Magyar News, 2001. szeptember-2002. augusztus (12. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

2001-11-01 / 3. szám

The staff and associates of the Magyar News stand strongly against terrorism in all shape or form. We feel sorrow for those who gave their life in the attack against the United States of America, and we send our condolences to their loving families and mourning friends.

Let us call a SPADE a SPADE

The horrendous experience we had with the destruction of the twin towers make us look into many other matters. There is no question about the expansion of power as civilization keeps on growing. With the limitations of their time, Hannibal was to take over the world - as they then knew it. The Huns gave it a try, followed by Mongols, Turks, and recently - in historical terms - the Nazis, then the Communists. Somehow non of them were able to hold their positions but they did a lot of damage, decimated the population, stepped on many toes and broke numerous hearts. They left huge scores of peoples hoping for revenge. In those days it was face to face.

Well the Hungarians, throughout the existence of their state, never really had a showing of terrorism. They were more constructive. Starting with their settling in the Carpathian Basin. Though based on their usual life style they weren’t altar boys but had a fine sense of organizing. They were minorities of the land, the largest of all, bigger then any other ethnic group. When Géza and István designed the Hungarian state they had no problem with the other minorities. Most of us remember the name Koppány, some of us could recall other leaders of the Hungarian people, who showed more confrontation against the new state. The stability of the Hungarian nation was accomplished by taking full control of these leaders. King Stephen in his admonition to his son Emery, he wrote: “The country where only one language and costume prevails is weak and fragile.”

The Hungarian history filled with hardship shows a humane character of both its people and leaders. After the massacring Mongols and later the Turks, the Hungarians were left with a devastated country. The Hungarians invited people from neighboring countries to live on the land. These immigrants came by their own free will, and through the centuries became inseperable parts of the Magyar people. These people were immigrants and not slaves who were sold by the Czechs.

We all know many Hungarian people with German, Slavic, Italian, and other nationalities, who keept their original names but stated that in their chest a Hungarian heart beats. Its kind of America, isn’t it?

Not every place, people or country may boast about their history as the Hungarians could. As it was noticeable in the recent centuries, countries hoping to gain more power were forcefully curtailing minorities, channeling them into the mainstream of the ruling ethnic group, having them give up their language, costumes and traditions. The Hungarians did not go along this route. Nationalism only started to show before WW II. It was too late to reach the established norm of the European powers. It is to the pride of the Hungarian nation, but unfortunately it had severe consequences. In the twelve member Council of Austria, Czechs and Hungarians, World War II was decided by the eleven votes of Austria and the Czechs. Only Hungary voted against the war but the “majority” pushed Hungary into the war. After losing the war, to the Russians, each of those members of the Council with the eleven votes for warcut of a slice of the Hungarian land. Austria taking the West, the Czechs taking the northern part making Czechoslovakia. They received the full backing of France, that was always afraid that the Hungarians will form an ally with the Germans against them. In this process Hungary lost 75% of its land and 66% of its population. This treaty was called Trianon.

It really hurts. Hungarians still wipe their eyes, thinking about their families tossed to the rule of other nations that were not friendly with the minorities. Not to Hungarians who were trying to keep their identity, culture and traditions.

When the occasion came about, the Hungarians always went face to face in a confrontation. Did they ever stoop to terrorism? No! The only thing that I recall of punishing an other nation in an illegal way was against France. The Hungarians professionally printed big denominations of the French frank. Hoping to cause bankruptcy in that country. It didn’t work because the the practice was to pin together at the top left comer five of the big bills. Well the Hungarian counterfeit bills didn’t have the pinholes. It was tough luck.

The bigger the powers get on the stage of the world, the broader their action becomes globally. There is a huge amount of hurt in the world. It is not one country against an other, or one region against an

other, any more. Things become more complicated, more go array. Many individuals are taken advantage of with misinformation, lies, promises. And there is the mighty money. It is said that it could by anything.

Also, many times good intention paves the road to disasters. Hopefully one day the world will come together, make life better by actually helping each other, helping the world.

The Hungarians wait for that day. In the past history they faced evil protecting Europe. In 1956 the Hungarians put the monkey-wrench into the Soviet Communism. Facing them head on, making a contribution to the whole world. Then there were the Germans, who as Nazis occupied Hungary in WW II. What did the Hungarians do? Did they do any harm to the German people? No! The Hungarians opened the border for the Germans to flee the Communist East and made it possible for them to be a united country. Now the Hungarian government passed the Status Law. This gives Hungarians in neighboring countries possibility to go to Hungary as any citizen, find work there, then go back to their families. The Hungarian government and the people of Hungary build and support schools in those countries for studying in the Hungarian language. Trying to live together and make life more pleasant for all.

So what about the terrorists? What is their cause? Is it to put down an other nation? Or an other religion? Is it to gain justice for hurts? Or is it that some twisted minds for their twisted goals rewrite the goods of a belief into evil, brainwash impressionable stupid individuals. Don’t these realize that nurturing human life is the most sacred and important thing? The heads of the terrorist organizations never dare to come face to face with the world, they use all means to save their own skin while instigating the stupid ones to give up their own lives.

Let us call a spade a spade.These are criminal minds just like those who are harboring them. Criminals should be dealt as criminals. Bring them to justice. Teach the world that evil cannot hide under the veil of religion or patriotism. Murderers are considered criminals under all teachings of God. Joseph F. Balogh (09/20/01)

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