Turkishny.com: Can you inform us on the projects you worked on during your presidency?
Günay Evinch: As ATAA President, I worked to empower Turkish American grassroots through solidarity among the diverse Turkish American communities. I called this "solidarity within diversity." ATAA developed the Turkish American Broad Advocacy Network (TABAN) to educate and train Turkish Americans of diverse backgrounds on civic engagement to support Turkish American interests and US-Turkish relations. ATAA also established the Turkish Student Orientation program to take ownership and guide over 15,000 Turkish students attending college in America. ATAA also established the Census 2010 SayTurk campaign with the US Federal government to count people of Turkish heritage and identify their geographical areas of concentration and financial and political power. ATAA established the MediaWatchNow program by which over 100 activists screen the American and international press and submit letters to the editor to correct any inaccuracies or to add perspective. Importantly, ATAA lead cooperation with the two other major Turkish American national groups, the Federation of Turkish American Associations (FTAA) in New York and the Turkic American Alliance (TAA) in DC, including a send-off reception for US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone, a private sector - civil society reception with TOBB Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu, joint ATAA-FTAA letters to oppose anti-Turkish resolutions at state and federal levels, and the first ever joint Turkish American National Leadership Conference. ATAA has become a key interlocutor between the US and Turkey a both the private and public sector levels, meeting periodically with US and Turkish government officials.
Turkishny: Are there any projects that you could not succeed finishing?
The term of the ATAA Presidency is two years, and for good reason. It is hard work and very tiring. It is volunteer work. In addition to practicing law 50 hours per week, I served as ATAA President an additional 20 hours per week. I am satisfied with my Presidential term, though I believe that solidarity and cooperation could have and should have started much sooner. We still have some time, though not much, time to achieve the quality of cooperation necessary successfully to address the potentially problematic centennials that are approaching, such as 2015 on the Armenian matter and 2020 on the defunct Sevres Treaty. Also, we have 2023 -- the 100-year birthday of the Turkish Republic -- to plan for. The ATAA's new President Ergun Kirlikovali has entrusted me with important assignments, such as ATAA Cooperation Liaison to the FTAA and TAA, Capital Spokesperson, and Chief Letter Writer, which I will carryout in Washington DC as Past President and Member of the Board of Directors.
Turkishny.com: Can you evaluate relations between Turkey and United States in the last five years?
During the past five years, US-Turkish relations have become quite strong. In a multi-polar world that is evolving, Turkey and the United States need each other for common values and shared objectives of freedom. Turkey has become the sixth most powerful economy in Europe and 16th in the world, as it has diversified its opportunities and risks beyond the EU and into Africa, the Middle East, Caucuses, and Central Asia. As Turkey has become the 7th most visited tourism destination in the world with over 19 million visitors per year, including 500,000 Americans, people have grown to know and love Turkey, and are becoming less susceptible to anti-Turkish hatred and propaganda. Turkey's foreign relations benefit from diplomatic knowledge and experience that spans centuries and a military whose contributions to global security is respected internationally. Finally, and most importantly, Turkish Americans have become a strong heritage community and voice in Washington DC, and a key interlocutor between the United States and Turkey.
Turkishny.com: Turks attract more and more interest in the U.S. What is the approach of Americans to the Turkish community?
The American politician and people enthusiastically and warmly welcome an empowered Turkish American community, because Turkish American grassroots is critical to bringing balance to counter bias resolutions that seek to harm Turkey and US-Turkish relations. As former Massachusetts Congressman William Delahunt said at the ATAA - FTAA Turkish American National Leadership Conference last March, "The Armenian resolution failed in December 2010 because of Turkish American grassroots." A strong Turkish American voice at the local, state, and federal level ensures greater fairness and justice, and promotes a US-Turkish relationship that is based on honesty and truth.
Turkishny.com: On which areas should the Turkish community focus to make more concrete steps in the U.S.?
Usually five percent of an ethnic population does all the critical advocacy of the community. We need at least 25,000 Turkish Americans to be engaged in some form of Turkish American advocacy. We have approximately 10000 out of 500,000 Turkish Americans who are civically engaged. Turkish Americans can write and talk to their leaders by being active in the ATAA Turkish American Broad Advocacy Network (TABAN). Turkish Americans who have less time and would rather give money to the cause can donate to ATAA; indeed, in 2010, ATAA received over $250,000 in private donations, in addition to individual membership fees. Turkish Americans should also donate to Turkish American political action committees (PAC), such as TCUSAPAC. Turkish Americans who want to engage the legal system to guard and advance the Constitutional rights of the Turkish Americna community should support the Turkish American Legal Defense Fund (TALDF). At a minimum, every Turkish American and friend of Turkey should be a member of a local Turkish American organization (usually $25 per year) as well as a national Turkish American organization such as ATAA ($75 per year). Furthermore, each Turkish American should donate $100 at www.tenthousandturks.org, which is fundraising program of the TCUSAPAC. My family donates 15% of our family income to various objectives in the Turkish American cause.
Turkishny.com: When will Turks be able to get free from the allegations of so called Armenian genocide?
I think the question should be when will the Armenians be free. Turkey and people of Turkish heritage are moving forward with ever greater momentum, most experts on Ottoman history do not accept the Armenian allegation of genocide, and with each passing year the Armenian resolutions is weakening as the United States and leading nations of the world support the Historical Commission of the Turkey-Armenia Protocols.
The Armenian allegation of genocide seems to be have become a raison d'etre (var olma sebebi) for a large portion of the Armenian diaspora. It is not only an industry upon which Armenian diaspora civil society and the Armenian Church relies on, but it is also now the national psychology for many Armenians. They are in denial that the Armenian tragedy is anything but a genocide, and so much that they will not engage in dialogue to discuss whether it is or is not genocide.
This psychology is also very harmful to Armenia and to Armenians in practical terms. Ultra right elements of the diaspora have lead Armenia into an expensive and horrific military occupation of western Azerbaijan and unproductive relations with Turkey and Georgia. Ultra right elements of the diaspora have damaged the democracy and economy of Armenia, as over one million Armenians have emigrated from Armenia, many to Turkey.
As for people of Turkic heritage, we want dialogue without conditions. We support the Turkey - Armenia Protocols Historical Commission. We are not afraid of the truth. We want a resolution of this matter, but resolution must be based on the truth, not on a bargain. This is the rule of law.
Turkishny.com: Can you evaluate the position of Turkey in the international arena?
ATAA represents the Turkish American community on the Heritage Council of the United States Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). According to the ODNI, by 2035 there will be severe famine, disease, ecological disruption, lack of resources, civil strife, and poverty in South America to Sub-Saharan Africa, from the Middle East to southeast Asia. This zone is referred to as the "Arc of Turbulence." Turkey will be at the apex and just outside this "arc" and largely insulated from this turbulence. By 2050, China will be a superpower within a multi-polar world including the United States, European Union and Russia. Interlocutor states, or "key" states will be Turkey, Poland, Japan and India. There are reasons why Turkey will a key state within the multi-polar community, including its secular democracy, free economy, tolerant form of Islam, and security assets. But there is another reason: strong family and community culture. In 1994, I was a research assistant for journalist Robert Kaplan in the Turkey-related chapters of his book, "The Ends of Earth". One of those chapters was titled, "Altindag", the gece kondu neighborhood at the citadel in Ankara. Mr. Kaplan noticed that people took off their shoes as they entered their homes, shoes lined the outside of the home in complete trust against theft, the children were clean and so were their school uniforms, the at the sofra family the children respectfully waited for the grandparents to commence dinner. Kaplan said to me that it is is family and community love and respect which endows the Turkish nation the discipline, patience, and determination to excel, with or without the EU.
Turkishny.com: Did you feel the advantage of being the only President of ATAA who was born in the U.S.?
The advantage I felt was that America is my primary country. It does not feel like I am a guest here or an immigrant in transition. My feelings of belonging to America and believing in the American Dream, were felt by the people with whom I communicated on behalf of Turkish Americans. My way of analyzing and discussing, in spoken and written English, issues that effect Turkish Americans and US-Turkish relations, was born from American culture. Trust and understanding was there. I noticed that this also held true for Turkish Americans, who welcomed my strengths and approach as a much needed change in Turkish American community leadership. For me, being an American born or an integrated Turkish American who is engaged in public service, is similar to playing an important soccer match on your home field, though I must say that Turks are excellent in deplasman. I look forward to the leadership of young Turkish American men and women who will one day be ATAA Presidents.
Turkishny.com: You handed over the presidency of ATAA to the new President without any debts. Can you mention us the difficulties you encountered due to ATAA’s problem of debt?
I believe that personal and professional financial success lies in a healthy balance of spending according to your income and taking reasonable financial risks for growth. When I started my Presidency, ATAA's endowment fund had lost 45% of its value, which was much greater than the average losses suffered during the economic crisis of 2006-09. When I started my Presidency, ATAA had a large legal services debt from the case of Acikalin, Tombul, Akaydin, et al v. ATAA, which was concluded favorably for ATAA. Fortunately, new Trustee Chairman Kursad Dogru rehabilitated and grew the Endowment Fund by 60%, thanks to smart rebalancing and unprecedented fund raising. Furthermore, our attorneys graciously forgave 30% of their legal fees in support of a better ATAA, and ATAA paid off the remaining debt of $100,000 with generous donations from individuals and companies. My fiscal policy was three fold: serve the Turkish American cause so well that people would donate lots of money; build relations with the private sector, such as TOBB and TABA, to obtain corporate donations; spend according to the income; and, hedge on the budget based on reasonable expectations of increased membership and private sector support. The policy worked well for the unescapable truth that its success was based on hard work -- there is not substitute for hard, honest, work. It starts from the ATAA Board of Directors and Board of Trustees and expresses itself through the good work of the ATAA professional staff, Hakan Dakin, Secil Goksu, Yenal Kucuker, and former employee Gamze Ergur, and diehard volunteers such as Sonay Kanber and Duygu Ozcan, all to whom I am grateful.
Turkishny: How do you find the participation of Turkish community in the activies of local organizations?
The new generation of Turkish Americans has the leisure and abilities to do great public service. Their parents struggled to learn English, earn a living, pay rent and eventually save money to buy a home, and to send their children to college. The next generation of Turkish Americans carry a heavy responsibility to honor their elders by forging a strong Turkish American community. In the new Turkish American civic engagement , there is something for everyone: ATAA for grassroots work: PACs for political fund raising; and, TALDF for the protection of our civil rights. ATAA is there to help local Turkish American organizations achieve strong grassroots in support of Turkish American empowerment and US-Turkish relations. Local organizations, therefore, have a tremendous responsibility not only to promote Turkish culture, richen American diversity, and enhance American solidarity by being good American and good Turks, but also to engage in political activities such writing letters and visiting their local, state and federal leaders. Having gone through the political difficulties of Turkey in 1960, 1970, and 1980, many first generation Turkish Americans guided their children away from political activism, saying "bulasma". Well, the time to "bulas" has long come and this is where our future lies -- in being a strong politically engaged community. Having suffered the horrors of WWI in which over 4 million Ottoman Muslims, 600,000 Ottoman Christians and 100,000 Ottoman Jews perished or were displaced, the Turkish national psychology has guided us to forgive and forget in support of domestic tranquility and positive neighborly relations. However, as many of our neighbors have not moved on, we Turkish Americans have been left without shield of knowledge and the sword of truth to defend our selves. Hence, Turkish Americans must educate them selves, not forget the past, and must demand reconciliation based on truth. A politically active Turkish American community that is able effectively to defend its self and advance its interests, should be a main goal of very local Turkish American organization. ATAA is here to provide all the necessary help.
Turkishny.com: You urged people to make money instead of making “Laptop Patriotism”. Could we leave the “laptop patriotism” behind?
"Laptop Patriotism" is a term I coined in 2007 to express my dismay at the huge amount of of time and energy lost by Turkish Americans in various yahoo groups and chat rooms to spew grand theories "to save" Turkey and grand conspiracy theories to explain Turkey's problems. It is very similar to the way we joke at the end of a long Raki and Meze sofra, expressing that now we have saved the country we can go home and go to sleep.
I believe that hard work makes people realistic with their ideas. As there is no substitute for hard work, there is also no substitute for investing your hard earned money in what you believe. As the American saying goes, "Put your money where your mouth is." As Secretary Clinton recently expressed at the Diaspora Forum where I represented the ATAA and Turkish American community, "To plow the soil, it is not enough to turn it in your mind; you must get your hands dirty." I am glad that much of the "Laptop Patriotism" has been channeled either to ATAA MediaWatchNow or to real volunteer work. That which remains is not insubstantial, but does seem to serve a therapeutic purpose to flesh out thoughts and feelings.
Turkishny.com: You will be working for ATAA two more years to assist the new president? How will you serve in the new term?
We will continue to develop our current programs and expand them throughout the nation. As ATAA Past-President and Member of the Board of Directors, I will focus on private sector outreach. Indeed, on July 27, I will be speaking at a joint program of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO), Turkish American Businessmen's Association (TABA) and Turk Is Adamlari Konseyi (TAIK) at the ITO Auditorium. My topic is "Private Sector and Civil Society Engagement." I will also focus on building broader and deeper solidarity between ATAA and FTAA and TAA.
Turkishny.com: What is your message to Turkish community?
Yasamizi yasatalim. Dogru olalim. Durust olalim. Cok calisalim. Kucuklermizi koruyalim. Buyuklerimizi sayalam. Milletimizi kendimiz kadar sevelim. ATAA'ye uye olalim. Ne mutlu, "Turk Amerikali'yim" diyene.
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