What a week... We witnessed shameless punches and kicks, along with the inflated egos that landed on the football pitch, which were laid out in front of us like a mirror that we are on the road to social corruption. Some were surprised by what happened, some asked how we got like this and tried to justify the crime and the culprit. But we are surprised to be surprised. Because we are in a situation where we can say that we are right in the center of violence. And this didn't happen overnight, we have become this way slowly and openly. Violence against women, violence against health workers, the nesting of international criminal organizations in our country, allegations of match-fixing and betting in sports, mafia showdowns where bullets are shot in the streets, the use of some social media phenomena to cover up shady business... The list goes on and on. Every time we asked what more could happen, we saw more. Like the news that the son of Somalia's leader crashed his car into Yunus Emre Gocer, a motorcyclist, and then left the country unharmed. Perhaps the incident would have been closed if public awareness had not been raised through the media, including our newspaper's reporter Cengiz Karagoz's report that some law enforcement officers told Gocer's wife that he had "committed suicide" while ignoring the footage showing everything in plain sight...

Sevval Aydogan stated that at least three women were murdered by men in one week in her article in today's newspaper. According to the We Will Stop Femicide Platform, at least 33 women were murdered by men in November alone.

TURKEY IS A SECULAR COUNTRY 

One of the news articles that came to the agenda last week was a letter sent by the Ministry of National Education (MEB) to private schools asking them to "celebrate in line with national values in accordance with Turkey's customs and traditions". The news was accompanied by comments that this was precisely targeted to the Christmas and New Year period. It was also on the agenda that in some universities in Istanbul, backward groups threatened students and removed pine tree decorations. In the news article by Aytunc Urkmez, it was pointed out that the Ministry of National Education added "family in Turkish social life" and "proper etiquette" courses to the syllabus. With the addition of these courses, the debate on the religiousization of education has intensified.

Being surprised does not mean much in finding a solution to the problem. The reaction to the violence in society continues at the speed of light until a new one comes, and then the transition to a state of acceptance, which is perhaps the most dangerous curve for a clean society, begins.

The pro-government conservative front often emphasizes religious references as a solution to all kinds of problems. Such as the introduction of sect leaders into schools with the ''ÇEDES'' project and the quest of religious cults to infiltrate many areas ranging from education to health. It is useful to ask this question frequently. Is it possible to limit morality, conscience, and honesty to a religious framework? Moreover, who is to be held accountable for this bill of corruption?... Aren't the main actors in these disgraces often structures that are close to those close to the government and names close to them?

It is mandatory to break the cycle of corruption, poverty, prohibition, and degeneracy in which we are currently immersed as a society with the help of a modern, secular, rational, and scientific education. Just as it is mandatory to show that law and justice will be applied equally to everyone.

The threat of an idea that will again devalue the concept of "family" and use it for their own influence to impose restrictions on girls and women and seize their rights in order to raise new generations is evident. It is worth emphasizing again and again that practices and discourses similar to the "morality police" we hear about in Iran and Afghanistan have no place in the secular, modern Republic of Turkey founded by Ataturk.

In the meantime, the girls made us smile again in volleyball with their achievements. Eczacıbası Dynavit defeated VakıfBank 3-2 in the final of the Volleyball FIVB Women's Club World Championship and took the trophy to their home. The winner was Turkey either way, congratulations!