AT TURK:
1) "No one with credibility considers Azerbaijan a "Turkish" state except Azeris themselves (some at least). I believe one thing everyone can agree on is that Azeris speak a Turkic language."
As someone who has spent time in Turkey and Iran, and who's Grandfather was from Tabriz, and Grandmother from Ashgobat, I can certify for a fact that your are an agenda driven liar.
The majority of people in the former Soviet states of Central can understand and communicate with an Azari speaker. Such is not the case for an Istanbuli speaker, such as yourself. There is simply TOO much Arabic in the Turkish language to be comprehensible by those in Central Asia. For example, Turkman and Azari are virtually the same, and are really just dialects of one another. As a result, Azari is, for all intents an purposes, the lingua franca of the Turkic speaking world.
2) "Azeris were always around before the Turks, developing along with Armenian, Persion, and other east Caucus Mountain people...They, unlike the great majority of Turkic tribes, adopted the Shia religion (this significant in the further increase of differences later on). I still believe whole heartedly that Azeris never had anything ethnically to do with Turkic or nomadic people. "
To believe from ones "heart" has very little to do with rational science.
3)"Where are your old miniature paintings, scriptures, and ancient games played on horseback or wrestling? I see Uygurs, Uzbeks, Tatars, and Kazakhs having (or had) these sorts of things in common with me, but not Azeris.[/QUOTE]
Are you really this naive? Have you ever even set foot in Northern Iran? The Azaris are FAMOUS for such practices.
Ironically, some of the practices actually predate the Turkic arrival, such as wrestling, and are gift to the Turk form their Iranian cousins.
4)"Now in the modern era, after being ruled by Russians, then Soviets, for all that time, there are fundamental differences between Azerbaijan and Turkey, to the point where I can comfortably say the only thing we have to do with each other is linguistic similarity (although I think this was always the only similarity). Islam (and any other belief advocating any type of morals for that matter) is dead, and athiest/materialistic communist virtues are still very much the norm. "
The Azari langauge of Iran has had ZERO Russian influence within it, and yet you claim that the Russians affected them as well? I hope you do realize that the majority of Azaris live in Iran, and not Azaribijan.
I actually do agree with you point that the Northern Azari have been culturally ruined by the Russian Communists. That I have seen first hand.
5) "I have known numerous Turks going to Azerbaijan for business or politics, and they never ever come back with anything good to say. It is a totally different (and poltically/culturally/militarily insignificant) country. From my dealings with big groups of Azeris, their customs and culture are totally different. They have all these things they do that resemble Russian tradition more than Turkic. Nobody takes their shoes off, everyone is stuffing their mouths with pork, they are very loud....What Turk would serve a roasted pig with an apple in it's mouth for dinner?"
What would you expect after over a century of Russian rule? Do you really think its any better in Kazakstan, or Uzbekistan?
6) "It's amusing to know that Azerbaijan, being not only defeated but occupied by a country 1 third it's size, sent 100 soldiers to Iraq to help the Americans. Hell, they sold tanks to Armenia while they were at war with them."
Well, Iran and Russian backed Armenia. Turkey backed Azaribijan. Interesting results, don't you think?
7) "Turks and Azeris share none of the same values. All this Turkish and Azeri solidarity non-sense is the result of Azeris trying to bunch themselves up with others who actually HAVE history, culture, and tradition. "
Like I said before, you have spent no time in Iran, and your comments are based out biased prejudice and ignorance.
8) "In essence, I believe Azeris have more to do with Armenians and Russians than Turkic people (note - no jab at Armenians or Russians), and South Azeris have more to do with Iranis than Turkic people. We have more differences than similarities, and our cultures conflict more than they agree. Azeris were always around before the Turks came, and seem to be more like an off-shoot of some Persian peoples than anything else."
Or even those pesksy Scythians you fellas love to mention all the time...
9) "Turks have much more in common even today with Tatars, Kazaks, Uzbeks, and especially Uygurs than Azeris."
100% Wrong!
Turks from the Anatolian Peninsula probably share more with Arabs than anyone else, at least those in the Western regions(which is the "Turkic" majority of the popuation).
The notion that the Turkish have anything in common with Kazaks or Uzbeks is something that could only be quoted from an individual who has not experienced those cultures and peoples first hand.
All I have to say is, go look in a mirrior...
10) "Just my opinion, Azeris are not and never were Turks. They are not successors to the Turkic nomads of old."
And "Turkey" Turks are even less so...
Oh, and how do you figure that Azaris ever came across the Turkic langauge? HHHhhhmmm???
11) "If you want to read something more credible than my rant here, go to http://www.iranchamber.com/people/language_azeri_people_ pan_turkism."
Are you aware that the link you sited is a right-wing "Pan-Iranist" source?
Why not just sight the website to the Nazis, while your ate it.
12) "It's the Irani take on the issue. Although their section on pan-Turkism is ignorant, read what they say on the origins of Azeris and who they really are."
I did...There wrong.
Edited by Padishah