by Rafaela Prifti
In Response to Merita Bajraktari’s Call for Conversion
Dear Merita,
I protect your right to express your views whatever they may be because I believe that is the American way!
That also means I would not judge you based on your past!
Let me see if I understand the main argument of your letter.
You are saying that you, Merita, unlike Saule, if called by your own government, will be serving this great country, with all your heart, despite your past membership at the Communist Labor Youth Union of Albania and such organizations. Because in spite of the communist indoctrination in Albania, YOU did NOT become a Communist, right Merita? In fact, you became a staunch anti-communist, right Merita? But Saule NO! Unlike you, Saule’s past makes her a communist!
And the difference between you and Saule is that you were not promoted through the ranks and you did not study Communist Theory like Saule did, right? Because if you did, you would know where your thesis is at this moment. And because Saule says she doesn’t know that proves she is a communist, right? Am I following your logic so far? In other words, had you studied Communist Theory and were not aware of your thesis location, that would prove your malicious agenda towards this country and adherence to communism.
By the same logic, you must have been furious when at the nomination hearings Judge Amy Barret did not make most of her papers available to Congress. Did you write an article then? Where you defending “the American way” then?
Take a step back for a moment and consider this: two women who grew up in countries that were part of the eastern block, and had similar young adult experiences under communism, later migrated to the US, and as immigrants both made a good life for themselves in their adopted country. Years later, both women are American citizens, but one of them claims she is anti-communist denouncing the other one “as a communist”. Doesn’t that scenario sound familiar? Didn’t communists use to practice this form of denouncing by condemning people they did not agree with? Or who held different believes and opinions from them? Indeed your own family was subjected to that in Albania?
What happened to you Merita? What makes you think you are a better American than I? or Saule? How do you measure that?
Do you claim to love America more than I? Or Saule? What proof of love do you need to see?
What gives you the sense of entitlement to make the call on “what is American”?
What can be more American than to accept that we all love this country and want to see it prosper for all?
In essence, the basis of your claim that the brainwashing comes from the left is both inaccurate and untrue. There is more than one type of indoctrination and there is a lot of it going around on all sides.
While you call for Conversion, I call for Conversation.
Lastly, you are right, “it is time to reflect”…as it is also time for some self-reflection!
* The author of the letter published on this website owns her own words. The writer is an American citizen of Albanian nationality. She is a recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship, holds an MA in Cultural Anthropology, has written studies on Albanian language and numerous articles in English and Albanian.