Should Turkey be allowed to join the EU? I think so. Turkey is probably the most progressive Islamic nation in the world. By allowing Turkish entry into the EU, Turkey would set an example to other Islamic countries. It would also put the focus of the world on Turkey itself to strive for further modernisation in the future. At the same time, the negotiations are also starting to smell of elitism, with some people protesting that Turkey does not live upto 'European ideals'. It is clear that there need to be considerable social reforms based on religion in many economic, social, and political spheres in Turkey. But that does not mean that European nations, or for that matter, the US, are immune from religious biases. Maybe they are not as pronounced, and maybe they are not so blatant, but they still do exist. One only needs to take a look at the last US election, or the current structure of the US polity, to see the informal influence that conservative Christians have in the nation. I don't think the situation is much different in Europe or even in 'secular' countries. Compared to many other Islamic countries, Turkey seems to want genuine modernisation. I remember reading that among Islamic countries, it has the highest output of scientific publications in the world. And I think the point about being a role model for other Islamic countries is a very important one, especially in these ages when most Islamic countries are fundamentalist models to others.
On a different note, as someone fiercely egalitarian asked, "What's the big deal about the EU anyway?"