UNRESERVED PRO-AMERICANISM IS The Fort Dix Plot The recent couple of weeks have been shocking for all Albanians all over the world. The identification of four Albanian men as members of a terrorist-plotting group in New Jersey brought an enormous degree of rage to all Albanians who have been and continue to be the most pro-American people in the world. This is not just a statement, but also a fact. For those having any doubts about the pro-American feelings of Albanians, it should be sufficient to recall the events of 9-11. Albanians in both Kosova and Albania were among the first peoples of Europe that took to the streets in overwhelming support for the United States. The main boulevards of each town in Albanian lands in the Balkans, and especially in Kosova, were covered in candles – lit in memory for those who died in that cowardly attack on this free soil. But, let’s also recall that at the same time, Albanian neighbors in the Balkans, mainly the Serbs were celebrating on the streets of Belgrade. They referred to 9-11 as a “deserved punishment” for the U.S. Because of the importance of its timing, the Fort Dix, New Jersey fiasco in which these four Albanian men were identified as part of the plotting group, played badly on the whole Albanian image. For anyone who wanted to harm the Albanian national cause – and the last steps before earning independence for Kosova – the timing of implicating Albanians in Islamic fundamentalist and terrorist groups could not be better. Besides the timing, the very object of the plot is of great importance for Albanians as well. Fort Dix is a US military base in New Jersey. It is the base, actually, in which thousands of Kosovar Albanians were sheltered temporarily upon their arrival to the U.S. as refugees during the Kosova war. For any upstanding Albanian, going against any US interest – and especially something like Fort Dix, a symbol of America’s wholeheartedly support for Kosovar Albanians – is beyond comprehension. The four Albanian men involved in this plot are, therefore, clearly lost souls. Their being Albanian by ethnicity is, in this case, overtaken by their completely un-Albanian deeds. And, because of what they supposedly or “allegedly” intended to do, nothing much Albanian remains in them. Nevertheless, the public opinion in both the US and Albanian lands in the Balkans was stunned. Serbs and other Albanian adversaries quickly and unfortunately quite widely spread out the news of Albanians caught plotting against the U.S. In many Serb written or Serb motivated pieces that appeared online, one could see the tendency to represent Albanians as enemies of the United States and the Serbs as its friends. While nothing could stand further from the truth, it may not be unreasonable to assume that such pieces may have some impact, as small as it could be, on the average American who does not know much about the history and traditions of Albanians. Therefore, the bottom line is, however, that the Fort Dix fiasco generated some bad publicity for Albanians, and it had to be dealt with swiftly and wisely. The Albanian Response For some reason, the belief that saying “I condemn” the actions of these four Albanian brothers in the Fort Dix plot or that “sending a letter of condemnation” to the US Office in Prishtina or the US Embassy in Tirana, makes all things fine, has unfortunately left the Albanian side with a very vague and inappropriate reaction strategy. Yes, indeed, both governments – in Tirana and Prishtina – officially condemned the plot against Fort Dix and reconfirmed their support for the United States, but that is not sufficient as far as the American general public is concerned in particular, and the international public in general. Unfortunately, even most of the US-based Albanian organizations and groups fell into this trap of “official condemnations.” They issued lengthy statements and press releases in the Albanian press, which of course is neither read, nor understood by the American public. Hence, they did nothing more than generate more publicity for themselves among Albanians only. The bad press that the Serbs pushed ahead in light of this event deserved a more active, civic action oriented, response. It required something that the American people could see with their own eyes. It required something that would go beyond official condemnations. It required what only one US-based Albanian-American organization did. It required what the Albanian American Civic League did today, May 19, in Westchester County (NY)—a serious and well-organized participation in the Armed Forces Day traditional parade. Albanian Americans Show Their Respect and Support for the US and its Armed Forces Under the leadership and direction of the Albanian American Civic League, many Albanian Americans participated in the Armed Forces Day celebration at the Kensico Dam, in Westchester County, NY (which was represented by Joseph J. DioGuardi in the US Congress from 1985 to 1989). They were there not only for the mere desire of participating in this important traditional parade in honor and support of the US Armed Forces, but also to show their full and unreserved support for the United States and its military—to show their pro-Americanism, an Albanian virtue. Former U.S. Congressman and president of AACL, Joseph J. DioGuardi was personally involved in the preparations of this memorable event. As a Vietnam-era veteran, DioGuardi is an active member of the American Legion, which was in charge of organizing the event. Because of his involvement with the event, Albanian Americans of Westchester and the surrounding areas (including the large Albanian population in the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn) had the opportunity to march with many other participants during the parade displaying portraits of Mother Teresa and flying Albanian and American flags. DioGuardi said that “it is important that many Albanian-Americans participate in this parade and ceremony to show our support for American troops serving today around the world.” But, the deeper importance of the Albanian participation in this event really makes the point that no one so far has made better. “Since Albanians are being portrayed by their traditional enemies as fundamentalist Muslims who are potentially a violent force in the Balkans and around the world, we must continue to do whatever we can to publicize who Albanians really are as a moderate, tolerant, multi-religious nation,” he said. There is no better strategy to publicize Albanians’ true virtues for religious tolerance, peace, respect, and gratitude, than to have them march along with their American friends in an Armed Forces Day celebration in such dignity and admiration. No one at this event could have missed the simple realization of who Albanians really are. They are the nation that gave birth to Mother Teresa, they are a nation that are fighting along with their American brothers-in-arms in Iraq, and they are a nation forever grateful for the American support during the course of history, especially President Woodrow Wilson’s support for the survival of Albania as an independent state after World War One, the U.S. led NATO support for Kosova’s liberation from Serbia in 1999, and today the U.S. led UN support for Kosova’s statehood. The Armed Forces Day celebration at Kensico Dam was not just a public statement. It was an expression of true feelings and unreserved support for the US. And, Albanians were part of that. Therefore, no written piece on an “official condemnation” for the Albanian involvement in the Fort Dix plot could ever generate more positive public opinion in America than the participation of Albanians in the Armed Forces Day celebration under the lead of AACL in Westchester County. One can easily imagine the difference between action and word when it comes to a nation’s representation—while words are powerful, they remain far away from the warmth that actions bring between the hearts of two peoples. What AACL did at Kensico Dam outstandingly demonstrates the best possible way in which a historical friendship between the Albanians and the Americans can be further nourished even in the face of unpleasant public saga generated by the Fort Dix plot. AACL – The Only True Bridge Between the US and Albanians Time and again, it has been proven that it is only one true and compelling voice, which does not only superbly articulate the Albanian concerns with the US decision-makers, but is also carefully listen to by them. This voice is the voice of the Albanian American Civic League, the only registered lobby in Washington, DC. Under the leadership of former US Congressman Joseph J. DioGuardi and Shirley Cloyes DioGuardi, the Civic League has made history for the Albanian people in general and for Kosova in particular. It would take thousands of pages to write about the success of the Civic League as far as the Albanian national cause goes. The conclusion to this twenty-year hard work, however, can be written in just one sentence: AACL has built the road of prosperity for all Albanians in the Balkans, and the road to independence for Kosova. Had it not been for the hard work of the DioGuardis and the Civic League, the Albanian enemies would have had their way. Kosova would not have ever come to the point it is today and Albanians in other lands in the Balkans would not have ever enjoyed the degree of American support that they currently do. Needless to say, it would have been way easier for the DioGuardis to issue a lengthy statement of condemnation about the Albanian involvement in the Fort Dix plot than to plan, organize, and successfully carry out an Albanian participation in the Armed Forces Day celebration. But, as always, they again chose to do the hard and the right thing this time. Doing the right thing – as hard as it could be – was never an issue for the Civic League. To refresh our memory—let’s just recall the early and mid-2005 when Serbian Christian leaders were running around Capitol Hill delivering the ”Crucified Kosovo” book as a “testimony” to what the Albanian Muslims had supposedly done to Serbian churches in Kosova. Had it not been for the Civic League’s actions, Serbs could have easily gotten their side of the story well planted around DC. However, the only appropriate and powerful response came immediately in May 2005 by the Civic League, which succeeded in having a full committee hearing in front of the US House of Representatives Committee on International Relations where it brought the now late Bishop Sopi and Fr Gjergji of Kosova to testify. This hearing did tremendously devastate the Serb strategy of portraying the Kosovar Albanians as Muslim fundamentalists. Just like in 2005 and in many other occasions before then, the Civic League did what rightly needed to be done now. They literally showed Americans who Albanians truly are, and that very act deserves more credit than whatever words one could put in writing. Therefore, the Albanian people must never forget who their true voice in the U.S. is. Every time the Albanians faced a public relations challenge from their enemies, the Civic League successfully battled it, and it continues to do so. The Albanian reputation around the world, and especially in the US, as a tolerant, respectful, and peace-loving nation comes primarily from the hard and right work of the Albanian American Civic League. If Albanians, out of ignorance, confusion, or even personal agendas, do not acknowledge this fact now, history surely will. |
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| Faton Bislimi is pursuing a Master’s in Public Administration and International Development at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, as a Kennedy Fellow. He received his honors BS and BA degrees in computer science and mathematics (summa cum laude) from Texas Lutheran University in 2005. He was born and raised in Gjilan, Kosova. | |