From: lb@cs.man.ac.uk (Luben Boyanov)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.yugoslavia,soc.culture.greek,soc.culture.europe,eunet.politics,soc.culture.bulgaria
Subject: Brailsford on Bulgarians of Macedonia (Was Re: EDUCATION SPECIAL)
Keywords: Macedonia, Bulgarian Macedonians, Macedonian nationality, patriotism
Date: 20 Aug 92 15:23:41 GMT
Followup-To: soc.culture.yugoslavia
Organization: Dept Computer Science, University of Manchester, U.K.

In article <1992Aug18.191328.8445@sunbim.be> sk@sunbim.be () writes:
[deleted]
> I would like to make it clear that Macedonians DO exist. 
>We are Macedonians - just as you are what you 
>say you are.

No doubt on this matter.

>   Ethnicity is simply self identity and governments should 
>acknowledge self identity as a matter of fact.

It's interesting what exactly you want to say. Governments should not
interfere in how people feel about themselves and yes - should acknowledge
the self identity of the people. But sometimes, self identity changes - due
to political, economical, religious and other reasons. Governments should
recognize borders (so that there are no disputes and wars) and the right of
people's self determination. 

>                                                Let me ask you,
>what is an American, what is an Australian, what is a Canadian?

Very good example. And Americans, Australians and Canadians don't feel
"bad" at all that several generations ago there were no such nations.
Neither they are try to "find" existing ("native") American, Australian
and Canadian minorities in Britain, France, Germany, etc.

>We respect everyone's self identity and we expect the same
>in return.

That's great. It must be like this.

> The Macedonian people also deserve a place under 
>the sun ...

They have their place and let's hope that the future will be peaceful and
good.   

>  The Macedonians, Greeks, Serbians, and other Balkan people
>should look to the future and not the past. 

True. But sometimes it's good to have a look in the past. Especially in
cases when this "past" has been distorted for political reasons. It's
interesting, isn't it?

>   Macedonia had the name long before 1944 when "Tito assigned
>it that name".

True. Tito didn't "assign" the name Macedonia.

> This can imediately and firmly be shown by
>consulting a number of unprejudiced historians and writers
>[Schevill 1922, Brailsford 1906, Moore 1971, PH 1920, den
>Doolaard 1934, Stavrianos 1958, TNCMH 1968, Woodhouse 1986].
>In this books the proof can be found that the Macedonian
>nationality existed before the Second World War.

The list is interesting but it's not very serious to mention WWII together
with this list as the WWII started in 1939 and only Schevill, Brailsford,
"PH" ???, and Doolaard are quoted from before that year.
And it's very interesting to read these books (from one of which
I'll quote few lines) and find "imediately and firmly" the truth. When I
have time, I'll go to the library (and it would be great if MORE PEOPLE to
do the same, otherwise there is some doubt that references are only to
picked for the sake of looking more respectable :-((( ) and check for more.
And let's not mix the word "Macedonian" with "Macedonian nationality" !!!
They WERE (and for different countries still are) very much different.

Now, let us read few lines from N.H. Brailsford -"Macedonia, It's Races and
their Future", London, 1906.

pp 167 - 68

"The more one learned to know of the Bulgarians of Macedonia, the more one
came to respect their patriotism and courage ... And yet these men, when
the occasion came to throw their lives away for any definite purpose, were
capable of an utterly reckless heroism. The Committee never found a
difficulty in obtaining volunteers for such work as mining, bridge-wrecking
or bomb throwing, which involved almost certain death".

Brave men. And they were PROUD to be "Bulgarians of Macedonia".

>                                                     This is in
>contradiction to the hypothesis that the Macedonian people are
>invented by Tito.

Tito invented the Macedonian people?

>                  The history of the Macedonian people is well
>explained in previous postings on the newsnet, namely the
>translation of the newspaper article from Dr. Detrez.

That history is explained in many books and documents. Very well
documented indeed. Only if one has the genuine wish to read about it.

>Sasa.

Best regards

Luben

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Let us not allow splits and splintering to frighten us. It is, indeed, a
pity, but what can we do, since we are Bulgarians and all suffer from one
common disease"
				Gotse Delchev
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: soc.culture.yugoslavia