As an American of Hungarian origin I hope that the USA Swim team will succeed in Budapest at the upcoming 2017 FINA World Aquatics Championships. The competition will start this weekend and lasts two weeks. I also wish good luck to the Hungarian team.
To be honest I would have been happier if Hungarian-born Katinka Hosszú would compete in US colors, as she did in the past. She has decided to represent her birth country, Hungary, and that is her choice. I sincerely hope that she won’t become a poster girl of that country’s oppressive regime.
Katinka Hosszú (left) Katie Ledecky (right) at the Rio Olympics.
US swimmers should know that while Hungarian people are not racist, Hungary’s current government and policies are. Prime Minister Orbán’s regime relentlessly attacks Muslims, gays, blacks and Jews. Orbán talks about a „Muslim invasion” of the country and “Christian identity is under threat” from Muslim immigrants. Hungary won’t let them in.
His government also talks about “faggot lobby” and host city Budapest’s mayor, Mr. István Tarlós, has talked about homosexuality as “unnatural and repulsive.” Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Zsolt Semjén has called homosexuality “a deviance” and “an aberration.” Pro-government media labelled Brian Boitano as a gay provocateur because he was part of the US 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics delegation.
Blacks don’t fare much better. Orbán has explained that the “real threat” comes from Africa because the blacks are ready to migrate and threaten Hungary.
And of course the Jews. The Orbán regime praises convicted WWII criminals and organizes anti-Semitic poster campaigns. It is the EU’s first country where anti-Semitism is actual government policy. Now Orbán has ordered to remove the anti-Semitic Soros posters before the FINA World Championship just like Hitler cleaned up Berlin before the 1936 Olympics.
Budapest is gorgeous city but under the surface there is trouble. Hungary’s government is dreaming about a White Christian Hungary and it seems that Hungary’s swim team is just like that – white and Christian.
The Dagály Complex in Budapest, purpose-built for the FINA Championships
What makes sport teams in North America different is diversity. Hungary’s current leaders think that diversity is bad; we in America think that it is an asset and we are proud of it.
Mr. Orbán claims that “ethnic homogeneity” is vital for Hungary’s success. No race mixing in his country! US star swimmer Katie Ledecky who won four gold medals in the 2016 Olympics has Czech, Irish and Jewish heritage. I wonder if Anthony Ervin, four time Olympic medalist and World Championship holder, will be part of the US delegation. Ervin has an African-American father and Jewish mother. Mr. Ervin might want to speak his mind with Mr. Orbán.
It is a shame that FINA’s leadership awarded this Championship to authoritarian and racist Hungary which also happens to be one of Europe’s poorest countries. Yet Mr. Orbán spent over $500 million dollars to stage the event; it is supposed to be a showcase to legitimize his corrupt regime.
György Lázár
LOL you’re a sad sad person 😀
There is propaganda and there is personal opinion. The two has something in common. Both are meant to influence the views of the reader. Mr. György Lázár did a perfect job combining the two into one hell of a mass. His comments are usually full of hate for the current Hungarian government (that included the bus fair to the airport) but this article overshadows all of his previous works with unfounded allegations and twisted “explanations”. This masterpiece is a clear example how someone can bring down the reputation of a blog. Congratulation Mr. Lázár. Keep up the “great” work and destroy this site. Also please publish your interpretation of the Hungarian situation on HungarianSpectrum. There you will be the most beloved author.
ps. Mr. Lázár, if you have the courage and a bit of decency left in you stand against me in an open debate on this blog and let the readers see how the truth wears your lies down.
What is wrong about a White Christian Hungary? It is people like the writer of this article who are anti white racists. Dreaming of a liberal multi cultural utopia that doesn’t work and exist in the real world.
What about real diversity? Preserving all ethnic groups and races in their own homogenous nation states! This works fine in the real world.
Ho hum. Here we go again.
The Hungarian government has been condemned as a rule of law violator by just about every single reputable international organization – most recently on May 17, by the European Parliament. It is the only regime in the history of the EU against which Article 7 procedures have been initiated, because of alleged corruption, human rights and rule of law violations. The criticism of the EU is not a Left wing or Liberal plot – most of the Conservative EU Parliamentarians also voted for the resolution. All the credible conservative think tanks in the US – The American Enterprise Institute, Freedom House, the Atlantic Council have published similar and extensive conclusions recently. The US State Department’s own study in 2016 reached the same conclusions as the aforementioned.
The Hungarian Prime Minister, by his own public statement expressed his intention to pattern the Hungarian polity on the Russian-Chinese-Turkish model, and as a sign of his good intentions he awarded one of the country’s highest State honors to a man, who is probably Hungary’s most prominent anti-Semite opinion leader.
Globally admired Holocoust victims like the Nobel Laurate Elie Wiezel, or the Holocaust historian Randolph L. Braham have returned all their state decorations to Viktor Orbán in protest of his efforts to whitewash and resurrect the racially intolerant, anti-Democratic spirit of Horthyism, which, among others, sent 460,000 Jews to the gas chambers of Auschwitz.
And then come the trolls, laughing like Diane, or the others, defending the indefensible. There may be some parts of Mr. Lázár’s statement that are a bit forceful, or passionate, but the overall message is accurate.
As an American whose ancestors lived in Hungary from the 18th century, I am saddened by the comments and by the attitudes of the present Hungarian government. Aspirations for a White Christian Hungary is what drove my father from Hungary and resulted in the murder of more than 650,000 Hungarian Jews. It is undebatable that anyone who advocates segregation of “ethnic groups and races into their own homogenous nation” is a a racist.
Dear Mr. Hegedus,
I happen to believe that the current Hungarian government attempts to pit ethnic groups (e.g. Roma, Slovaks…), religions (Muslims, Jews, Christians) and sexual orientation against each other. This is unacceptable, time to stop the „slice and dice.” Hungary has a multi-ethnic society with multiple religions. The country is not homogenous, it is not white, not Christian and not exclusively heterosexual. It has never been! Statements about Muslims, blacks, gays and Jews are apprehensive and do not express the views of the majority of Hungarian citizens.
According to the official Hungarian census about 7% of the population within the borders of Hungary do not consider themselves ethnically „Hungarian.” Some say that the real number is much higher, about 15% not “Hungarian”, mainly Roma. Face it, Hungary has a diverse, multi-ethnic society; citizens have white Caucasian, Roma, Chinese..etc. roots. There is nothing wrong with diversity. Why not embrace black or Muslim Hungarian citizens and/or immigrants?
It is also strange that the Orbán government has categorized 1.5 million US and 300 thousand Canadian citizens as „Hungarians” and claim that they are members of the Hungarian „Nation Body.” They talk about a 15 million Hungarian Nation, a „World Nation” spanning several borders. This is nonsense. Americans and Canadians with Hungarian roots are not „Hungarians” – they are Americans and Canadians.
The government should stop the racially induced hate campaign and the über-national, often gibberish rhetoric…
Budaoest is not a beautiful city at all. I visited it last week – and the 8 days there were 7 days too long- and mind you my friends did take me to Margit sziget, Andrassy ut ( where I stayed just off one of the streets by them)..what’s beautiful about it? Some buildings from the 18th century could be called pretty, the museum of Terror makes the area around it grim, tragic and ugly!
The Red Danube forever tinted by the Jewish children’s innocent bloods, the corpses shot in their January wear ; shoes off was the Hungarian command!
The little towns of Hungary can be called pretty ( until one finds out what went on there for years).
So stop living in fantasyland : Budapest is a grotesque town – the graveyard of Eastern Europe ….the flavor of the stylish, intelligent, good looking Jews is missing just like the goulash without its paprika!!!
Obviously, none of those people have anything to worry about AND YOU KNOW IT, but you are a slimy bastard, so here we are. I am just surprised that these Marxist types can still use the word “fearmongering” with a straight face. Have you no shame? Or you justify your lies with the reasoning that you are still a good person because you lie in order to further a cause that is noble according to the ideology you believe in? Hahahahaha.
Also, get your facts straight. Hosszú is an ethnic Hungarian, she lives in Hungary, she NEVER represented the US (no matter what you claim) and she never even held US citizenship. Attending a university in the US doesn’t make her American, what the hell are you talking about? What “choice” are you talking about? Oh, but wait, none of that matters, because this is just an excuse to spew inane socjus idiocy. And you are the one who is worried that the government might use Hosszú for propaganda purposes? Hahahaha. Carry on, comrade!
By the way, the kind of “diversity” that you people are so proud of, is nothing but working toward a future where everyone has brown skin, brown eyes, black hair and likely worships Allah. Wow, so diverse! So colorful! When humanity will achieve such a wonderful, colorful and diverse society, we will finally be able to all hold hands and dance on the tomb of the last blonde woman!
I would love to see this “toe to toe” debate Robert, with your so called “truth”! There is ample evidence that Gyorgy is the one telling the truth. Not sure why you would think that you could possibly fool all by projecting the fact you would bombard us with propaganda in this so called debate. I’m well in touch with Hungary and honestly Gyorgy was being kind as I have witnessed every kind of xenophobia and prejudice by not only fidesz but their supporters and supporters of jobbik. Just because you don’t like the truth, doesn’t mean you get to change it, to suit your narrative. That only works with christian nationalists.
@ curious george
Are you curious yellow ? Or just jello ?
The title of the article is the joke. Are they safe? Can you name a single black, Jew, LGBT or Muslim that has been injured in the past 7 years? Or should we compare it to countries like USA where such issues are rampant?
Dear Steve, In the last couple of years thousands of Hungarian citizens asked (and received) asylum in Canada, USA, Israel etc. They cited physical threats against the Roma, Jews, LGBT… citizens of the country. You probably heard about the cases of Ákos Kertész, Péter Dániel… etc. Hungarian police, government supported organizations and diplomats falsify facts, statistics and don’t report racially motivated attacks.
I say let the people decide.
Put it up for a vote by the very people of Hungary.
After all, it is their country.
Is not that’s how democracy suppose to work.
Only some with diaper complex would oppose that.
Lazar, are you being paid by Soros? What a lot of nonsense you gathered. If any one is racist, it is you against Hungarians. No one should be ashamed of being a white Christian person.
You left wing liberals all ignored the behaviors of the 400,000 thousand migrant that invaded Hungary in 2015. Their behavior was unacceptable in a civilized society. There are also terrorist attacks in the EU, rapes of women, robbery,and even a murder of a 5 year old Russian boy. Hungary is doing the only prudent thing by keeping hordes of people out who could create chaos. You are safe in Hungary but you cannot guarantee that you sill not be blown up in the rest of the EU.
You all talk of the advantages of multiculturalism, do not overrate it. Sharia law is not an advantage. Treating women as less than human is not desirable. Ignoring the laws of a country is costly.
Hungary is protecting its citizens, it should be commanded . Just think, G. Clooney, an advocate for your cause, is moving back to the US because he does not feel safe in the UK. Stop spewing childish theories which do not work.
“… They talk about a 15 million Hungarian Nation, a „World Nation” spanning several borders. This is nonsense. Americans and Canadians with Hungarian roots are not „Hungarians” – they are Americans and Canadians….”
Replace the word “hungarian” with “jew” for example and his words would not be controversial at all. Orbans views, are a natural consequence of witnessing the negative impact of uncontrolled mass immigration across the rest of europe.
Diversity is one thing, most people in christian europe (it still is by the way) are happy to welcome people from different cultures and religions, as long as they respect their host nation and contribute to society. Problems only tend to arise when entire towns are overrun with recent immigrants, transforming once harmonious communities into ghettos of high unemployment and crime. That is not multiculturalism, its a shadow form of ethnic cleansing and population replacement.
Parts of the UK are now unrecognisable due to uncontrolled mass immigration. The net migration into the UK alone is like importing an entire city the size of coventry every single year, it is UNSUSTAINABLE. If the government built houses and schools and invested in the infrastructure to cope with this massive unnatural population growth, then it might not be such a problem, but the UKs civic services are in utter chaos as a result.
My daughter is travelling right now, enjoying the cultural differences between the countries of europe. She’ll be heading to Budapest later today, and I’m sure I’ll get a full and truthful account of her experience there, and I am pretty confident it wont be the hotbed of racism and intolerance that you are attempting to create in the minds of the readers of your blog.