The Birth and Growth of the Turkish-American Community At a time when national security is a mutual priority, a weak lobby is neither in the interests of Turkey nor America. Many members of the community were born overseas, therefore were not able to develop the skills necessary to be involved in complex domestic issues and in the U.S. political system. Yasemin Dobra-Manco Istanbul-Turkish Daily News Since Sept. 11, the war on terror and the war in Iraq there has been a greater need for Turkish-Americans to closely monitor U.S. foreign policy for the mutual interests of Turkey and the United States. However, due to the lack of institutions devoted to Turkish-American relations, such as think-tanks and academic centers, many critical issues and viewpoints are not brought to attention or debated. Due to the small size of the community of Turkish- Americans and their limited financial resources, they are unable to encourage the U.S. government to formulate fair and balanced policies that are in the interests of both nations. Although members of the Turkish-American community have made great achievements in their professions, their relations with the media and with U.S. officials are limited. Nor do Turkish-Americans have a voice in the Republican or Democratic parties. There are two Turkish-American organizations that merit special attention for their work to inform and educate the American people about issues of concern to Turkey and Turkish-Americans. The Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA), located in Washington D.C., and the Federation of Turkish American Associations (FTAA), located in New York City, have had the difficult job of protecting and defending mutual interests and of countering biased, defamatory or distorted information against Turkey and Turkish-Americans. The difficulties and problems experienced by the Turkish-American community can be attributed to many factors. One reason is the history of a weak and passive Turkish-American lobby. The main reason for this is that many members of the community were born overseas, and were not able to develop the skills necessary to be involved in complex domestic issues and in the U.S. political system. Very little research on this ethnic community has been done, and it is odd that only a few scholars have researched reasons behind the untrue accusations and negative images that have been created by the self-serving interests of anti-Turkish lobbies. The community and lobby have thus suffered because they have not effectively reacted to issues that target their interests. Turkish-Americans are still trying to devise ways of rapidly responding to issues as they emerge, as well as strategies that lead to informed involvement in the political process. Today the Turkish-American lobby can still be described as an emerging lobby. Although progress has been made through friends of Turkey in the U.S. Congress and through the Jewish community and lobby. But the Turkish lobby is still not very influential. Nor are Turkish-Americans well represented in mainstream American society, educational institutions or in the media. A great deal of work needs to be done to create a large informed national Turkish-American community and to get other ethnic and special interest groups to promote the objectives and goals of the Turkish lobby. Lobbyists hired by the Turkish government must also work harder and more effectively to combat those who seek to undermine and weaken the Turkish lobby. Over the years the Turkish community has been finding common ground with other groups and showing interest in issues of concern to other lobbies, especially regarding trade and business development. This may help in building coalitions, but the emerging differences of opinion within the U.S. over the war in Iraq and over how to handle the war on terror, has split various nationwide lobbies and groups into factions. Early and recent immigrants TDN conducted an interview with Dr. Ata Erim, who for decades has been one of the most active, dedicated and long-serving leaders of the Turkish-American community. After completing his studies in Turkey, Dr. Erim came to the United States in 1958 in order to further his medical education. He has been elected president of the FTAA numerous times since his involvement in the Turkish- American community, and has just been newly elected president of the FTAA. TDN discussed with Dr. Erim the composition of the organizations that make up the Turkish-American community, the Turkish-Turkic heritage in the U.S., and the size of the community. The FTAA president explained that there are two main groups that comprise the Turkish-American community: those who have come from the Turkish Republic, and those from other regions outside Turkey, such as Cyprus, the Balkans, the Caucasus and Central Asia. Erim further explained, "Within the FTAA, they operate just as any of our other members and participate in all our events. Together we make up a community of approximately 500,000-600,000. Only a small percentage have dual nationality, or are U.S. citizens, but we refer to them all as Turkish-Americans. If more and more could vote, we would have greater political influence, a stronger lobby, and contribute more to developing U.S.-Turkish relations. Hopefully one day our influence will increase as more of them become citizens and there are less bureaucratic obstacles." He added that all the organizations work together and want to preserve their cultural heritage and enrich America. Until recently there have been two major groups of Turkish-Americans. The first group consists of the early immigrants who came in the late 1800's and early 1900's. The second group is made up of the recent immigrants who came after 1950. The difference between the two immigrant groups can be observed in levels of education and religious practices (with early immigrants being less educated, more ethnically conscious, and more religious). In general, the more recent arrivals were better assimilated and were not as concerned with ethnic preservation as were early immigrants. After these two waves, there is now a growing group of U.S. born Turkish-Americans, students, businessmen and women who remain in the U.S. for extended periods. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the number of Turkic peoples coming from the Caucasus and Central Asia has also increased. The 1950's & 1960's: The big immigration wave Dr. Erim offered an account of his impressions when he first came to America and saw no efficiently organized association of Turkish-Americans. It was in 1968 that he decided to form a Turkish-American Physicians Association in New York with two doctor friends. He was president of the organization for seven years. The newly founded doctor's association began to be involved with the FTAA, which had been founded in New York in 1956 by four Turkish-American associations. One of those associations was the Turkish Cultural Association that was founded in the 1930's by immigrants who came to America at the beginning of the 1900's. Many of these early immigrants from the Ottoman Empire were from areas near Elazig and Harput. Dr. Erim remembers in particular Mehmet Aga from Elazig, who was then active within his very close knit community of Turks. "They kept their customs and traditions alive. However, they led a very isolated life, and very few members were involved with the American community. They even had a cook from Turkey, and some of them never married." Another founding member of the FTAA was the Turkish Red Crescent, which sought to assist earthquake victims, and was particularly active in the 1940's after the devastating Erzincan earthquake that killed over 40,000 people. The other two founding organizations were the Turkish Aid Society, founded in the 1930's by Turkish Cypriots, and a Turkish-American friendship society that included American friends of Turkey. As Dr. Erim explained, these organizations were not very active because they functioned very locally. In contrast, today the FTAA has evolved into an organization that can operate on a state, regional or national level. After the physician's association formed by Dr. Erim joined the FTAA, "We thought the newcomers and those who had come previously should be more united and organized. We also recommended the formation of another organization by engineers and architects. After 1968, for about two years, we helped to form such groups. Nine Turkish-American associations soon became members of the FTAA. For example, in Long Island the Anadolu Club was formed. Then the Crimean Turks Association in the 1970's," he explained. Impact of the 1970's: Awakening & a new consciousness Prior to the 1970's, the Turkish-American community in general was uninterested in political matters, and political activities had been organized on just a few occasions. When asked which events were significant, Dr. Erim recalls that it was in 1973 that the first large event was organized to protest against the massacre of Turks in Cyprus. The massacres, and the Turkish intervention that followed, galvanized Turkish-Americans into organized action and also to gather assistance (Turkey intervened in Cyprus in 1974 after the July 15 coup against the Greek Cypriot president when Greek Cypriots sought to unite with Greece). Consequently, it was after the mid- 1970's that the FTAA began to play an important role in the Turkish-American community. Allegations by the politically motivated Armenian lobby, regarding Turks and the Ottoman Empire, also led to the beginning of a new consciousness and an awakening of Turkish-Americans. The killing of Turkish diplomats by Armenian terrorists, which began in the mid-1970's, also horrified Turkish-Americans. Within the community a desire arose to provide the American public, as well as policy makers, with alternative viewpoints and sources of information. Turkish-Americans also became more concerned with U.S. public opinion and public relations campaigns. As a result a need for organized action increased in order to defend and protect Turkish-Americans and to counter the anti- Turkish lobbies. Dr. Erim offered further details adding "In the early 1970's, we sought to get in touch with other Turkish-American communities and encouraged them to form associations. They included women's groups, Crimean Turks, Azerbaijanis, Turks from the Balkans, and communities in Connecticut, Boston and elsewhere in New England." Also by the mid-1970's, while Sitki Coskun was Consul General, the Turkish Center located across the United Nations was purchased. For the first time an impressive multi-story building could be used as a headquarters from where activities could be planned, as well as held. The 1980's: Faced with terror Throughout the 1980's an even greater effort was made to unite, protect, and defend the Turkish-American community. Interest also focused on creating an organized way of assisting and guiding Turkish-Americans who lived in the United States. By the early 1980's, Armenian genocide allegations were accompanied by Armenian terrorism in the U.S. and throughout the world. "Until then we were not aware of the so called 'Armenian genocide' issue because in Turkey we had not been taught about such allegations," Dr. Erim said referring to the alleged genocide of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire. At the time Turkish diplomats were being killed one after another. "The Consul General Teyfik Unaydin was the one who encouraged us to do something to organize the Turkish- American community amidst the terror threats," he notes. "In 1981, we organized a march to condemn Armenian terrorism. The turnout was very low, at the most 200 people. Many people were afraid to come and feared being killed by Armenian terrorists. As the killing of Turkish diplomats around the world continued after 1982, we decided to organize another march to protest and condemn international terrorism," he recounts. At the time Americans were fortunate not to have experienced major acts of international terrorism within the shores of the homeland. The Turkish- American interest to draw attention to the dangers of terrorism may have singled Turkish-Americans out, rather than to have helped their assimilation into mainstream society. Today however, Americans, Turks, and Turkish- Americans are faced with an entirely new situation. While discussing plans for the next march Dr. Erim explained, "We started to contact members of the Jewish community and they advised us that instead of condemning Armenians, Turks should introduce themselves to the American public as a Turkish-American community and have a day in honor of this, just as Italian-Americans, Jewish Americans, or Irish Americans." The Jewish community to which Dr. Erim refers, pays great attention to U.S. foreign policy and is also known as the pro-Israel lobby. Though there are many subgroups of American Jews, this lobby is one of the most powerful, resourceful, efficient, and highly organized lobbies in the U.S., with many of its well-educated members holding important positions in leading organizations. Participation and interest in events kept growing he says and "After the third year of organizing we called that day the 'Turkish-American Day Parade.' By gathering Turkish-Americans together we enabled them to be proud of their Turkish origins in America, and to take be conscious of a sense of their roots. More and more Turkish-Americans increasingly became aware of the issues that were of concern to the community." Because it is believed that diversity enhances America and its cultural mosaic, since the 1960's ethnic communities in general have become more active in keeping their culture alive (today there is less pressure for newcomers to assimilate into mainstream U.S. culture than there was at the time of the early immigrants -- unlike in France for example, where assimilation is encouraged rather than multiculturalism.) Due to new technologies, these communities are also more closely in touch with their country of origin, which can be beneficial for building bridges. On the subject of the development of the Turkish-American lobby, Dr. Erim stated, "Over the years some of our members became involved in lobbying and began forming committees, because the FTAA cannot be involved in political activities." The 1990's: Embracing ethnic identity The 10th anniversary celebration of the first march was held in 1991. "The turnout was the most impressive ever, with 20,000 participants. This was a great accomplishment when you consider that we had started out with just 150- 200 people at the first march, and only a few congressmen and political figures who supported the Turkish-American community, like Jim Moody, Stephen Solarz, and Joe DioGuardi. As each year passed, we learned how to better organize ourselves and to learn from our experiences. We began displaying floats, contacting other ethnic communities, and promoting a variety of cultural events," Dr. Erim said with satisfaction. He continued to describe how one year they brought together leaders of different religions: a priest from the Orthodox Church, a rabbi and an imam. Models of a synagogue, church and mosque were also displayed during the parade. He remarked that once the community began to coordinate their activities with other organizations from across the U.S., the number of organizations who became members of the FTAA increased. At present there are 40 organizations that are members, and according to Dr. Erim approximately four out of five Turkish-Americans are represented by the FTAA. "With time we also learned how important it was to have an educated Turkish- American community. We also learned how to develop contacts with other lobbies, the most important and influential being the Jewish lobby. We came in contact mostly with members of the Sephardic community, and with individuals whose ancestors were from Turkey. Although very few of them spoke Turkish, they were very much in love with Turkey. On numerous occasions when accusations were directed at Turks, they stood up in support of Turks and Turkey. We also had reactions from members of other Jewish organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League, Bnai Brith, the American Jewish Committee, and the World Jewish Congress. As a matter of fact, when I established the World Turkish Congress, I modeled it after the World Jewish Congress," he explained. In 1988, together with an Ashkenazi Jewish group, the FTAA organized a symposium at Yeshiva University on "500 Years of Turkish-Jewish Relations." The speakers all had a very favorable image of Turkey says Dr. Erim and "after this we began organizing more conferences." By 1992, the FTAA transformed the one-day event that was focused on the Turkish Day Parade, into a week of celebrating Turkish-American heritage. "Turkish Week" sought to encourage the participation of teachers and professors, as well as the Turkish-American youth in order to prepare them for the future and educate them about the truth behind the so-called Armenian genocide, says the FTAA president. As the years passed, "Turkish Week" evolved into a month-long "Festival of Turkish Culture." He elaborated, "Many of the organizers of the events, and the participants, seek and find sponsors from Turkey and we help them coordinate the planned activities with members of the community." The Turkish-American community now also includes a growing number of student associations. 2000 and beyond Other events that have stimulated organized activity by members of the Turkish-American community include the devastating terrorist attacks on Sept. 11. Once again, the Turkish-American community, which had already suffered great pain due to the terrorism targeting Turks in the '70's and 80's, was mobilized against terrorism. Both Turkey and Turkish-Americans showed their solidarity with America and the victims from around the world. The Turkish- American community not only organized protests against terror, but also displayed strong support for the U.S. fight against terrorism. After the series of bombings in Istanbul in November 2003, the Turkish-American community once again came together to condemn terrorism. Grief was especially shared with the Jewish community in Turkey and with Jews from around the world because two of the attacks targeted the Jewish community. Other issues which have united Turkish-Americans include U.S. economic and foreign policies, Turkey's planned European Union entry, Turkish reforms, NATO restructuring, negotiations over Cyprus, cooperation in the energy sector, and bilateral trade and investment. As the need for greater cooperation between the two allies grows, and as U.S. elections are nearing, Turkish-Americans and other lobbies should become mobilized to work together for international peace and prosperity while protecting American interests. The worldwide challenges to U.S. foreign policy might therefore serve in some way as catalysts for solidarity. However, because certain U.S. policies have caused a rift among allies, and even within NATO, a study should be undertaken to evaluate the impact of the war in Iraq on the Turkish-American lobby, as well as on the lobbies of other U.S. allies, such as France, Spain, Britain, Greece and Italy. A better understanding of developments would help prevent the estrangement of ethnic groups and disunity within America due to different views at a time of war. Turkey has been a member of NATO since 1952, was a key U.S. ally during the 1991 Gulf War, and has participated in missions in Korea, Somalia, Kosovo, and Afghanistan. Turkey has supported the U.S. in its fight against terrorism, and is awaiting U.S. action to fight terrorists that target Turkey. But despite a history of shared interests, Turkey's geo-strategic importance, and experiences in fighting terrorism, the Turkish-American community does not appear to be united with a strong enough voice that can draw attention to the many pressing issues that have arisen since Sept. 11. Domestic uncertainties in Turkey have also made it very difficult for the Turkish lobby to formulate long-term strategies and maintain consistent positions. At a time when national security is a mutual priority, a weak lobby is neither in the interests of Turkey nor America. A more active lobby would be instrumental in strengthening cooperation between the two allies during this critical period when a lack of security is igniting a highly volatile region. Upcoming festival celebrates Turkish-American heritage Just as in previous years, leaders and members of the Federation of Turkish American Associations (FTAA) are preparing a month-long Festival of Turkish Culture that will bring Turks from around the nation to the New York area. The series of events, beginning on April 23, will include concerts, cultural programs, exhibitions, conferences, food fairs, crafts displays, and the performance of a Turkish military band. The 23rd anniversary celebration of the Turkish Day Parade will be the highlight of the activities planned for May. Traditionally, many Turks set that day aside to celebrate their Turkish- American heritage, and exchange news and greetings when they gather across the United Nations at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza. Although the major concentrations of Turkish-Americans are along the eastern coast, with concentrations around New York State, the month-long events also attract Turkish-Americans from smaller communities throughout the U.S. The events also aim to cultivate cultural exchanges with Americans, introduce a greater number of Americans to Turkish culture, and indulge in Turkish delicacies while enjoying Turkish music, dance and art (for more information on upcoming events see www.ftaa.org). Members of the Washington-based Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA) will also be traveling to New York from across America. Among the numerous Turkish-American organizations operating in the U.S., these two organizations merit special attention for raising the political conscience of Turkish-Americans and for educating policy makers and the general public. The ATAA, founded in 1979, is an umbrella organization of 57 Turkish American associations from the US, Canada and Turkey. Located in the nation's capital, the organization follows legislative issues and calls on Turkish-Americans to act at state and national levels against campaigns targeting Turkey and the heritage of Turkish Americans (to learn more about issues concerning the Turkish American community visit the comprehensive Web site at www.ataa.org). Both the FTAA and ATAA work as sister-associations, seeking to link all Turkish-American communities while also striving to create an informed Turkish-American community that can help foster US-Turkish relations and take an active part in promoting a truthful picture of Turkey in the U.S. The ATAA also seeks to educate Americans in government, the media, and the public at large about Turkey. Due to its representative role in the capital, the ATAA holds an annual convention in Washington, enabling greater visibility for the Turkish-American community. Under the leadership of ATAA president Ercument Kilic, ATAA launched a new program to strengthen local organizations by awarding grants for project proposals that aim to serve the interests of the community. In cooperation with TUSIAD businessmen's organization, the ATAA also oversees a U.S. Congress Internship Program for Turkish-American students. Turkish Forum Helps Make Project a Reality The Murat Reis/Razorback submarine, which symbolizes decades of U.S.-Turkish friendship, will be on display at the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum thanks to the efforts of the members of the Turkish Forum. Dr. Kayaalp Buyukataman, the President and Founder of the Turkish Forum, stated "Our partnership with the City of North Little Rock and the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum in bringing the Murat Reis/Razorback submarine back to the United States in order to develop a Turk-American Friendship museum is cornerstone to the overall objective of the Turkish Forum." In a statement made to the TDN, Dr. Buyukataman explains, "The Turkish Forum worked hand in hand with the City of North Little Rock and AIMM from the beginning of this effort, which started roughly two years ago, to secure the approvals and funding necessary to make this project a reality. For the most part the USA relations were handled by NLR/AIMM and the Turkish relations were managed by the Turkish Forum with appropriate overlap when necessary. Having a lasting symbol of the over 50 years friendship our two great countries on display in the heartland of America is a source of pleasure for the Turkish Community worldwide. Watching our new friends from Arkansas learn about and admire Turkish culture and history in the process has been an added benefit to this effort." The Turkish Forum, established by Dr. Kayaalp Buyukataman, is an Internet based U.S. Tax Exempt (501-3c) organization "with roots deep into Turkish communities in every continent and in every country focused on further enhancing the Turkish lobby through education, collective campaigns and the distribution of information. This project is the first step in the Turkish Forum's long-term plan of developing an Ataturk World Peace Center for Learning in addition to our efforts in helping to strengthen the Turkish lobby and Turkish economic and trade opportunities in the United