the event will be Mr. Denny Doyle the Mayor of the city of Beaverton. The dinner will be free of charge and includes authentic Turkish Baklava and coffee.
The Rosegarden Turkish American Cultural Center, a branch of Pacifica Institute, is a non-profit organization serving the greater Portland area. It brings together people of different communities and ethnic backgrounds through intellectual interactions in the forms of conferences, panels, art performances, and presentations. Its mission is to promote cross-cultural awareness in order to attain peace and diversity, help establish a better society where individuals love, respect and accept each other as they are. Rosegarden envisions a community in which people from all walks of life interact with each other and cooperate to serve their communities, thereby strengthening civil society and promoting the development of human values.
The West American Turkic Council is a non-profit and non-government organization. It is an umbrella organization committed to the advancement of interactions between American and Turkish, Turkic and Eurasian people. It also intends to promote and encourage continuing good relationships and understanding regardless of the individuals’ ethnic origin, religion and other preferences. It brings people together in programs and private events featuring leaders and experts with diverse views on a wide range of global and regional topics. It facilitates task forces, executive forums, luncheons, conferences, studies, and leadership dialogue.
Source: Rosegarden Turkish American Cultural Center
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