Well I had the good fortune to have worked a few years both here and almost a year in Ankara with many of Turkey's "post-nationalist secularists." Even more amazing I suppose is that during that almost a year of living in Ankara I met one each of Kemalists and Islamists. But hey I didn't get around that much; but the many people on the streets and in the stores all seemed like "post-nationalist secularists" to me.
Or as I thought at the time, it was as European as Madrid where I'd lived for two years; only, Ankara was mostly lacking in architectural and street beauty but the people were beautiful, Madrid was just the opposite.
Turkey is a country of Muslims; that is, it is not a Muslim country. It is 99 percent Muslim. The article states however that Kemalism can sometimes be "vastly more concerned with the protection of Turkey than the defense of Islam [and can seek] the prosecution of Muslim Turks." Personally I can see me putting America first and "persecuting" extremist "Christian" groups though I consider myself Christian but I eschew organized religion. Couldn't it be that Kemalists have problems with Islamists and not ordinary Turkish folks? They certainly have tremendous reverence for Ataturk, I found that out.
I believe that the hope of the article and others is that in time all will be "post-nationalist secularists;" surprise, the AKP may lead the way. Some name two important indicators of AKP's intentions: who they back to be president and will they try to stop the military from purging Islamists.
Again the article mentions the Kurds without mention of the Marxist PKK atrocities. As I recall, the PKK troubles started in the 1980s and it was then that Ankara began sending additional military and law enforcement personnel to the region to counter the PKK. If that is persecution then so be it. I just hope Washington does likewise here as Mexican drug, and otherwise, violence spills over into our Country.
Again, Turkey's borders were established following W.W.I. Ataturk did not select the borders but he did say that if you live within the borders you will be a Turk and speak Turkish. If that is minority persecution then so be it.
The religious "persecution" is Turkey's business. The article cites some horrible murders but I suppose the author just forgot to type in the links to the government, ya think?
I believe that it is hypocrisy for me to condemn Turkey while favoring English only and if you are a resident of America then by golly you are going to be American. Also, as radical Islam continues to seek to convert and subvert I have absolutely no problem persecuting that religion. Ditto, less radical Muslims who perhaps only want "foot baths" installed in supermarkets, parks, parking lots, playgrounds, . . . .
Perhaps the finest people I've met in my entire life were Turks. Nothing can dissuade me from that experience. They are not going to let their country go to either Kemalists or Islamists, IMO.
Thanks for the insight and the great comments.