Shocking-Who In New Mexico Would Allow Turkish Flag To Supersede Its Own? Leaders beguiled with free Turkey Trips manipulated by Gulen Movement?

What in the world would move leaders to uphold the flag of Turkey to fly over its own state flag?  It reminds me of how easily misled leaders can be with subtle inducements of goodwill favors such as free trips to Turkey that in reality isn't so free but is paid (untransparently of course) with taxpayer monies.  Wake up America and smell the stench--each state's leadership is in danger of influence from the Gulen movement--wake up your leaders--Texas is doing that--will you?

“Are Taxpayers Paying for Free Trips to Turkey?”

By Donna Garner

7.10.11

What Americans need to remember is that Fethullah Gulen is an Islamist imam who believes in Sharia law.  The Gulen charter schools are being funded by the taxpayers, should follow proper bidding practices, should be run by school administrators who are U. S. citizens and whose biographies are readily available on their school websites, should make their expenditures transparent, and should be carefully audited. 

The following articles contain disturbing details about how the Gulen charter schools (a.k.a., Cosmos Foundation, Harmony Schools, Raindrop Turkish House) operate through a large network of well-funded, Turkish entities.  

The first article describes the “free trips to Turkey” that various legislators and reporters in New Mexico have taken. Notice that the “money trail” for these New Mexico officials is not transparent.  Obviously, the trips are a way to propagandize all who go on them to come back to the United States and sing the praises of the Gulenist movement. 

A growing concern is whether taxpayers’ charter school dollars could possibly be traveling across state lines to pay for the freebies handed out in other states.  For instance, how do we know that our Texas public dollars are not funding the free trips given to the New Mexico officials? Where is the paper trail?  Where is the transparency? 

Underneath the New Mexico article, I have posted links to the Austin American-Statesman article which reveals the names of numerous Texas legislators who have taken the Turkish trips and another link that explains the investigation of the Gulen charter schools that the Texas Legislature is conducting. 

Donna Garner

Wgarner1@hot.rr.com

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http://www.santafenewmexican.com/localnews/N-M---Turkey-get-tight-as-lawmakers-get-gratis-visits#disqus_thread

N.M., Turkey get tight as lawmakers get gratis visits

Roundhouse Roundup

Steve Terrell | The New Mexican
Posted: Wednesday, June 01, 2011 - 6/2/11

Some Roundhouse regulars' heads were turned in January when they saw the flag of Turkey flying above the Capitol in place of the New Mexico flag.

I jokingly suggested in my blog that the state was trying to fix the state budget problem by renting out our flagpoles to other countries. But the truth is that seven Turkish congressmen were in town to meet with the governor, legislators and other state officials.

Turks seemed to be everywhere during the session. During the past two sessions, there have been "Turkish-New Mexican Friendship Receptions" in Santa Fe with host committees that included several state officers and legislators.

And in recent months, the Turkish-New Mexico connection has grown stronger. State Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino, D-Albuquerque, who recently got back from a 10-day Turkish trip with several New Mexico journalists, said Wednesday that he's just one of several legislators who have traveled to Turkey courtesy of a private group.

Sens. Dede Feldman and Cisco McSorley, both Albuquerque Democrats, are currently in Turkey, Ortiz y Pino said. And another Albuquerque Democrat, state Sen. Eric Griego, even took time off of his campaign for Congress to make the trip.

Earlier this year, another group of lawmakers including Rep. Debbie Rodella, D-Española, went, he said. And last fall, Ortiz y Pino said he made his first trip there along with Senate President pro-tem Tim Jennings, D-Roswell, Sen. George Muñoz, D-Gallup, and others.

Raul Burciaga, executive director of the Legislative Council Service, confirmed Wednesday that the state isn't paying for any of the Turkish trips. Legislative leaders in recent weeks have been talking about cutting back on out-of-state travel because of the budget crunch.

So who is paying? The cost of the travel isn't readily available. Because the state isn't paying for it, lawmakers don't have to file travel vouchers or other records with the state, Burciaga said.

The group that instigated the Turkish trips is the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians, which on its website describes itself as "a leading independent and an umbrella organization committed to advancing the interaction among American and Turkish, Turkic and Eurasian people to promote and encourage continuing good relationship and understanding through its affiliate organizations regardless of their ethnic origin, religion and other preferences."

The council "brings people together by hosting public programs and private events featuring leaders and experts with diverse views on a wide range of global and regional topics through task forces, executive forums, luncheons, conferences, studies and leadership dialogue."

Phone calls to the Houston-based group weren't returned Wednesday.

The group plans to build a Turkish cultural center in Albuquerque, which would be affiliated with the Raindrop Turkish House in Houston. The Turkish community in New Mexico is relatively small — only about 500 people, according to information on the council's website.

"They approached us about a couple of years ago about sending trade delegations," Jennings said in a telephone interview Wednesday. "A lot of people think that everyone in the Middle East hates America. They wanted to show us that's not true." He said he learned that Muslims, Christians and Jews live together in Turkey without strife.

Jennings said he and other legislators were allowed to go wherever they wanted in Turkey. "It wasn't like the government only allowed us to see what they wanted us to see."

Ortiz y Pino said the main motivation for the Turks wooing American legislators and journalists is that Turkey is trying hard to join the European Union. But the senator said a Turkish journalist told him even if Turkey doesn't get accepted in the EU, the effort has been worth it because of the reforms undertaken by his nation in seeking membership.

Ortiz y Pino said there's a lot to be learned from Turkey. "It's the world's third-fastest-growing economy," he said.

So if you begin noticing an influx of Turkish coffee, tobacco and bathhouses into New Mexico — and if Istanbul suddenly develops a hunger for green chile and tortillas — you'll know why.

Contact Steve Terrell at 986-3037 or sterrell@sfnewmexican.com. Read his political blog at roundhouseroundup.com.

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6.19.11 -- Austin American-Statesman article by Laylan Copelin and Mike Ward, “Some Texas Lawmakers Have Second Thoughts about Turkey Trips” --  

http://www.statesman.com/news/texas-politics/some-lawmakers-have-second-thoughts-about-turkey-trips-1548440.html

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6.29.11 -- Texas Legislature Investigating Gulen/Cosmos Foundation/Harmony Schools:  http://libertylinked.com/posts/7624/tx-investigating-gulen/View.aspx

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“Personal Accounts: Gulen Harmony Schools”

By Donna Garner

6.30.11

http://educationviews.org/2011/06/30/personal-accounts-gulen-harmony-schools/

How Does Turkish Citizens Own and Control Texas schools and other states Charter Schools And Use Your Taxpayer Money To Enlarge And Grow Their Influence--Through Our Ignorance--But Wait Mother Bears Are Now Awake--Join them...

Hean an interview with Peyton Woolcott as she shares with us what happens when you follow the money.  A large operation of Turkish-owned charter schools have been silently working and enlarging their territory in Texas for almost ten years with no accountability.  But just this week Texas Gov Perry announced they will be opening  investigations.  Read notes from Donna Garner and under Education Blog (see top of navigation bar marked Blog Post) are more articles from Donna Garner on this important issue.

After much study (please visit peytonwolcott.com) there is a common link to those with these charter schools and his name is Fethulah Gulen.

"Mr. Gulen, 70, has lived in the United States since 1999, when he left Turkey. In a widely circulated video from that time, he advised his followers to “move within the arteries of the system, without anyone noticing your existence, until you reach all the power centers.”

In the United States, Gulen schools often import Turkish teachers using H-1B visas, which allow American employers to temporarily hire foreign workers in specialty jobs.

The federal government places a strict limit on the number of H1-B visas it issues, and corporations often complain the cap restrains their ability to transfer highly qualified workers from foreign countries. Yet Gulen-backed schools received 839 H-1B visas in 2010, a 65 percent increase from 2007, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. "

Above excerpt from:
Return of Islamic College Raises New Questions
By DAVID LEPESKA
Published: May 28, 2011
 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/29/us/29cncislamu.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=education

These charter schools are found in many states

Per New York Times Article Dated June 6, 2011

"Some of the schools’ operators and founders, and many of their suppliers, are
followers of Fethullah Gulen, a charismatic Turkish preacher of a moderate brand of
Islam whose devotees have built a worldwide religious, social and nationalistic
movement in his name. Gulen followers have been involved in starting similar schools
around the country — there are about 120 in all, mostly in urban centers in 25 states,
one of the largest collections of charter schools in America."

Get informed and look at your own state to see if their expansion is headed there or worse already ingratiating your legislature...and using your taxpayer money.