Dear Governor Siegelman:

Your response in defense of your August 30 proclamation adds insult to injury.

If you wish to recognize the Turkish Alabaman community, or any community whatsoever, for their "valuable contributions...made to [your] state" -- and you really should list at list a few, there is nothing wrong with it and you will be applauded for it. But to mix apples and oranges by referring to the "tragedies" of Asia Minor in a sly manner to whitewash the Turkish crimes of the last Century, many of which are ongoing, is a travesty on your part and totally unacceptable.

The HONORABLE Mayor of Hartford, Connecticut was fooled in the same manner you were but, as soon as he realized his error, he IMMEDIATELY withdrew the proclamation AND sincerely apologized to his offended constituents. You can be assured that his political stock rose immediately.

Governor Siegelman: Please do the honorable thing by withdrawing the August 30 proclamation and, if you wish, replacing it with one SOLELY on the contributions -- whatever they may be -- Turkish Alabamans have made to your state. You were fooled by the Turkish Alabamans to commit a sin in whitewashing Turkish crimes in Turkey. No human is infallible. But to continue to be fooled is utterly inexcusable. Please remember Abraham Lincoln's advice: "If you fool me once, shame on you; if you fool me twice, shame on me!"

Please, Governor, do what is ethically and morally honorable and withdraw the erroneous and offending proclamation you were perhaps so very innocently fooled into signing.

Respectfully yours,

Dean C. Lomis, Ph.D.