FLASH
Shkruar nga Auron Tare
This is, perhaps, our greatest curse. The Albanian has known how to win battles for everyone, but has not known how to win them for himself.
As the Boulevard protest enters its second month, it is worth pausing for a moment on a page of history, one of those that Albanians write with their blood, but that others usually read.
The Albanian has had a strange fate. He has built empires, has kept kingdoms afloat, has led uprisings and revolutions, but when it comes to his own country, he always remains a spectator. He is a master at making the history of other nations and a poor student when it comes to writing the history of Albania. Perhaps, I say this with hope, this protest will bring about another Albania, where the Albanian will finally learn to fight for himself.
In July 1822, on the plains of Athens, where ancient Athenians once stopped the onslaught of the undefeated Persians, two armies clashed. But if we were to remove the flags and uniforms, we would see a strange sight: Albanians stood on both sides.
On one side was Captain Jani Gura, son of an Albanian family settled in Thessaly, the leader of the forces that history would call Greek.
On the other side stood Omer Pasha Vrioni, a sucker of the great Vrionas family, an Albanian general in the service of Ali Pasha Tepelena, the Khedive of Egypt and the Ottoman Empire, sent to quell the Greek uprising.
On the fields of ancient Athens, not just two armies clashed. Two Albanians clashed, each under a flag that was not his own. One fought for Istanbul, the other for Athens. Albania was not in either camp.
This is our long tragedy. History preserved the names of both, but also changed their homeland. One was declared a hero of Greece, the other was left in the pages of Ottoman history. Albania could not take either of them.
This is, perhaps, our greatest curse. The Albanian has known how to win battles for everyone, but has not known how to win them for himself.
And when a nation entrusts its children to the history of others, it should not be surprised that, one day, its own history will be written by others.
As always.
Shkrim brilant!