Cumhuriyet ignored the awards ceremony, even though their own columnist received an award. This is their choice, and it should be respected. Later columnists tried to push Toktamis Ates to the wall. He answered this attack several times. But he saw that he could not prevent this, and so said: "Enough." The discomfort caused by his not being understood was reflected in his writing and repeated in our conversation. All right, what is the reason that pushes people to this intolerance? Toktamis Hodja summarized this as: "mental illness."

Twenty-five to thirty people at Cumhuriyet reacted. Opposed to this, he said: "There are hundreds of people working at the newspaper. In addition to some readers who called to criticize me, the hundreds of people who support me shouldn't be forgotten." In spite of all the criticism, he is sure that what he did was right: "After the criticism made toward me, I wouldn't hesitate to display the same behavior!" he said.