I Became a citizen of Hungary this year. My parents came from there in 1956 after the Soviet re-annexation of this nation back into the Iron Axis once the popular Hungarian Revolution was crushed by Soviet Tanks. Animosity no, but reality set upon a nation whose history has been filled with foreign intrigue, invasions, empires of others and dictatorships plenty.
Why would I place a beat upon this nation then? As a Canadian, I have no connection to Hungary except through my parents and their friends and family. Well, for one thing, I have visited this nation several times as a child and youth, found it to be mysterious, naturally beautiful and most of its people simply marvellous. The past and present ideologies of some people frighten me, however. Hungarians supported the Axis Powers during the second world war, and I have heard many discussing just how right the Germans were with their treatment of Gypsies, Jews and those damn Communists. The Right has had a foothold here for well over a hundred years and the popularity of extreme right-wing groups continues to grow even as the Hungarian economy grows. There is a hidden privilege many Hungarians seem to feel, that they are better than others. A superiority that the rightwing continues to promote socio-politically. Extremist allies like Russia, Serbia and other right-wing folk continue to feed the nation’s appetite for something better, be it empire, wealth or prestige. They are a clannish group, not easily moved from the shadows of self-interest and nationalistic pride.
So why join such a club you may ask? Well, why did the international brigades of the 1930-1940 filled with international citizens choose to fight a dictator like General Franco, an ally of Fascist Italy and the Nazis.? Because of the fight to come, a second world war had to begin somewhere, and the goose-stepping soldiers of hate had to be stopped somewhere too. Whether the ideology is right or left, religious or secular such isms breed in nations that have lost, been conquered and their precious resources stolen from underneath them by purveyors of mistrust, hate and misdirected nationalistic pride.
I want to fight this lot, these destroyers of civilization. Hungary is full of creative, imaginative and freedom-loving citizens. Their roots in the process of struggle to achieve their freedom can carry them forward against the rising tides of historic evil. Europe stands alone with tens of millions of illegal and unwanted Africans, Middle Eastern refugees and economic stragglers looking for a better life. The walls of separation continue to be built by both their religious and political organizations and those of the national authorities that have hosted them. Can the difference between cultures and races withstand the up-and-coming chaos the extremists will unleash soon enough? There are 3-5 million members of nationalistic and extreme organizations in Europe. Many millions of Militia’s well armed and trained, ready to take out the outsiders. You know who they are right? What has happened in America has flowed to the European Sector, where those ignored, living in poverty and low income, and looked upon with disdain have organized and are ready for action.
Hungary is such a nation where divisions within its society have been percolating for decades. When you feel alone, isolated from the world, taken advantage of and have a hunger for self-interest-nationalistic betterment what do you do?
The only way democracy can grow and prosper in such nations is if democrats from our neck of the woods take the bad boys on and prepare to fight the good fight, just like pre-WW2. Are you up for the fight? Eventually, your kids may be brought into it. Wars are still fought with ground troops so future generations are in peril of facing what previous brave generations have faced, a fight to end totalitarianism.
Steven Kaszab
Bradford, Ontario
skaszab@yahoo.ca
