Saturday June 21, 2003

In your editorial June 15, "It's all Greek to them," you expressed seeming dismay that I would introduce a Senate Concurrent Resolution at the request of some of my Greek constituents, restating the fact that Macedonia is a Greek province and has been such since the origins of recorded history some 3,000 years ago.

You have accused me of "inserting" the Louisiana Legislature into "one of the world's most absurd and pointless international disputes: the question of whether a republic that broke away from Yugoslavia should be able to call itself Macedonia."

I am shocked by the callousness you show toward a matter that is of extreme significance and importance to these honorable Greek-American citizens. Gravity, like beauty, is often in the eye and mind of the beholder.

There is nothing trivial or unusual or un-American about American citizens desiring their state governments to reaffirm their opinions and beliefs regarding issues in the countries of their ethnic origins.

And there is nothing unusual about state governments honoring such requests. This resolution has been adopted by the state legislatures of Illinois, Texas, Rhode Island, Missouri and Michigan, to name a few.

I am very pleased to have the largest Orthodox Greek cathedral in Louisiana in my senatorial district, along with a large number of Greek-Americans actually residing in the district. I am honored that they requested me to introduce the resolution. I treasure and respect their friendship.

Incidentally, the position espoused in the resolution is currently the official policy of the United States as well as that of the United Nations.

Long live Macedonia, a Greek province!

Sen. Lambert C. Boissiere Jr.

New Orleans