Willie Brown is the keynote speaker at the 1956 Hungarian Revolution Commemoration in San Francisco

What a surprise!

The San Francisco War Memorial Center will host the 60th anniversary commemoration of the 1956 Revolution. On October 23 the keynote speaker will be Willie Brown, the former Speaker of the California State Assembly who was the 41st mayor of San Francisco. The 82-year-old Democrat is a dynamic speaker and overall fantastic guy.

I once met Brown decades ago shopping at the Macy’s store in downtown San Francisco where we discussed dress shirts! Brown is a sharp dresser and a truly a unique politician. He is a treasure, a legend, a San Francisco institution; flamboyant, approachable, a long-time columnist. Brown’s entire political life is connected to the City and the State of California.

Willie Brown will speak at the 60th anniversary commemoration of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution in San Francisco

Willie Brown will speak at the 60th anniversary commemoration of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution in San Francisco

For decades he was considered California’s most powerful politician at the State Assembly where he served over 30 years (!) spending 15 years as its Speaker. As Mayor of San Francisco he transformed the City and made it a high tech Mecca. The experiment was so successful that today San Francisco is probably the most expensive City in the United States.

Brown is also a close friend of Hillary Clinton. Hungarian Americans overwhelmingly support her in the upcoming Presidential Election and we were stunned by the Orbán government’s endorsement of Donald Trump. Most Hungarian Americans are dismayed with Orbán when he became the first European leader to endorse Trump, calling him a “better option” than his rival.

Willie Brown (left), Hillary Clinton (middle) in a San Francisco bookstore.

Willie Brown (left), Hillary Clinton (middle) in a San Francisco bookstore.

Willie Brown fought for Civil Rights, for freedom of the press and free speech just like the fighters of the 1956 Revolution. Today, freedom of the press is in danger in Budapest, the Orbán government is systematically stifling opposition media.

In the 1960s, as a lawyer, Brown defended Mario Savio who was the leader of the Berkeley Free Speech movement. Willie knows the importance of the freedom of the press and he is the perfect choice to speak on the 1956 Commemoration in San Francisco.

György Lázár

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *