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Governor George Ryan
August 7, 2002
State of Illinois
222 South College Fl 1
Springfield, Illinois 62706
Hon. Governor G. Ryan,
I would like
to applaud you for enacting your 92nd General
Assembly’s Senate Resolution 446. You and the Senate of
Illinois deserve warmest congratulations and many
praises. The Illinois Senate did nothing but to
asseverate true history. Therefore, they cannot be
accused of being biased, of conducting foreign policy, or
of being uninformed.
The
Resolution does not contribute anything new to scholars,
as it was Alexander the Great who spread Greek
civilization in every corner of his vast empire from
today’s Greece to the borders of India in the 4th
century B.C. Later, Romans conquered Macedonia and the
rest of Greece but Greek language and culture remained
vibrant. The appearance of Christianity gave a new boost
to Hellenism as the New Testament was written originally
in Greek and the Macedonians could read Greek as their
mother language. The Eastern part of the Roman Empire
adopted officially the Greek language proclaiming itself a
Hellenic Empire known as Byzantium in the 6th
century A.D. It was at the same time that the first Slavs
appeared in Macedonia, that is, nine hundred years after
Alexander the Great. Ottoman Turks conquered Byzantium in
1453, but Hellenic language and Christian faith held the
Nation together until the Greek Revolution of 1821
resurrected the Greek state.
The blatant fact of the Greek
identity of Macedonians is confirmed by passages in the
Old and New Testaments (Chapter V of Min. N. Martis book
“The Contribution of Macedonians to Western
Civilization”), The Talmud (pp 105-106 op cit), by
writings and events of the ancient period (pp37-38 op cit)
and by Treaties, Wars, Censuses, elections and other
events of the modern period. Therefore, denial or dispute
of the Greek identity of Macedonians, is an insult, not
only to the people of Europe, but also to any civilized
person on Earth because it undermines the foundations of
History and Culture. There is no document or any other
similar case anywhere that states the Greeks considered
the Macedonians barbarians. To the contrary Macedonians
were considered Greeks and that’s why they were
participants at the Olympic games. Alexander I of
Macedonia participated in the games as a runner (Herodotus
Book V, Chapter 22).
U.S. State Department, Foreign Relations Vol. VII,
Circular Airgram (868.014 / 26 Dec. 1944) by then
Secretary of State E. Stettinius:
“The Department has noted
with considerable apprehension increasing propaganda
rumors and semi-official statements in favor of an
autonomous Macedonia emanating from Bulgaria, but also
from Yugoslav Partisan and other sources, with the
implication that Greek territory would be included in the
projected state. “This Government considers talk of
Macedonian “nation”, Macedonian “Fatherland” or Macedonian
“national consciousness” to be unjustified demagoguery
representing no ethnic or political reality, and sees in
its present revival a possible cloak for aggressive
intentions against Greece”.
In an
interview with the Ottawa Citizen on February 24th
1999, Gyordan Veselinov, FYROM’s Amb. to Canada admitted
“We are not related to the northern Greeks who produced
leaders like Philip and Alexander the Great. We are a
Slav people and our language is closely related to
Bulgarian.” He also commented that, “There is some
confusion about the identity of the people of our
Country.” Also, he related; “In 1995 my Country agreed to
remove the Greek symbol from its flag and modify the
controversial phrases in the Constitution.” February 26
1992: FYROM’s President Gligorov at a interview reported
by the Foreign Information Service, Daily Report, Eastern
Europe, stated: “We are Slavs, who came to this region in
the sixth century. We are not descendants of the ancient
Macedonians.”
Macedonia has been Greek pre-dating the famous Alexander
the Great. Recent archaeological discoveries deep into
the region confirm the Greek ethnicity of the inhabitants.
Recent discoveries; at Vergina in 1985, the tomb of
Philip II and, more recently, at Aiani the remains of
Mycenaean (Southern Greece) civilization 600 B.C. are
additional evidence of the Greek heritage of Macedonia.
In conclusion, I would like to mention that
Nations cannot be created by stealing Cultural identities
and neither Democracy can survive replacing Historical
vision by a revision of History.
Again, my warmest appreciation, deep
respect, and congratulations for your Noble act.
Very Respectfully,
ADDRESSES:
Governor George H. Ryan
Office of the Governor
207 Statehouse
Springfield, IL 62706
217-782-0244
217-782-2239 TDD
217-524-4049 FAX
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James 'Pate' Philip,
President of the Illinois Senate,
Office Information
50 East Oak Street
Suite 250
Addison, Illinois 60101
Phone: 630/941-0094
Fax: 630/832-2356
514 W. Wise Road
Schaumburg, Illinois 60194
Phone: 847/524-0461
327 State Capitol
Springfield, Illinois 62706
Phone: 217/782-8194
Fax: 217/782-7818
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State Senator
Adeline Geo-Karis
Office Information
2613 N. Sheridan Road
P.O. Box 248
Zion, Illinois 60099
Phone: 847/872-7500
Fax: 847/872-3131
323 State Capitol
Springfield, Illinois 62706
Phone: 217/782-7353
Fax: 217/782-7818
==========================
The Honorable Emil Jones, Jr.,
Illinois Senate Democratic Leader
Senator Emil Jones, Jr.
14th District Senate Office
507 West 111th Street
Chicago, Illinois 60628
Office Phone: (773) 995-7748
Email: jones@senatedem.state.il.us
Springfield Capitol Office:
Room 309A
Capitol Building
Springfield, Illinois 62706
Office Phone: (217) 782-2728
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