Fraternity-Testvériség, 2007 (85. évfolyam, 1-3. szám)
2007-07-01 / 3. szám
President’s Corner The cover of this issue commemorates the heroes of 1956 Hungarian Revolution against the Soviet Union. The candles where lit at the HRFA Kossuth House commemoration and placed on the podium by the readers of (some of the) names of Hungarians who were executed by the Soviets after the uprising. It is also important to note that this October marked the one year anniversary of the sad events in Budapest on October 2006, when government sanctioned police brutality greeted those who were trying to peacefully demonstrate and commemorate 1956. In fact, the police chief who sanctioned these brutal and unlawful acts was given a commendation for his efforts by the mayor of Budapest. As stated in HRFA’s by-laws (Article I, section 2e), we support the needs and concerns of the global Hungarian community. Therefore it is important for HRFA and for Hungarian Americans to support civil rights in Hungary and for the Hungarian minorities in the neighboring countries. That’s why I support the Hungarian Human Rights Foundation and the organization below. This is not a political issue, it is a moral issue. Since this issue is devoted to 1956,1 would like to praise those people who are sacrificing their time and money to help those unfortunate people who were peacefully demonstrating and commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1956 revolution last year in Budapest, some of whom were severely beaten, and some who are still being unjustly prosecuted for this by the current regime in Budapest. Please lend your support to those organizations who are helping these people, such as the Civil Jogász Bizottság (Civil Lawyers Committee). These folks were at the Kossuth House in November and showed disturbing videos of the official police brutalities, and accounts of false accusations and unfair trials in 2006-2007. Their web site is: www.oktober23bizottsag.hu . "NOTHING THEN IS UNCHANGEABLE, BUT THE INHERENT AND INALIENABLE RIGHTS OF MAN." Thomas Jefferson 2008 Convention and Responsibility During the period of September 28, 2008 to October 3, 2008 we will have the 2008 convention in Ligonier, PA. All branches are requested to hold the annual meeting of their branch in January 2008 to designate the date, time and place of their delegate election meeting. Your branch manager must mail the date, time, and place of your delegate election meeting to me by February 15, 2008. According to the by-laws, the delegate election meeting must be held during the months of April and May 2008. At the convention you will select your new Board of Directors and approve potential by-law changes. It is important that you select people into leadership positions who care about HRFA and its future and who can work well together. It is also important that you identify the next generation and potentially elect one or two of them to the Board of Directors. I will continue to do my best to turn around HRFA, but this is a joint responsibility with the Directors (bylaws Article III, section 25) so I need your support now, and during the delegate selection process and at the convention. What you can do right now to help HRFA is to send me names of persons who might be interested in becoming agents for HRFA. HRFA will give you $100 for each agent that you identify and that I hire (at my discretion), and an additional $400 if that agent generates $800 in commissions in the first year of hire. That’s $500 for you for each agent, if you help me with this effort. This offer expires on 9/30/2008. Fraternally Yours, Jules Gyula Balogh Fraternity - Testvériség - Fall 2007 Page 3
