The True Scandal of the Turkish-German Woman Who Posed for Playboy
Prompting much media hysteria and her family's disapprobation, Sıla Şahin has become the first Turkish-German woman to pose for Playboy. In all the column inches devoted here and in Germany to debating this act of liberation (as she puts it) or this degradation masquerading as liberation (as others put it) or this shameful disgrace for which she should be killed (as the owner of a kebab stand in Berlin charmingly put it), I have not seen one word devoted to the truly scandalous part of this story:
For actress Sıla Şahin, being the first Turkish-German woman on the cover of the German edition of Playboy was downright revolutionary.
"I feel like Che Guevara," she told Playboy in the interview accompanying the photo spread.
This is the tragedy of Turkish politics in a sentence: the absence of a genuinely liberal answer to traditional patriarchy, Islamism and authoritarianism. Far too many young people here think the answer is the revolutionary hard left, which for reasons unfathomable represents freedom in their minds.
I'm sure this pretty dingbat has no idea who Che Guevara was; and I note that she grew up in Germany, so I can't say whether Turkish political culture or German political culture is more to blame for this rot. But the West really needs to ask itself why she didn't say, "I feel like John Locke."
If we can't make the case that freedom is about something much more worthwhile than stripping and emulating Che Guevara, I don't think we'll have much luck selling freedom in the Islamic world.
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Nov '10
Re: The True Scandal of the Turkish-German Woman Who Posed for Playboy
"or German political culture is more to blame for this rot."
Indeed. I recently saw the much ballyhooed Baader-Meinhof Komplex. A conflicted/romantic attachment to the New Left is still pretty pervasive in German society, as the film brings home however unwittingly (esp. the DVD director/cast/production interviews).
Mar '11
Re: The True Scandal of the Turkish-German Woman Who Posed for Playboy
Is it any surprise that Horst Mahler is now a Holocaust-denying Fascist?
Dec '10
Re: The True Scandal of the Turkish-German Woman Who Posed for Playboy
Last night, my daughter was in a high school production of The Laramie Project. It was very good. After the show, the girl who portrayed the young lesbian who becomes a political activist came into the lobby and was congratulated and hugged by her family. Her mother wore a headscarf. Her parents are first-generation Iranian immigrants. Apparently their family has assimilated extremely well into suburban Californian culture. Of course, one hopes that the assimilation doesn't go too far - one of my eldest daughter's former classmates at the same high school went on to become a porn star and later a fixture on Dr. Drew's Celebrity Rehab AND Dr. Drew's Celebrity Sex Rehab.
Jul '10
Re: The True Scandal of the Turkish-German Woman Who Posed for Playboy
Playboy: Airbrushing Airheads since 1953
May '10
Re: The True Scandal of the Turkish-German Woman Who Posed for Playboy
Sadly, that "I feel like Che Guevara" line could have been uttered by a young American dingbat just as easily.
Sep '10
Re: The True Scandal of the Turkish-German Woman Who Posed for Playboy
Let's follow up this post about chicks giving it away for free with another wondering where all the "real men" have gone, shall we?
Re: The True Scandal of the Turkish-German Woman Who Posed for Playboy
This wasn't a "chicks giving it away for free" post, it was a "look how the world got wrapped up in the chick giving it away for free while missing this more important part of the story" post.
May '10
Re: The True Scandal of the Turkish-German Woman Who Posed for Playboy
Does anyone else feel deeply betrayed by the lack of a picture with this story?
Oh, might have missed the important part. Well no wonder Turkey thought it should be part of the EU. Its Left is Marxist and its Right is Racist. Hardly unique to Turkey, though. As in Egypt, the lack of an appealing alternative is frustrating.
May '10
Re: The True Scandal of the Turkish-German Woman Who Posed for Playboy
Also puzzled as to what "it" is, exactly. Is it subsidized?
Re: The True Scandal of the Turkish-German Woman Who Posed for Playboy
It will be a cold day in hell before I put a picture of Che Guevara on Ricochet.
May '10
Re: The True Scandal of the Turkish-German Woman Who Posed for Playboy
Claire Berlinski, Ed.
It will be a cold day in hell before I put a picture of Che Guevara on Ricochet. · Apr 23 at 6:36am
You're a great audience, Ricochet! I'll be here all week. Remember to tip your waitress.
Jun '10
Re: The True Scandal of the Turkish-German Woman Who Posed for Playboy
But the West really needs to ask itself why she didn't say, "I feel like John Locke."
I agree. Good post.
This poor deluded girl will turn up some day with her head disconnected from her torso. She misses the point by a long shot --- Che would have happily joined the Islamists in beheading or stoning or maiming anyone who stepped out of line.
Sep '10
Re: The True Scandal of the Turkish-German Woman Who Posed for Playboy
"I feel like Che Guevara,"
He ended up with many bullets in his body, so perhaps she's being ironic. She can say she's been there and got the t-shirt.
Jun '10
Re: The True Scandal of the Turkish-German Woman Who Posed for Playboy
Claire Berlinski, Ed.
It will be a cold day in hell before I put a picture of Che Guevara on Ricochet.
That's laugh out loud funny.
How about at least a picture of the dingbat wearing a Che T-shirt (with bullet holes in it? - the T not the girl).
Edited on Apr 23, 2011 at 8:55amMay '10
Re: The True Scandal of the Turkish-German Woman Who Posed for Playboy
She's never seen a picture of John Locke on a wet T-shirt.
Jun '10
Re: The True Scandal of the Turkish-German Woman Who Posed for Playboy
"She's never seen a picture of John Locke on a wet T-shirt."
A marketing opportunity, perhaps?
Aug '10
Re: The True Scandal of the Turkish-German Woman Who Posed for Playboy
Wet political philosopher t-shirt night! Every tuesday! So come on down to juggs! Two miles from the airport!
Sep '10
Re: The True Scandal of the Turkish-German Woman Who Posed for Playboy
Claire Berlinski, Ed.
This wasn't a "chicks giving it away for free" post, it was a "look how the world got wrapped up in the chick giving it away for free while missing this more important part of the story" post. · Apr 23 at 5:52am
How about this for a close:
"If we can't make the case that freedom is about something much more worthwhile than stripping and emulating Che Guevara, we won't have any freedom left to sell."
In any case, pornography directly contributes to all manner of social pathologies. Sila Sahin is materially assisting sex slavery and child abuse, just to name two. If the choice is between homicidal zealots and sex slavers, why choose at all?
How about just letting the thing play out and not lifting a finger either way?
Sep '10
Re: The True Scandal of the Turkish-German Woman Who Posed for Playboy
Actually, the real point of the story is of two sides who both hate freedom duking it out. Anyone who connects pornography with freedom needs to spend a little time with something called the Internet. It's filled with girls selling themselves for a pittance, assuming they're getting anything out of it at all and aren't just drug slaves or worse.
Hugh Hefner and his ilk are for freedom just like Jefferson Davis was. Maybe Che Guevara is the perfect symbol for the thing after all.
Edited on Apr 23, 2011 at 1:45pmMar '11
Re: The True Scandal of the Turkish-German Woman Who Posed for Playboy
"But the West really needs to ask itself why she didn't say, "I feel like John Locke."
Come on, you already know the answer to this. Because Locke's thinking was an extension of his Christianity, and thus he's one of the hated Dead White European Males. Besides, Locke had no problem with the "Patriarchy", because it too is reinforced in Judeo-Christian faith. God gave men and women roles, after all. Take away the hated patriarchy.... and, let's be honest, the stability and structure it provides... and fluff like Che-ism is what will fill the void.