ANTI-SANTA CAMPAIGNS HEAT UP IN TURKEY AS CHRISTMAS ARRIVES
20:11 â~@¢ 24.12.13
A Muslim youth group and a neighborhood authority led two separate
anti-Santa campaigns on the eve of Christmas in Turkey, the Hurriyet
Daily News reports.
The Istanbul University branch of a group called Anatolia Youth
Association (AGD) released an illustration of a Muslim youth punching
Santa Claus in the face and announced that it would make a press
statement against Christmas on Dec. 26 in Istanbul.
The group announced the event with a statement titled “Muslim, return
to yourself!” adding that “Christmas is a Christianity practice.” The
group also criticized the celebration of New Year’s Day, saying that
the two dates were “mixed” and “united.” It claimed that celebrating
Christmas and New Year’s Day was “wrong” and constituted “a blow
dealt to Muslimism.”
Earlier this week, the Å~^irinevler muhtar, the head of the
neighborhood, hung a banner making it clear that Santa Claus was not
welcome on their streets.
“As in recent years, Santa Claus will not be coming to Å~^irinevler
since he is nothing to do with our traditions and our culture,” muhtar
Galip Karayigit said in the statement. “[Turk legend character] Dede
Korkut will come to our houses again, and will teach our children
that they did not come into this world for pleasure, that they came
to distribute justice.”
Armenian News – Tert.am