Recently in the spotlight

Murder on Fifth Avenue — A Global Perspective on the 2020 US Elections

Murder on Fifth Avenue — A Global Perspective on the 2020 US Elections

Are the chickens coming home to roost in America? Are we witnessing the fulfilment of a two hundred year old prediction by John Adams, one of the Founding Fathers and the 2nd President of the USA? “Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.” (Letter […]

by · November 20, 2020 · Focus
From murderers to heroes

From murderers to heroes

(This is the first of a three-part series on Iván Héjjas the leader of the Ragged Guard) A conference has just ended in Kecskemét called “Of the brave and heroic,” a tribute to the Ragged Guard (Rongyos Gárda), a vigilante group whose military disturbances resulted in a plebiscite that returned the city of Sopron to Hungary after the Treaty of […]

by · November 18, 2020 · Antisemitism
Nicholas (Miklós) Nyaradi

Nicholas (Miklós) Nyaradi – from banker to anti-Communist crusader

As part of our series on lesser known Hungarian Americans we introduce Nicholas Nyaradi or Miklós Nyáradi (Scheidl) the Hungarian banker and politician who became a significant voice in the anti-Communist movement in the United States. Miklós Scheidl was born in 1905 in Hungary and after receiving his law degree in 1928 he had a long career in banking.  He became […]

by · November 14, 2020 · Diaspora
Richard Grenell in performance.

Leaving Las Vegas — Orbán Lobbyist Richard Grenell leads Anti-Biden Conspiracy Theorists in America

Without identifying himself, in spite of repeated questions from reporters, one of Hungarian autocrat Viktor Orbán’s top US lobbyists, Richard Grenell, held a press conference this week in Las Vegas and alleged that American Democracy is being hijacked by the deceased. Trump’s former Director of National Intelligence claimed on camera that this is “what’s happening in the state of Nevada”. […]

by · November 8, 2020 · Focus
Celebrating a fascist icon.

Géza Szőcs has died

Géza Szőcs, poet and former Secretary of State for Culture in the early years of the Orbán government, has died at age 67 from COVID-19. Whenever I read his name I am reminded of Elie Wiesel’s words: “It is with profound dismay and indignation that I learned of your participation, together with Hungarian Secretary of State for Culture Géza Szőcs […]

by · November 7, 2020 · Culture
Antonia Eliason, Mississippi’s first Democratic Socialist candidate has Hungarian roots

Antonia Eliason, Mississippi’s first Democratic Socialist candidate has Hungarian roots

Antonia Eliason is the Democratic candidate in Mississippi’s 1st Congressional District.  Since 2013 Ms. Eliason has been a professor at the University of Mississippi, School of Law.  She is the state’s first ever Democratic Socialist candidate focusing on environmental justice, universal healthcare and workers’ rights. I called her on the phone because I discovered in her CV that she speaks […]

by · November 1, 2020 · Politics
Mr. Gergely Gulyás (right), Hungary's Minister of the Prime Minister's office with Rep. Kaptur. (Facebook photo of Rep. Kaptur)

Rep. Marcy Kaptur co-chair of the Hungarian American Caucus is favored to be re-elected

Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur is a Democrat and she is representing Ohio’s 9th Congressional District.  The 74-years-old politician has served in Congress longer than any other woman in history. Her congressional career started in 1983 and in November she has a good chance to be re-elected for another 2-year term. Her Republican challenger is 48-year-old Rob Weber, a lawyer, a West […]

by · October 28, 2020 · Diaspora
Hungarian-born Agnes Gibboney is running for US Congress in California

Hungarian-born Agnes Gibboney is running for US Congress in California

A 66-year-old Republican, Agnes Gibboney is running for the Congressional seat in District 31, Rancho Cucamonga, California.  Gibboney is an Angel Mom who supports President Trump and has appeared with the President on several occasions. (Angel Moms: a group of mothers whose child was killed by an undocumented immigrant.) Gibboney speaks Hungarian and travelled to Budapest to appear on Zsolt […]

by · October 23, 2020 · Politics
Trianon Conference at the University of Toronto

Trianon Conference at the University of Toronto

On October 15, 2020 the University of Toronto, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy organized a Zoom conference entitled European Conflicted Heritage: New Reflections on the Treaty of Trianon 100 Years in Perspective (1920-2020). According to the brief description the Treaty of Trianon was signed 100 years ago yet its impact is still being felt by Hungarian minorities and the diaspora alike. […]

by · October 18, 2020 · Diaspora
President Trump and Prime Minister Orbán met in Washington in May 2019  (TV news screenshot)

President Trump called me in the kitchen…and other tales

Namedropping, exaggerating influence and political connections are hallmarks of Hungarian foreign policy. Let’s face it, Hungary is a small country with less than 10 million people; it is one of the poorest countries in the European Union with a GDP close to Cincinnati’s.  Hungary’s political gravitas and strategic importance are insignificant. (And please don’t be offended.) Yet, according to its […]

by · October 5, 2020 · Politics