My wife is instant messaging with her best friend right now who took part in the 300,000 strong demonstration against the AKP, the Islamic party in power that mixes neoliberalism, pro-imperialist foreign policy and populist rhetoric. She demonstrated with her entire family and states that most people marched under the slogans "No to the military" and "No to Islamic government." She is a lot like most of the people I know in Istanbul: politically to the left and secular.