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May 13, 2012 6:48 PM

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The Challenge of the Empty Chair: Fethullah Gulen

By: 60 Minutes Overtime Staff
Topics: Overtime Original

Here at Overtime, we like to think we're reasonably well informed. But to be perfectly honest, we hadn't heard of Fethullah Gulen until we saw Lesley Stahl's 60 Minutes story this week.

Who exactly is Gulen? As Lesley's producer Shachar Bar-On tells Overtime Editor Ann Silvio, he's arguably one of the most important Islamic clerics in the world today -- and he lives in the Poconos! In this week's broadcast, Lesley and Shachar do an excellent job explaining Gulen and his movement, even though the man himself declined to be interviewed.

How does a journalist do her job when the main subject of the story won't talk? That's the topic of this week's Overtime piece.

Tell us what you think about Fethullah Gulen. Had you ever heard of this Turkish cleric? What do think of his movement and the charter schools he's helping to create across the United States?

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by SedatZaman June 29, 2012 8:44 PM EDT: A group of three publicly financed charter schools in Georgia run by followers of Fethullah Gulen, a prominent Turkish imam, have come under scrutiny after they defaulted on bonds and an audit found that the schools improperly granted hundreds of thousands of dollars in contracts to businesses and groups, many of them with ties to the Gulen movement.
READ THE COMPLETE NY TIMES ARTICLE HERE: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/06/us/audits-for-3-georgia-charter-schools-tied-to-gulen-movement.html; Reply to this comment

by 1262b May 22, 2012 2:23 PM EDT

I am an American who has visited Turkey several times over the past six years, staying for a full year on one occasion. I have come across many of the "hizmet" (service) people, followers of Gulen. In fact, if you meet someone who speaks English well, is not part of the old elite (doesn't live in a coastal neighborhood) who doesn't favor a military coup, and doesn't tell you how much they hate Kurds or Jews, you can be sure you have met a hizmet person. What are they doing all over the world, including in the U.S.?

1. I would say pretty much what Christian missionaries have been doing all over the world- minus the attempt at conversion- teaching, healing, serving.
2. Trying to break down Islamophobia by offering living proof that Muslims do not necessarily fit the negative stereotypes.
3. Living very frugally so that they can donate money for causes like earthquake relief in Pakistan.

In Turkey, these are the people who OPPOSED the sailing of the Mavi Marmara because they considered it a provocation against Israel. They prevented a coup in Turkey since 2002 in the only way they could. Exercising their rights as law-abiding citizens of that country to enter the armed forces and leak the generals' coup plans. In the past year they have become the only effective constraint on Erdogan's suppression of the media and attempt to change the constitution so that he can become an all-powerful president.

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by SedatZaman June 29, 2012 8:17 PM EDT: 60 Minutes should do a follow up to this story, since this article they have been denied over 12 charter school renewals.

A group of three publicly financed charter schools in Georgia run by followers of Fethullah Gulen, a prominent Turkish imam, have come under scrutiny after they defaulted on bonds and an audit found that the schools improperly granted hundreds of thousands of dollars in contracts to businesses and groups, many of them with ties to the Gulen movement.
READ THE COMPLETE NY TIMES ARTICLE HERE: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/06/us/audits-for-3-georgia-charter-schools-tied-to-gulen-movement.html


by serpendi56 May 21, 2012 11:16 AM EDT: There are 2 types of attackers of these charter schools: First type of attackers are within who hates Turks or Muslims and can't appreciate anything good they do for the society. Second type of attackers are within the education world: teacher unions. Read this story from Wall Street Journal:

On education policy, appeasement is about as ineffective as it is in foreign affairs. Many proponents of school choice, especially Democrats, have tried to appease teachers unions by limiting their support to charter schools while opposing private school vouchers. They hope that by sacrificing vouchers, the unions will spare charter schools from political destruction.

But these reformers are starting to learn that appeasement on vouchers only whets unions appetites for eliminating all meaningful types of choice. With voucher programs facing termination in Washington, D.C., and heavy regulation in Milwaukee, the teachers unions have now set their sights on charter schools. Despite their proclamations about supporting charters, the actions of unions and their allies in state and national politics belie their rhetoric.

In New York, for example, the unions have backed a new budget that effectively cuts $51.5 million from charter-school funding, even as district-school spending can continue to increase thanks to local taxes and stimulus money that the charters lack. New York charters already receive less money per pupil than their district school counterparts; now they will receive even less.

Unions are also seeking to strangle charter schools with red tape. New York already has the "card check" unionization procedure for teachers that replaces secret ballots with public arm-twisting. And the teachers unions appear to have collected enough cards to unionize the teachers at two highly successful charter schools in New York City. If unions force charters to enter into collective bargaining, one can only imagine how those schools will be able to maintain the flexible work rules that allow them to succeed.

You can read the rest at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123985052084823887.html; Reply to this comment


by youngphysicist May 20, 2012 4:42 PM EDT: For those couple of people writing comments full of hatred and delusion..

Your mind and souls will feel much better if you take a deep breath and release and destruct the hatred and delusion that you are in. Looks like you are misinformed and hatred emanates from ignorance. The true knowledge starts from listening to different opinions. Instead of writing comments day and night why not using the time more wisely and learning about "the others' truth" unless you are paid for writing continuously. Read Gulen's opinions from his own works instead of personal blogs. If you say it will take a long time to read them all, then read other thinkers' and academicians' books and writings about the movement and the schools. I am not a wise-man, but just a poor physicist that reads and knows some of these people in person. Sorry for if my words were harsh but believe me you will start thinking differently if you read a bit.

Looking through your comments you are repeating yourself, this is not a personal blog; if you have a point, just say it, otherwise don't feel like you need to respond them all. As readers we can understand and analyze them all if it is written once. Just respect the "other opinion", believe me it's much easier.

(I don't know myself if Harmony itself is related to Gulen but I know that there are thousands of schools inspired by Gulen all over the world); Reply to this comment


by kimkim34 May 18, 2012 9:48 PM EDT: I clearly remember that Mr Gulen called USA pope and Israel snake that needs to be smashed and i am amazed how fast he changes his ideas.; Reply to this comment


by kimkim34 May 18, 2012 8:52 PM EDT: and the Turkish Gunman that tried to MURDER pope met pope as well and they had supposedly great dialogue so it does not mean anything

probably you ignorant Gulenists do not know that or just ignore
please hit that link below

http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2010/01/13/mehmet-ali-agca-the-man-who-tried-to-kill-pope-john-paul/; Reply to this comment


by qualitychoice May 18, 2012 12:48 PM EDT: I was so disappointed in this report. Having worked as an administrator for a Gulen Charter School, it was a constant battle to ensure that the complex needs of these urban children were prioritized over the Gulen agenda. My days were filled with sorting through the lies, I was not allowed to view the credentials of teachers, I was not allowed to evaluate certain turkish teachers who were receiving high salaries. The turkish janitor made more money then certified American teachers. It was a nightmare and for sixty minutes to do such a vanilla job of reporting, I am saddened.; Reply to this comment

by easma73 May 17, 2012 7:39 PM EDT

It is very unfortunate that your state's residents have no clue about the real purpose of these institutions hiding behind charter school cover. These are Islamic fundamentalist Fettullah Gulen founded organizations for solely making propaganda and spreading poison throughout the nation... Open your eyes and start investigating. There are about 200 Turkish charter schools operated by an Islamic cult managed by Imam Fetullah Gulen all over the US. Imam Gulen's well known statement to his followers goes as follows "Travel within the arteries of the system without being noticed, and wait for the right time for action. Bribe the courts, bribe the judges to win your case even if you need to spend millions of dollars to do so. This Imam expelled by the Turkish government now lives in the US. They abuse the immigration system to get 100s of Turkish teachers to teach at these charter schools while the American teachers flip burgers unemployed. Turkish teachers pay a percentage of their salaries back to the cult, seems voluntary, yet mandatory. So American tax payers pay these Turkish teachers in the school district. And the money eventually support the Gulen cult that had a secret agenda. The idea behind these Islamic charter schools is to create an American generation who are close to Gulen's Islamic movement in ideology. The cult further identifies the most successful kids in the system and trains them as the leaders of the future. I am very glad that finally the secret agenda of the Imam FetullaH Gulen cult surface.
All these schools may say they are Gulen Inspired and they have followers of Gulen (Cult Members) but let us look closer at the knucklehead they are inspired by via quotes from Gulen's own words:
"You must become a bomb and explode against the USA..."
"You must move through the artery of the systems until conditions are ripe..."
"The Vatican is a den of snakes and the Pope is like a Cobra...."
"You must build a web (Madrassas-Schools) and lay with the patients of a spider. We do not consume their bodys but breath new life into their souls..."
Not really anyone who should be around children since there are enough evidence that they are fanatics who pretend to be nice. In fact it is just plain creepy.
Gulen Inspired Charter Schools - Teachers with guns: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=SUTd5DV3RMg
Gulen Charter Schools Whirling Dervish & Occult Sufism: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfcmV7n7f0M
In case you missed it here is the original news article about the FBI investigations.: http://www.hawaiifreepress.com/main/ArticlesMain/tabid/56/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/4003/VIDEO-FBI-investigating-Gulen-Charter-Schools-parents-pulling-kids-out.aspx
Hawaii, Indiana, Texas, etc., all are finding out about the Gulen Managed Charter schools siphoning money from the US Tax payers. In the above article - the news video is about the Gulen's FBI investigation.
Allegations rose over N. Phila. Charter school run by followers of Turkish imam: http://articles.philly.com/2012-04-19/news/31368006_1_charter-school-charter-office-turkish-imam

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by kimkim34 May 18, 2012 7:01 PM EDT: Gulen is a total eenemy of USA and free world


by youngphysicist May 20, 2012 2:58 PM EDT: Can you please


by youngphysicist May 20, 2012 3:05 PM EDT: Can you please provide the sources of the quotes of "Gulen's words" from his works? You can reach every single work online. It's easy to lie without citing the source, isn't it?

by HaydarEren May 17, 2012 1:25 AM EDT

GULEN'S AGENDA

For the past several centuries Christian World enjoys the separation of Church and State. This unfortunately is not applicable when it comes to Islam.
No matter what kind of sheep skin a religious Muslim figure wears, or how much interpretations are stretched, the fundamentals of Islam require Sharia Law be the law of the land.
These are the facts.
... ***
When it comes governing rule of Islam, Mr. Gulen's position can not and is not different from the facts. However, Gulen Movement offers something no other has ever offered to Turkish and other Muslims: Capitalism.

Whether it was the Ottoman Empire or the Turkish Republic, until recent decades (Turgut Ozal era) there was no Merchant and Industrialist Class in Turkey. Vast majority of capital and trade was in the hand of state (Kemalist Burocrats).
Reforms implemented by President Ozal during 1990's have opened an avenue to average businessmen to dip into national and international opportunities. Mr. Gulen took this opportunity and combined it with power of religion's web... voila!!!
***
The question is; whether Gulen Movement's intentions are harmless or not?
It might look very innocent today... even in the future.
However, going back to the facts I stated above, plus historical lessons learned, I urge caution.

Religion organized in large numbers is potential danger to any society... especially in those who lack the understanding of democracy.
Mr. Gulen in the United States is no different than Ayatollah Khomeini in France.
Remember what happened in 1979.
At the moment of instability, many different layers (Liberals, Kurds, Religious Groups, Socialists etc.) of society raised up against Shah of Iran. After removal of the Shah, only Religious Groups had the organizational and financial means to take the lead and eventually diffuse the other partners.

I also urge your attention to Gulen Schools.
These schools are purely part of the big plan to built-up an intellectual generation base... nationally and internationally.

Do you want 21st Century style Khomeini?
Go on, support and allow the Gulen Movement.

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by kimkim34 May 17, 2012 4:06 PM EDT: As you see the vast majority of Turkish people do not like him do not recognize Gulen the self declared leader

by secular00 May 15, 2012 4:16 PM EDT

To Kimkim:
You do not know any idea about military regime even if you support one in Turkey. Know this too Kimkim before questioning other peoples' educational credentials. Every military intervention took place in Turkey with the help of so called "Journalist". Those so called "Journalists" are the true facilitator and supporter of the coup in Turkey in 1960, 1971, 1980 and 1997

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by kimkim34 May 15, 2012 11:08 PM EDT: Journalists are journalists they do not support coup.


by kimkim34 May 15, 2012 11:21 PM EDT: NO i absolutely DO NOT support military regime anywhere. do not distort the truth.


by acddca May 16, 2012 4:41 PM EDT: It is well known fact that in Turkey Military used journalists to create a suitable atmosphere for coups


by kimkim34 May 16, 2012 9:12 PM EDT: well Turkish people do hate him. I do no support militaristic regime. September 12 is another story you speak like Mr. Gulen is not tolerant at all. why does not he speak about gay rights for example? or we know that he hates atheists as well. USA will decide that Mr Gulen is a sincere man or not and i feel like they also started to see your real face. Lets see what happens i hope they stop the Mr. Gulen`s activities in USA i think he is dangerous. He is tolerant to his followers this is not tolerance.


by kimkim34 May 16, 2012 9:15 PM EDT: yes journalists were in touch with army it does not make them guilty they did it to be updated.


by kimkim34 May 16, 2012 9:16 PM EDT: yes some of them favored coup but this was their personal ideas.


by kimkim34 May 18, 2012 9:16 PM EDT: Hey secular where are you now? we do not see and your lies anymore

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