The politics of politics

I'm no Middle East expert but my experience in places like Iran and Jordan is that most folks are direct and to the point in asking about nationality and religion. It usually takes me awhile to shed my American political correctness and even when I get around to asking the same questions of them it doesn't roll smoothly off the tongue. Here in Izmir however, and other places we've visited in Turkey our experience has been that folks are pretty shy about discussing politics and religion, especially given the conservative Islamic element that seems to be gaining political ground in Turkey. Izmir in particular and western Turkey in general is fairly liberal and voted heavily against the recent referendum to change the constitution (it passed anyway), fearing the current government will use this an opportunity to neutralize the judiciary which has to date been very oriented towards a secular government. More to come...I'm wading into these conversational waters carefully and so it seems is everyone else.