My name is VIN and I am an Albanian.
I started reading this article with the believe that it was some sort of news, but I was disappointed with the content and the opinion expressed in this article.
Let me start with your geometry, because it seams that is totally screwed up. The shortest distance between two points is not always a straight line; it can be also a curved line just like time becomes a variable when the speed of light is reached. Therefore making the connection between the terrorist activities perpetrated here by 4 ethnic Albanians to the Albanian nation I would call it childish and Ignorant from your part.
Your claims about Albanians being connected and supporting terrorism make me believe that, either you hate Albanians and are Pro-Serbian or that you are a total Ignorant. You have to excuse me about the language I am using, but this article is totally unacceptable to me. Let me teach you something about history since it seams that you have no clue whatsoever.
Albanians are descendent of Illyrians and occupied the Balkan Peninsula since 2200BC. The lands that Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia and part of Greece were all Illyrian land. The place named Kosova, which you so passionately speak in this article, was called Dardania and was part of the Illyrian tribe of the Dardanians. Illyria was occupied 600 years by the Romans then parts of it were occupied by the South Slavs which moved to the Balkans in 600-700AD. Most of the Illyrians were assimilated but Kosova, Albania, Chameria and part of Macedonia and Monte Negro still preserved their culture and language. At one point around 1300AD most of Kosova and part of Albania was under the occupation of Serbs. At this time they build some orthodox churches which were build on the foundation of the Albanian churches. I wan to remind you that Albania was Christian before the Turks invaded. The Turks stayed in Albania and the whole region for 500 years, but Albanians never lost their identity. Most of the Albanians converted or were forced to convert into Islam. In 1912, with the decay of Ottoman Empire the Serbs, Greeks, Italians and Montenegrins tried to partition and annex all the territory inhabited by Albanians. The only country that helped Albania in creating an independent country was the USA. Unfortunately, half of the Albanian territories were occupied by Greece (Chameria), Serbs (Kosova), Montenegro (Plava, Gucia) and Macedonia (Ilirida).
Somebodies Terrorist is someone else’s freedom-fighter. The KLA, which you claimed were terrorist supported by USA, did not kill women and children, but their try to defend their own people. Let’s not forget that the Serb military and Serb chetniks massacred 10.000 people, burned to ground hundreds of villages, raped thousands of Albanian women and expelled by force 1.000.000 Albanians from their home. In 1998 NATO coalition headed by USA intervened stopping the massacre and the expulsion of Kosovar Albanians from their land. It is with American help that the Kosovar Albanians survived the WAR and it is with American help that there are trying to get their INDEPENDENCE.
Albanian’s owe a great deal to the American people. They owe their survival as a country, as a people and the Kosovars will owe their Independence.
Albanians are forever in dept to USA; therefore we respect and love this country. We (Albanians) are ashamed for the action taken by 4 of our countrymen. Understanding the motives behind their action will be incomprehensible to every Albanian. This action came as a shock to the whole Albanian community residing in USA, but also to all Albanian Nation. To prove my point I will add a link which will show how Albanians feel about America and their 4 countrymen.
http://www.petitiononline.com/Albanian/petition.html
Generalizing a nation in the grounds of the action taken by 4 people is pure stupidity. I wan to remind you that Albanians are the most Pro-American people in Europe and that Albania was one of the first countries joining the fight against terrorism and having still troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. It is my believe that those people don’t have Albanian blood running in their veins, because not only are they damaging the image of Albanians throughout the world, but by wanting to commit this acts of violence on the American soldiers they damage the Albanian National interest. The only thing that I would expect from Albanian men is fighting and falling along an American. Terrorism is not part of our culture and belief, Albanism is sacred to us and so is Freedom
Dear Vin:
Thank you for responding. As you might imagine, this week’s column touched a nerve among some membes of the Albanian community in this country and in Albania. Except for two or three, the emails border on being hate mail. Yours is impassioned and thoughtful, and I appreciate that.
This week’s column was not meant to suggest that all Albanians are terrorists. In past columns I compared our nation’s war with terrorists with World War II when we fought Germans and Japanese. Not all Germans and Japanese were evil; only those who were trying to kill us. The same is true in this instance. Not all Albanians are terrorists; just those who maintain ties with terrorists, and who try to kill us.
Also, it is gratifying to see the quick response from leaders within the Albanian community in this country who condemned the alleged plans of the Fort Dix Six. The actions of those arrested damaged their families, friends, and community; however, I find it difficult to believe that no one in their families and in their Albanian community knew about their plans. The question becomes then: why did those who knew remain silent?
I appreciate you reading the column and taking the time to respond.
That’s nice, but can you guys stop dressing like Italians from the 1980s? The track suits and gold chains have got to go.