Europe to Turks: Here begins the first of many discussions!
■"Europe Bloc Says Turks Can Apply; Long Road Seen," by Susan Sachs, New York Times, 18 December 2004, p. A1.
The EU is nothing if not blunt: "Turkey," it says, "you can start talking about joining us but don't expect it to happen in less than ten years." This from a civilization that routinely refers to all guest workers as "Turks."
Yes, we're talking a United States of Europe any minute now with that attitude!
The kicker is, most of the reluctance of ordinary Europeans is expressed by the fear that letting in a Muslim society would irreparably harm the "Christian" character of the EU. What a laugh that is, since Old Europe hasn't seen the inside of a church for many years now. Hell, the only Catholics who attend mass in big numbers all live in New Europe, so the hypocrisy on this one is profound. Yes, come and do all our dirty jobs in onesies and twosies, but don't expect us to let in an entire country of "you people"!
Here is where the U.S. outclasses the Europeans by a ways. Yes, we may bitch about our illegal Latinos, but we let them in (both legally and illegally) in droves. Most of our arguments are about—quite frankly—how much we should go out of our way to extend the illegals the same rights we grant our own citizens.
Europe has a way to go on figuring out its demographic destiny, but the clock is ticking on those Old Europeans far faster than it is on Turkey, even if the "good Christians" there haven't got a clue.
Relax Turkey, time isn't just on your side, it's a tsunami waiting to happen.