UPDATE (05/10/07): Welcome to everyone visiting today from Our Man in Tirana blog! And thanks to Our Man for the plug. New details have emerged that at least three of the four Albanians have been in the US for 23 years (courtesy Fox News) and were not part of the refugee community that came to Fort Dix in 1999. That notwithstanding, the bigotry continues.
A few weeks ago when I had my article published at The American Thinker, "Albania and the Perils of the 21st Century," one letter to the editor that AT received likened me to a Nazi sympathizer for having a kind word to say about the Albanian people. That article raised the issue of Albania's struggles with radical Islam, which you would think the anti-jihad crowd would have appreciated.
But my article today, "Kosova and Anti-Jihad Bigotry", has absolutely brought out the worst. An email I just received called me "an angry apologist for jihadist murderers". This was from a well-known anti-Jihad writer, who had previously agreed with the sentiments expressed that I was a Nazi sympathizer. The jist of his position would be: "Albanian Muslims bad, Serbian Christians good; Albanians jihadist murderers, Serbians innocent victims." But as with all things in the Balkans, things just aren't that simple. If anything, at least I'm not an apologist for Serbian genocide.
EXHIBIT A for the thinly-veiled racism that bubbles to the surface whenever the issue of the Albanians arises is Julia Gorin's leading article today at FrontPage Magazine (yes, a publication I regularly write for), "Balkan Muslim Gratitude". Her point is to condemn the entire Kosova Albanian refugee community for the arrest yesterday of six men, four of whom are Albanian, for plotting to kill soldiers at Fort Dix, New Jersey. EXHIBIT B would be the reader comments. EXHIBIT C would be Srdja Trifkovic at Chronicles, "Kosova Blowback Reaches America", where he compares Kosovar refugees to Al-Qaeda.
Gorin charges that this is "Balkan blowback" for NATO having intervened in the Serbian ethnic cleansing campaign in Kosova that drove hundreds of thousands of Albanian out of their own country. Notwithstanding that we have had thousands of US troops stationed in Kosova for almost a decade, not a single combat-related fatality has been recorded. In fact, the Albanians are perhaps the most pro-US group in Europe, and Albanian troops have fought alongside US troops in Afghanistan. The NATO mission in Kosova very well may be the most successful international peacekeeping operation in modern history. Does this sound like the Albanians are all raging jihadists, bloodthirsty to kill American soldiers?
Even while writing this post I have received emails that I would not dare post for their vulgarity, openly racist, and religiously bigoted sentiments. As I say in my article, if these individuals would just substitute the word "Jew" for "Albanian", I believe many of them would be ashamed at the malignant spirit that is driving them. Unfortunately, some of them still wouldn't be ashamed. It seems I have struck a wound deeply into the heart of the anti-jihad movment. Those, like me, who are concerned about the opposition to global jihad would do well to take note.
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8 comments:
Thank you Patrick for being rational. Albanians in general whether Christian or Muslim strongly condemn the actions and ideas of the three brothers, Dritan, Shain and Eljvir Duka, involved in the Fort Dix plot.
The Albanian people support the United States and have the utmost respect for this nation. We are deeply ashamed and angered at the actions of these lunatics. We hope that the United States and the International Community understand that these men have become hated outcasts in the Albanian community and will remain so forevermore.
The damage is done already to our image(as if we dont have enough problems already). I appreciate you trying to stand up for us when needed. You are a true friend.
Also, it is very sad to see how the news has been spread in the media for the wrong purposes. Some people took the opportunity to use this event and draw complete wrong conclusions.
However it is important to say that these people are not from Albania but Macedonia where the religion exist in a greater level. Also some of these people might have had a dubious backgrounds being half-arab or torbesh.
So you are mostly absolutely correct that they probably became "devoted" in United States.
While reading the news these Muhammadians weren't the sharpest tools in the shed, they supposedly sent in their jihady speech video into a dvd copy store. I am just getting the vibe that they are not linked with any groups and acted on their own behalf.
All the best!!
Andrew
Patrick: keep up the good work, and disregard superficiality and negativism!
You're welcome Patrick.
Albanian fighting the Ottomans who wanted to take over Europe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65TQotAQiA0&NR=1
The Presidency of the Albanian Muslim Community
in America and Canada fully supports United States Government efforts to end terror
On behalf of the Presidency of the Albanian Muslim Community in the United States and Canada, and the 14 mosques it represents, we were shocked and appalled to receive the news of the possible terror act on Fort Dix Military Base in New Jersey. We strongly condemn violence and terrorist activities perpetrated in the name of Islam.
Terrorism in any form has no religion, nationality or justification. Islam teaches us that human life is sacred; and we condemn all acts of terrorism. It is forbidden for a Muslim to cooperate with any individual or group that is involved in any act of terrorism or violence. It is the civic and religious duty of Muslims to cooperate with law enforcement authorities to protect the lives of all humans. In this regard, Islam is a religion of peace and justice, and the Albanian community condemns terror and terrorists wherever they are and whoever they are.
Further, this alleged heinous act evokes an acute sense of grief for the Albanian people. During the war in Kosova, Fort Dix Military Base in New Jersey was a shelter for the Albanian victims of the Serbian regime. The Albanian Muslim Community of America and Canada cooperated fully with US institutions to help Albanian refugees from Kosova. The people of Fort Dix provided a sanctuary for many of our refugees; and for this we hold them in high regard.
We are grateful to the US Government and its military forces for helping Muslims in Kosova and Bosnia and Hercegovina. We appreciate those who helped end the horrendous genocide and atrocities perpetrated against the people of the former Yugoslavia. The Presidency of the Albanian Muslim Community in the United States and Canada fully supports United States Government efforts to end terror. We pray for peace and stability in the world.
We are against all those “so-called Muslims” who misuse and humiliate Islam and create ugly images of the Muslim people. Islam is a religion of peace and we appreciate the fact that the US Government does not identify Muslims with those who commit acts of terror.
The Albanian Muslim community has worked and continues to work together with different religious groups and organizations in United States and Canada. It is our goal to increase the awareness of people of the peaceful nature of Muslims and bring an end to the modern disease called terrorism.
We pray to Almighty God to save and protect the United States, which provides shelter to those in need from around the globe. We pray to Almighty God to bring love to the people of the world and bring all of mankind to the path of peace. May God bless the people of our great country.
____________________ ____________________
Imam Vehbi Ismaili Ferid Bedrolli
President General Secretary
307 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10301
Tel (718) 816-0246, Fax (718) 816-5829
National Albanian American Council Strongly Condemns the planned attack on Fort Dix Army Base in New Jersey
The National Albanian American Council (NAAC) strongly condemns the planned attack on Fort Dix Army Base by a group of people who reportedly plotted to attack the base, and we congratulate the law enforcement authorities for their swift apprehension of the conspirators, thereby preventing a possible tragedy. While details are still being released, it was reported that these individuals, who plotted the attack on Fort Dix Army Base, included persons with “radical jihadist views” with national origins from Turkey, Jordan, and Macedonia.
“As Albanians, we have lost brethren in the World Trade Center in the 9/11 Tragedy and fought willingly beside US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq during the US-led war on terror, suffering significant casualties. We are particularly sensitive about the actions of these individuals, some of whom seem to originate from the Balkans, as others with unsavory political motives may attempt to ascribe these actions to Albanians but, as Albanians, we remain the most pro-American people in the world,” NAAC Executive Director Avni Mustafaj said in an official statement. “As a people, Albanians have significant percentages of our population worshiping all of the major faiths of the world and have never suffered from religious strife among our people. In fact, we have been a role model in Europe and, even represented the only nation in Europe that saved 100 percent of its people of Jewish faith during World War II. Furthermore, we provided safe haven for all the Jews that fled the Holocaust to Albania. We aspire to have Albania join NATO in the coming year and are working with the US and other democratic Western nations to establish an independent Kosova which will be a global role model for religious and ethnic tolerance.”
Mr. Mustafaj further stated that, “Fort Dix is a uniquely special place for Albanians for this is where refugees who fled ethnic cleansing from Kosova into Macedonian refugee camps were brought to the US. The refugees were registered and provided numerous services and assistance to begin their new life in America. We are all relived that this tragedy was avoided and ask that those who sought to harm innocent American service men and women be brought to justice immediately.”
American and Albanian relations mark the 85th Anniversary this year and the relations between our two nations have never been stronger. In fact, this coming June President George W. Bush will be making an historic visit to Albania in support of Albania’s bid to join NATO. Thousands of Albanians Americans have and continue to proudly serve in the US military, and soldiers from Albania serve side-by-side with US soldiers in Iraq, Afghanistan and in numerous other locations.
“We, as the people who gave the world their greatest symbol of peace, Mother Teresa, hope to continue her life’s work as a people and contribute to eliminating religious hatred from the world and promoting peaceful coexistence among all people,” added Mr. Mustafaj.
The National Albanian American Council is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advocating for Albanians and promoting peace and economic development in the Balkans by fostering democratic policy, promoting respect for human rights, and conducting educational and developmental programs.
Very informative post. I liked it.
Bathmate
Very informative post. I liked it.
Bathmate
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