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Missouri resolution causes adds to international strife

March 4, 2003
By: Nishi Gupta
State Capital Bureau

A resolution adopted by the Missouri House of Representatives in December has become fuel for an already escalating international fire.

Nishi Gupta reports.

When St. Louis representative Tom Villa sponsored the courtesy reslolution he thought it was like any other.

Actuality: tomv1.wav
RunTime: 11
OutCue: "all the time."
Contents: "Over the course of my 13 years of being a legislator I certainly throw in various and sundry resolutions all the time."

But little known to Villa, it would put him in the middle of a debate that has been raging for almost sixty years. The resolution directly says that residents of the northern Greek province of Macedonia are descendents of ancient Greece...and implies that residents of a country also known as Macedonia are not.

Residents of Greece and its Macedonian province say the country of Macedonia is stealing their name, history and cultural legacy. But according to maknews.com, many residents of the Macedonian country say the Greeks are racist and want to deny them an identity.

Villa says he was unfamiliar with the issue and believed the resolution was of a non-controversial nature.

Actuality:tomv2.wav
RunTime: 18
OutCue: "probably know better."


Contents: "From a historical perspective, I would be more than happy to announce to you that I'm probably about as brain-dead as the next person. I don't know much about the history of Greece. And I think if anything else, as an allegedly seasoned legislator here, I should probably know better."

There have been calls for Villa to withdraw the resolution but he says its too late for that. Villa says although he doesn't believe it is antagonistic towards the inhabitants of the country Macedonia, he will consider modifying the resolution if he's presented with information that supports their view.

Now, Villa reflects on the situation:

Actuality:tomv3.wav
RunTime: 10
OutCue: "spin on it."


Contents: "If nothing else for someone at the age of 57, oftentimes life is a learning experience and maybe I'll learn from this one and put a positive spin on it."

Similar resolutions have been passed in Illinois, Texas, and California.

From Jefferson City, I'm Nishi Gupta for Missouri Capitol Caucus.