Mr. György Lázár:
Normally we at the American Hungarian Federation would not respond to the kind of posting you made on September 22, “Exploiting the naiveté of Hans Klemm, the US ambassador to Romania,” but we are making an exception in this case since you have gratuitously defamed not only an outstanding career American diplomat but our organization as well.
The tactics you employed reflect neither a responsible use of logic nor a fair understanding of the issues involved. Any display of the Szekler flag by radical groups no more vitiates its symbolic legitimacy than that of the American flag when it is displayed by extremist groups. This is a form of guilt by association which is a thoroughly discredited polemical tactic and never used by respected interlocutors.
A sea of Szekler (székely) flags at a protest.
Your painting of Ambassador Klemm as naïve for posing with Mayor Árpád Antal of Sepsiszentgyörgy with the flag in the Hungarian speaking region of Romania is as absurd as it is ill informed. American career diplomats are highly trained experts charged with carrying out U.S. policy abroad, and it is an established feature of American interests and values to promote diversity and minority human rights around the world. Ambassador Klemm was doing nothing other than what American diplomats do elsewhere in similar circumstances.
Finally your ad hominem depiction of the American Hungarian Federation as a “right-wing organization,” is as ludicrous as it is preposterous. Our hundred year old mission in preserving Hungarians’ cultural and historical heritage and promoting minority rights has drawn popular support across the political spectrum and faith community as well as across the professions, including medicine, history, science, diplomacy, and the law. For your information, our governing board currently includes professionals with differing political views, reflecting its nature as a federation.
Since you say you enjoy spending time in Hungary, we wish you would also find it enjoyable backing our worthy mission, including our efforts to combat the discrimination confronting Hungarian minorities in their ancient homeland, instead of trying to tear it down. We would welcome
your support.
Sincerely,
The American Hungarian Federation
***
Dear Mr. Koszorus,
Thank you for your feedback to my opinion piece.
There is no disagreement between us that Hungarian minority rights are a concern to many Hungarian Americans and many readers of the Hungarian Free Press. As I wrote, I find it unfortunate that the Mayor asked Ambassador Klemm to pose with the Szekler Flag and distributed the photo when the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest didn’t publish it. This was not a polite way to treat his guest.
Ambassador Klemm made it clear that only two flags are of importance to him as a diplomat: the U.S. and the Romanian. He did not mention the Szekler flag. He went on to say that some of the political leaders in Covasna asked him to take a picture together and that he accepted out of politeness. (read here)
I think that you misinterpret Ambassador Klemm’s gesture when you characterize it in your letter as a sign of “moral and political courage.” It was not.
In my view, the Mayor’s tricky action has damaged trust; this is not an effective way to win U.S. support. As you know the Szekler flag is frequently used by Hungarian neo-Nazi groups. While I agree that occasionally our American flag is displayed by extremists, the Jobbik Party has made the Szekler flag their “de facto” party flag in Transylvania. Whether we like it or not, this will make some people hesitant to be associated with this symbol. The more important question is, how can we as Hungarian-Americans fight the extreme right and the increasing penetration of the Jobbik party here in our own country, the United States?
You mentioned that your organization’s board includes professionals with differing political views. I’m certain that HFP would welcome their opinion pieces. Open discussions are the best way to debate various approaches and resolve honest disagreements.
Sincerely,
György Lázár
Very strange!
I have only one comment for Ambassador Klemm:
“What’s Aleppo?”
And btw – thanks for seeking ‘clarification’, György.
Will we hear from the Embassy?
Mr. Lazar does nothing else but discredit the whole Hungarian political palette in Romania.
The Szekler flag has become a symbol of struggle with the Romanian authorities. Take a look at the picture. Arpad Antal, the mayor of Sfantu Gheorghe, is a member of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania. Bela Kato is a Calvinist bishop. Sandor Tamas is the chairman of the county’s local government.
They have NOTHING to do with JOBBIK, Mr Lazar does NOT understand the situation in Szeklerland.
I wish to congratulate Mr Koszorus for subscribing to the HFP.
I have only one question to him, and his American Hungarian Federetion. Why is your outrage so selective ? Why didn’t you raise your voice against the obscenity committed by the Hungarian government when, on St Stephen’s day, it gave one of the highest state awards to Hungary’s most infamous hatemonger, Zsolt Bayer ? A subsidiary question is this. When will you finally give up your shameful backing of a regime that foments hatred against refugees, and makes a mockery of the rule of law and of the values that made America great ?
Why didn’t you raise your voice when 40 percent of Mexican immigrants were abused by US border patrol?
http://www.ibtimes.com/illegal-immigration-2015-40-mexican-migrants-abused-separated-deportation-us-border-2108256
Why didn’t you raise your voice when Obama gave 75 million to the Mexican government to strengthen its SOUTHERN border?
http://www.worldnewspolitics.com/2016/09/dems-repubs-shocked-learn-obama-just-gave-mexico-75-million/
Why didn’t you raise your voice when America was building barbed-wire fences to keep Mexicans out?
Re the American-Hungarian Association:
“has drawn popular support across the political spectrum and faith community”
There is only one ‘political’ spectrum in Hungary.
The political spectrum of autocratic Viktor Orban who continues to stir up irredentist populist sentiment in other country’s affairs.
By giving them votes when they don’t contribute taxes or even live in Hungary.
By giving them postal votes but denying Hungarians postal votes abroad. Even overseas real Hungarian citizens can’t get to vote in London when they might be working in Edinburgh.
By signing the EU accession which requires country’s to give up territory disputes.
Yea right!
‘Popular support’ across only one political spectrum.
Orban’s.
(And the wicked Roman Catholic Church in Hungary which has ‘gone native’.)
A simple search brings dozens of reports about the “controversy” stirred by the Szekler flag picture, whatever the AHF say.
BTW , re anyone friendly or associated with the Organ regime it can be safely assumed that this party is at least very cavalier with the truth, if not blatant liars, until they prove otherwise. Saves lot of time.
Proud of you Gyorgy Lazar! I don’t see the other “minorities” flag their flags around…..
Jews….
“The Jobbik Party has made the Szekler flag their “de facto” party flag in Transylvania.”
That’s a huge lie. The Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania, the Hungarian People’s Party of Transylvania and the Hungarian Civic Party have NOTHING to do with JOBBIK.
The mayor of Sfantu Gheorghe, Arpad Antal is an emblematic figure of the party of RMDSZ (UDMR)!!!!
Don’t tell me that he is a associated with the JOBBIK.
Ambassador Klemm about the Szekler flag controversy
G Lazar, I applaude your hard work in fighting Romanian extremism, and your supporting the self-determination of the long persecuted Hungarian minority! You or I can’t do anything about a flag being misused. So just drop it. Focus!