Voices from Hungary

Bronze shoes along the Danube.
A Holocaust memorial.

"A significant part of the Roma are unfit for coexistence.  They are not fit to live among people.  These Roma are animals and behave like animals."

This was a recent quote from a Hungarian politician.  He's part of the political party that holds the most power in Hungary right now, the political party that conservative Hungarians support.  The theme of prejudice and anti-semitism is becoming more and more prevalent in Hungary.  As I read article after article and hear some Hungarian co-workers express their pro-government stance for this current administration, it scares me to death.  Their words sound a lot like those that led to the execution of millions of Europeans in the 1940s.  In a country that survived Nazi invasion and Russian communist control within the last 70 years... In a country that houses a Holocaust Museum and The House of Terror...  In a country that has memorials throughout the city, bronze baby shoes on the edge of the river to remind themselves of the innocent who were killed and thrown away... It baffles me that people actually still think this way.  A lot of people.  And I'm scared to think what all this hateful talk and thinking might lead to.

Recent News in Hungary

Explain to me...

Why people back home in the US make comments

against welfare,

for the death penalty,

religiously judge the president's heart,

say hateful things toward people who get an abortion,

who are gay,

or who don't believe the same things they do.

Explain to me why I can still get in a debate on facebook

about Obama's birth certificate being forged,

or the welfare system being abused by everyone.

Explain to me why the same people say this is "God's way" or "what Jesus would do".

Because the Jesus I read about had a pretty blatant message:

Feed the poor.

Help the poor.

Give to the poor.

Love your enemy.

Love your neighbor.

He had dinner with the "sinners".

He yelled at the people who were not giving to the poor,

who judged people's hearts,

who wanted an eye for an eye.

Explain to me why American Christianity in the media, on facebook, amongst people I actually know makes absolutely no sense these days.

Looking through another lens

Today I had a really good conversation with a Hungarian friend. She was talking about attending the pro-governement rally last weekend (see previous post) and very candidly expressed her frustration with the Western world putting pressure on Hungary about their new constitution. She explained to me that "liberal" has a completely different meaning in Hungary than in the West. In Hungary liberal means people for the old politics - communism and nazism. Wow! That's definitely a different meaning than my Western terminology. As she continued to express her views, I began to understand more and more that Hungary is not a Western country. It looks Western on the outside, with its well-paved roads, big shopping centers, fast food, and white people everywhere. But on the inside, people look through a very different lens than my Western one.

Only 20 years ago Hungary was controlled by Communists from Russia, before that it was the Nazis, before that they lost half their country to political map changes, before that the Hapsburgs, before that the Turks and Mongols and all sorts of invaders. Naturally, this history effects the view of Hungarians. After years of oppression and dictators, they finally get to do what THEY want to do with their country. And they should.

When I moved to Budapest, I expected Hungarians would view the world somewhat similarly to me, especially in comparison to my previous experiences in China and Kenya. I expected big differences in Asia and Africa. But Europe? I've been surprised. In a good way.

From my Western perspective, I disagree with many things in the Hungarian constitution. But when I try to take a look through a Hungarian lens, I understand a bit more why the nation is supporting some of these things. If I were Hungarian, I may have attended the pro-government rally too.

Always willing to learn another person's perspective.

Patriotism in Hungary

On Saturday night I got on the tram, a regular night out with friends, but as I stepped on the tram, there wasn't much room for me. Most of the seats and standing room were filled with elderly people wearing ribbons and holding flags. "Must be people coming from another protest," Will comment. He was right. Budapest holds many more protests than the America I once lived in (pre-Occupy Wall Street) and definitely more than Kenya (post-election violence). I've stumbled upon more than one during a walk through the city in the last six months. Although I wasn't present at the recent pro-government rally in down-town Budapest, I thought this Brit's view of the event was interesting. Check out his blog post: Politics by Candlelight, Budapest Rally.

Things happening in Hungary

Well, it's not about kidnappings or car bombings, but Hungary's news is getting a bit heated lately. A new constitution was put into effect with the start of the new year. Basically it is being called an "unconstitutional constitution", even by the U.S. (Although I think some very right-wing U.S. republicans would support the current Hungarian Prime Minister's views. He's like Rick Santorum on conservative steroids.) The new laws include:

No rights for gay people.

No religions except the 10 or so recognized by the government. That means no Hinduism, Buddhism, or certain Christian denominations.

Government controlled media.

And various other human rights violations (the media says).

In all honesty, I don't understand everything the new laws do or don't allow, but I do know that the U.S. and EU are up in arms about the whole thing. As well as Hungarians, of course. New Years Eve was celebrated by many here with a protest, rather than fire works and champagne. From what I've read, I would protest too. It seems like the current Hungarian leaders want to go back in time 30 years. But some Hungarians do too. It surprises me that in the 21st century there are still people who are so prejudice: anti-semitists, anti-gay, anti-Roma, anti-homeless. Unfortunately, it's true all over the world.

As my husband says, "Don't hate."

World Politics

I know, it's a taboo subject anywhere you go. In Kenya it was tribal divides (that caused a LOAD of violence). In Hungary it's liberal vs. conservative vs. extremist vs. a whole lot of parties. In America it's always Republican vs. Democrat (meaning "Christian vs. non-Christian" from the Republican perspective and "non-thinker vs. enlightened" from the Democratic perspective). Everyone has a point of view. Everyone has an opinion. Some people listen to various opinions. Some people don't want to listen to anyone else's opinion because they KNOW. I've heard politics preached from the church pulpit (in more than one country) and politics come up in conversations on the public tram. Living rooms, kitchens, coffee shops, meetings... people talk politics. But what are they really talking about? Mostly what I hear in those conversations is what is wrong with the "other side". What is wrong with the Muslims. What is wrong with the Americans. What is wrong with the Africans. What is wrong with Christians. What is wrong with non-Christians. The truth is, we're all wrong. No one has it right. Because if we were, then we wouldn't have all the mess we have in the world. People in every country would have homes and food and jobs. Political leaders wouldn't be so greedy and would actually want to HELP the people they represent. People would look a little beyond themselves to view things from a different perspective.

I've had the privilege to live in a few different parts of the world now. And naturally, my perspective changes a little bit with each new place and each new person I meet. I can go off on my soap box like anyone else (maybe that's what this post is). But after seeing the perspective from a few different places, I have to say... Politics will always be the same no matter where you go. It's never going to get better because people are involved. Greedy, selfish, ego-centric people. And that includes all of us because we all have a perspective we want heard.

A few months ago I was living in Africa next to a slum where people were starving. I couldn't handle the sadness and frustration anymore, so I moved to Europe. Now I'm buying new furniture and new clothes. All the while, knowing friends in Kenya who have no jobs and can't feed their kids, throwing a few coins into the homeless guy's cup on the Budapest street. What am I really doing to not be greedy and selfish and focus on myself? Still working on that one. It's all politics - even internally. And I think, if we all ACTUALLY tried to see from another perspective, how would our politics change?