[ALBSA-Info] NAAC Letter to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton

[National Albanian American Council]

National Albanian American Council
1700 K Street, N.W., Suite 1201, Washington, DC  20006
Tel: (202) 466-6900   Fax: (202) 466-5593
Web: www.naac.org   Email: naac at naac.org
_____________________________________
For Your Information

October 3, 2001
 
The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
 
Dear Senator:
 
We are writing to you regarding your recent comments where you cited America's defense of "Muslims" in Kosova as evidence that the US is not at war with Islam.
 
While we agree with the latter part of your statement, we would like to point out that Albanians see themselves first and foremost as Albanians.  In Kosova and worldwide, there are Albanians who are Catholic, Orthodox, Jewish, and Muslim.  Therefore, Albanians do not identify themselves with any religion but by their ethnicity.
 
America went to war to save all of the people of Kosova, and ultimately the people of Serbia as well, from the genocidal policies of Slobodan Milosevic, without regard to religion.  Similarly, our war now against terrorists has nothing to do whatsoever with religion.  Our own tolerant practices here at home and our military and humanitarian efforts abroad more than prove that point.
 
We continue to greatly appreciate your strong support of freedom and justice in the Balkans and throughout the world.  The over 200,000 Albanian-Americans in New York are proud to have you as their senator.  We stand ready to assist you and our government in whatever way necessary to end the threat of terrorism on our soil and to bring to justice those murderers who committed the heinous acts violence on September 11th.
 
Sincerely,
  
Ilir Zherka
President 
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