Quentin Tarantino, it is time to return your Hungarian Order of the Knight’s Cross

Hungary’s utterly racist political journalist Zsolt Bayer has received the Order of Merit of the Knight’s Cross from the President of Hungary János Áder. Mr. Bayer is a founding member of the ruling Fidesz party and a friend of Viktor Orbán, the country’s authoritarian Prime Minister. (Read more here.)

Mr. Bayer is a columnist for the rightwing daily Magyar Hírlap. Some of his pieces compare the Roma people to “animals” and he often peppers his writing with distasteful anti-Semitic remarks. In the past Hungary’s media regulator fined Magyar Hírlap for publishing Bayer’s anti-Roma comments.

According to the government’s official gazette (Magyar Közlöny) Bayer’s award was given for his “exemplary journalistic activity.” After the announcement 70 recipients of state awards have decided to return theirs in protest. Government officials have indicated that there are no plans to withdraw Bayer’s award.

The US Holocaust Museum has protested writing: “this award is intended to recognize individuals who demonstrate excellence in service to the country and the promotion of universal human values.” They added “Bayer has a long record of racist speech and has written highly provocative anti-Semitic and anti-Roma articles in the Hungarian media.” (Click here for Museum statement.)

The Simon Wiesenthal Center stated that “this award is a disgrace. The Hungarian government cannot have it both ways: Celebrating bigotry while presenting today’s Hungary as a forward thinking democracy.” (Click here for Wiesenthal Center statement.)

Quentin Tarantino was knighted by the Hungarian government in 2011 for producing a fascinating documentary entitled Freedom’s Fury. Filmmakers Megan Raney-Aarons and her brother Colin Gray were also knighted by Hungary.

Mr. Quentin Tarantino, Mr. Béla Bunyik, Founder of the Hungarian Film Festival in California and Mr. Andy Vajna, Film Commissioner of the Hungarian Government.

Quentin Tarantino, Béla Bunyik, Founder of the Hungarian Film Festival in California and Andy Vajna, Film Commissioner of the Hungarian Government.

In 2014 Professor Mihály Csikszentmihályi of Claremont Graduate University received the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary. Rabbi Arthur Schneier, Senior Rabbi of New York City’s Park East Synagogue received the Cross with the Star of the Order of Merit.

Rabbi Schneier wearing his Hungarian Cross with the Star of the Order of Merit and his wife.

Rabbi Schneier wearing his Hungarian Cross with the Star of the Order of Merit and his wife.

Rabbi Schneier, Professor Csikszentmihályi, Mr. Tarantino: it is time for you to return your awards. More than seventy prominent Hungarians have already declared that they do not want to be in the same “group of people” as Mr. Bayer.

Professor Csikszentmihályi (middle) with his wife receiving the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit from Mr. Zoltán Balog, Hungary’s Minister of Human Resources.

Professor Csikszentmihályi (middle) with his wife receiving the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit from Mr. Zoltán Balog, Hungary’s Minister of Human Resources.

I don’t think that you want to be in his company either.

György Lázár

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