William Penn Life, 2002 (37. évfolyam, 1-11. szám)
2002-12-01 / 11. szám
Branching Out with Endre Csornán As a result of his journey, publications of that period celebrated Kossuth as one of the most brilliant orators of the English language. As a statesman, he was held to be the "embodiment of classic human values akin to our own George Washington, and as such the genuine representative of Europe." Counties, towns, streets, squares, and many boys were named after him. President Lincoln was probably inspired by one of Kossuth's observations on the meaning of democracy in his Gettysburg Address. Kossuth's popularity continued throughout the 20th century: a World War II battleship bore his name, a Kossuth stamp was issued as part of the "Champions of Liberty" series in 1958, and a statue of Kossuth was unveiled in the Capitol on March 15,1990, coinciding with the first free elections in Hungary since the fall of communism. Last summer, Kossuth County, Iowa, commemorated the man whose name the county proudly bears by unveiling a life-size bronze statue of Lajos Kossuth in Algona on July 13,2001. Ladies and Gentlemen, We are only a few days away from the anniversary of another event that has left a lasting mark on world history, but one that also left a deep scar beyond imagination on the people of Hungary. On October 23,1956, Hungarians decided to stand up for freedom in an effort to rid themselves from the yoke of Soviet oppression. It was a heroic effort to break away from the empire, the first of its kind in Europe, which forever changed the course of History. Our patriotic fight for freedom was brutally suppressed. Some days later soviet tanks rolled on the streets of Budapest. Those days in Budapest, however, brought hope to millions in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Prague, Warsaw, Berlin, and other victims of dictatorial regimes. The nation lay tom apart, just like families were left divided. Some took refuge in democracies, many in the United States. Some of you here today came to America in 1956 to find a new life but never gave up the hope that one day Hungary will regain independence, and Europe will be whole and free. Today we see that the dream of Kossuth and the freedom fighters of 1956 about a free democratic Hungary has become true. While originally 1956 was the source of national division, it has become the source of national obligations. We have to see clearly that the Berlin wall would not have fallen without 1956. Most important is that we could make 1956 part of our common Hungarian history. Now we want to concentrate on the present and the future because we cannot fix the past, but we can fix the future. We must see future tasks as the foundations of a national reconciliation. Upon presenting my Credentials to President Bush a month ago, I saw a leader determined to stand up for peace and freedom. When I told him that Hungarians know the price of freedom, he nodded and said that he perfectly understood. Today, I am proud to be here as the ambassador of an ambitious European country, one that is determined to maintain its institutions of democracy, which sees the foundations of its future in a prosperous market economy, and one that is firmly rooted in, and devoted to, a strong trans-Atlantic relationship. We have learned the hard way what it means when democracies take the road of inaction against tyrants. It means that nations and peoples are oppressed, and their freedom is taken away. On September 11 last year, a few hours after the attack on the World Trade Center, I exchanged e-mails with General Wesley Clark, former Commander in Chief of NATO Europe, who laconically wrote: "András, this is a different world today". And how right he was. Our notion of freedom and security has changed forever. Suddenly, democracies everywhere realize once again that freedom cannot be taken for granted. A1 Qaida, terrorists backed by rogue states, insane snipers of an unknown breed all have one goal — to tear the fabrics of our life apart, to destabilize our societies, to sow mistrust in our institutions. We must once again recall the legacy of Kossuth and the Hungarians who fought in 1956: there is a price to pay for freedom and we all have a responsibility in defending it. It is our duty to fight against those who threaten our democratic way of life. In this, Europe and the United States share a common fate and a common responsibility. You must know that my country, like the United States and others in the Alliance, wants to see the complete elimination of the stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction that Saddam Hussein has in his possession. We are hoping to achieve this by peaceful means, and we are working closely with the other Allies to achieve this through the United Nations. But if we fail, we know the price of inaction, and as an ally we will know where our place is if and when the United States and its allies decide to take action. Kossuth and the sufferings of 1956 remind us not only of the past but also of our responsibilities for the future. We will persevere in the defense of our values. With this I want to thank once again the City of Pittsburgh, the William Penn Association, our American and all our Hungarian friends for this wonderful event. Thank You. [jjjijjj Kossuth and the sufferings of 1956 remind us not only of the past but also of our responsibilities for the future. We will persevere in the defense of our values.’- András Simonyi William Penn Life, December 2002 7
