January 27, 2004
Prof. Dr. Dimitar Mircev, Visiting Scholar
Graduate School for Public and International Affairs
University of Pittsburgh – Posvar Hall
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Senator MARY PANTZER,
State Senator & Majority Leader
Chair, Committee on Senate Organization
MADISON WI 53707 – 7882
Honorable Senator Panzer,
I was astonished and deeply disappointed to see that Senate Resolution
22, which is obviously anti- Macedonian in character, was submitted to the
Wisconsin senate and sent to the Committee on Senate
Organization. My name is Dimitar Mircev. I am professor of Politics and
Government, at the University of Skopje, Macedonia, currently a visiting scholar
at the University of Pittsburgh. A more compelling reason to write to
you, is my long time cooperation with the late Professor Lawrence Longley of
Lawrence University, Appleton, one of the US most distinguished scholars on
Government, with whom I have worked on many joint research projects and
publications. My professional and
personal experiences with Prof. Longley, as well as with other colleagues and
the people of Wisconsin have been wonderful and I think that they do not deserve
to bear the shame of the adoption of that anti- Macedonian, historically
inaccurate and academically ungrounded Resolution 22 in their Senate.
It is true, indeed, that modern inhabitants of
the Republic of Macedonia largely of
Slavic origin, since Slavic tribes conquered and populated the territory of
Macedonia not earlier that in the 6, 7 and 8th century A.D. and that
they can not count on direct descendancy of ancient Macedonians. Nevertheless,
there was in that time, an intense process of mixture and assimilation of
the population. Altogether, neither ancient Macedonians were Greeks nor are
modern Macedonians- inhabitants of Northern Greece -Hellenes by origin. The
point that the authors of this resolution are pressing upon the Senate of
Wisconsin is to deny the national and ethnic character of the Macedonian as well
as the other ethnicities living in Greece: Turks, Albanians, Vlachs etc. They
are all deprived of even elementary ethnic rights and identity. What is then the
sense of the Wisconsin legislature in encouraging such policies?
I ask you, distinguished Senator, not to put more oil on the fire of the
disputes in the Balkans, but to try to encourage the ongoing process of peace,
stabilization and prosperity there. Finally, I would like to draw your attention to a few very
simple points:
1. The ancient Greek orator Demosthenes in his series of speeches
known as Philippics), was very persuasive in demonstration that King
Phillip and Emperor Alexander, like all Macedonians, were barbarians, primitive
and wild, and had nothing in common with Greeks.
2. Biographers of Alexander
pointed out that as 16 year-old boy, he applied to participate in the Olympic
Games, but was denied since he was not a Greek…
3. In their annual foreign reports, both US Congress and the State
Department extensively refer on the disrespect and violation of human and ethnic
rights in Greece? Of Macedonians, Turks, Albanians and others.
As an ally of US and member of the Anti-terrorist coalition, Macedonia
sent her troops to Afghanistan and Iraq,
where they fight, shoulder to shoulder with American soldiers? Greek
soldiers are not there.
Thank you for your kind attention. I wish you all the best in carrying
on your so responsible duty.
Sincerely Yours
Dr. Dimitar Mircev,