On 23 October Hungarians and supportive other people of any nations of the world are to remember the heroes of 1956, who tried as best as they could, to stop the reign of the Soviet Regime within our country. They failed. We have to remember their heroism, bravery and faith that they can achieve something. They overlooked their own personal well being for the well being of a nation. That's what makes a hero, isn't it?
There is a nicely written summary of the events and the similar events that took part in 1968 in Chechoslovakia by Steve.
The reason I suggesting reading his entry is at the end of his 'essay'.
He writes that a regime without a human face was/is the key factor in initiating a revolution and I like this approach.
For in 2006, on the 50th anniversary of 1956, people in their right mind wished to get rid of a goverment that was lying. But that was just the surface...
It might be difficult to understand for those readers of mine who ahve never experienced what we are going through.
Education, the medical system, social network is all failing.
Privatization to no end. Electricity for example is also sold. What comes next? Water supplies sold to foreigners?
Most of our arable lands are already sold.
Does it make any sense knowing the fact that Hungary's most important resource is land?
Have anyone heard of the famous Hungarian mines? Steel industry? Machinery production? Oil? Silicone?
Me neither.
Land. Agriculture.
Wine and vegetables and fruits and grain crops that outsmart any place of production on Europe. Meat of excellent quality. Yes, I have heard of those. Tasted those. Would be proud of offering a taste to anyone, anywhere.
By selling out land, those are at stake.
Raise hands anyone who, thinking of attending a national holiday in one's own country, would be afraid to carry and raise a national flag!
No one?
I wonder why....
Because here if anyone is suspected or seen wearing any sign that resembles any of the national traditional symbols at a street event is risking facing this:
YouTube video represents events of 2006. Update: 53 people were arrested and kept confined for a night. People on the streets were captured by the state police for no articulate reason.
Is it acceptable?
No way.
Giving away our ancestors' land away to strangers, who has no attachment to the land, the despisal and restriction of the use of our national symbols are only parts of the picture.
----
The restrictions are squeezing upon those who care, who see further than their own paychecks and/or kitchentable.
Who wish to retain the fertile land for the future Hungarian generations.
On a side note, I don't mind foreigners buying a land or two, provided they accept the rules, accommodate to our customs and do not start a sect against us :)
But I see some difference between selling one or two plots to some families from another country AND selling village-sized lands to international corporations, whose solitary objective is to exploit the land, the people, and more frighteningly, the mind of those people, too.
---
I know of people who don't care about the flow of events much. As long as they have their share of food, job and housing, which they all do, they don't mind who's in the government.
Well, I do mind.
And I don't like what I see.
I'm not alone with my views.
In the fear of risking my family life and my potential to raise my kids I do not take part in street events, do not join any group at any level of aggression.
I am unsure what will bring the right solution. Will it come at once or step by step? Will it be peaceful or violent? How much will the good Hungarians have to suffer for the final success?
---
The largest party in opposition, Fidesz, is speaking of tolerance and peaceful waiting.
Last night, my DH cited Gandhi in this subject.
Gandhi once said that if he had to choose between cowardice and aggression/fight, he would choose the latter.
This makes me think twice.
I don't believe in violence and Mark Twain's The War Prayer has just strengthened me in this belief.
But Gandhi, oh, the ever-so-peaceful had to say those words of his...
---
11 megjegyzés:
This is blogging and the power of the internet at its best. The ability to hear voices we would never otherwise hear.
Thank you for sharing these concerns and dark turns for your country. Perhaps by helping to raise awareness, you help to raise a tide of change.
I think you're right. The only people who will truly protect a place are the ones who must live there. Foreign involvement to the extreme is not far from outright servitude.
I hope people will raise their voice with yours.
Very well written and thank you for telling me about this as I knew none of this.
I too hope others will speak out.
Van jobb módja is megszabadulni a kormánytol, pl nem szavazni rá, és én ellene vagyok mindenfajta bajkeverésnek, akármi is a kiváltó ok azt meg lehet oldani ésszel.
Jason,
thank you for your support. Chances are that by spreading these words, those who read will have a better understanding towards our REAL situation. Being not in the hands of patriotic people, our mass media is lying, and only a few of the sources are reliable.
I'm raising my voice here, but at the same time I have to balance so as not to bore and frighten you away :)
But I think sometimes an honest essay on the state of events worth reading through someone's ramblings.
Thanks again, for listening.
SW,
this is one of our only hope - that there will be enough of us.
Ropi,
ne viccelj.
Mit gondolsz, ezekre szavaztam?
A bajkeverést egészen magasan csinálják, igen jólképzetten.
Én sem akarok randalírozni, vagy ilyesmi.
Nem tudom az ész hogyan segíthet most, hacsak úgynem, hogy egyre többen ismerik fel, kire NEM szabad szavazni...
visszajutottunk az ötletedhez.
Igen jó ötlet, csak a legtöbb ember vagy nem gondolkodik, vagy megvehető egy tál meleg étellel/hideg sörrel, vagy megszédült az ígéretektől és/vagy csak a zsebéig lát el.
Szelsofa, this is very well stated. You're absolutely right about the fame of Hungary's agricultural procucts. Tokay wine is known throughout the world, as is Hungarian paprika. Kathleen and I used to buy imported paprika from Szeged and make wonderful goulash.
I'm from the American Midwest--the agricultural heart of the nation. Since the 1980s, a lot of the family farms have gone to corporate ownership. There are still quite a few family farms, but they're vulnerable.
But back to your main question: I remember Archbishop Desmond Tutu saying that there might be a time when he would sanction violent resistance; he never did. And the situation of blacks in South Africa was fare worse than it is for people in either of our countries.
Gahndi, Tutu, and Martin Luther King, jr. counted on the decency of Britons, white South Africans, and American whites, respectively, and used nonviolent resistance to persuade those in power of the rightness of their cause. In all their cases, the nonviolent resisters were often the victims of violence. But all three succeeded without resorting to violence.
I don't know enough about Hungarian politics to know whether it's possible to raise these issues in the public forum. You are very articulate in English--I suspect you are even more so in Magyar. Your writing may be more effective than attending demonstrations. Perhaps letters to political leaders, or to the letters column of papers. You very well may be able to publish articles in newspapers and magazines.
And thank you for mentioning my post on socialism with a human face. I plan to write a post about a time when American capitalism had a human face--it wasn't that long ago.
Dear Szeksofa, How sorry I am that you are living through this. What a difficult situation. I can only hope for peaceful resolutions but it will be up to the people to start to make a stand and make the changes happen. I can only hope that the government will listen.
Steve,
that's exactly why I referred to arable in my post. It is a resource that will always be crucial. A nation just can't let go hold of its land - what a nonsense that would be.
I see those heroes you mentioned fighted wihtout fight, resisted hatred with love and so on. But again, Gandhi said that cowardice is worse than violence. That is the question for the good Hungarians.
Thank you for praising my English. Perhaps I really should write in magyar (we don't use capital letters, btw)...
I'm awaiting to your writing about capitalism having a human face...
Ello,
It is difficult, for the Gment will not listen. They are positively AGAINST the good fate of our nation. They are NOT Hungarians in their heart.
It might sound strange to an American, but patriotism is despised over here.
Thanks for the wishes, I do hope to find a peaceful solution, too.
In fact, Hungarians have been waiting for a nice outcome eversince '1956', yet it is still to come.
Szelsofa,
What you said about not wanting to publicly protest because of fear of what it might do to your family struck a chord with me.
I would so love to participate in demonstrations (if there were any) against President Bush. But even until recently, it's like he had the whole country brainwashed and afraid. And anyone who wanted to disagree was labeled as a 'non-patriot.' The government is now allowed to collect information and tap phones, etc. in the name of security concerns. It sounds like Stalin to me.
So I just sit and watch, and sometimes write. And think about moving to Canada.
Do what you can without putting your family in jeopardy. Talking and writing are two powerful steps. From the book that you sent me, your country looks so beautiful. People in your country should want to preserve and keep it.
Wow,
from being brainwashed, made afraid to being tapped on phones...were Bush, Stalin and Gyurcsány raised in a secret school TOGETHER?
We'll seek measures.
Once again... gee you are a lovely person.
Thank you Melly :)
Megjegyzés küldése