Six years ago Donald Trump tweeted that “The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.” In another tweet he made his views clear: “In the 1920’s people were worried about global cooling – it never happened. Now it’s global warming. Give me a break!” This US administration does not believe in global warming and last year President Trump decided to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement.
Hungary did not follow. Just the opposite, the country became the leader of the anti-Trump forces in climate change. And this week, thousands of people from across the globe are coming to California, to San Francisco to attend on the Global Climate Action Summit to show unity and to stand up to Trump in the climate fight.
Former Vice President Al Gore, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Secretary John Kerry will be there. Actor Alec Baldwin will speak; he impersonates Trump on the comedy show Saturday Night Live. (See the conference program here.)
Hungary’s president, János Áder is the only head of state attending and speaking at this event! I had to pinch myself, Áder hobnobbing with top liberals with no Trump administration politician present.
I actually welcome Áder’s anti-Trump stand on climate change, but I still think that he should have stayed at home. His fascist sympathies are well-known; Áder has praised convicted WWII criminals like Albert Wass and János Esterházy. (Read here.)
Mr. Áder is also a leading homophobe who signed Hungary’s Constitution making gay marriage illegal. A rare Republican supporter of this climate gathering is former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who will send his greetings via video feed. Schwarzenegger is a staunch supporter of gay rights and fought for the legalization of gay marriage. Same-sex unions are legal in California.
Mr. Áder and his views are not welcome in California. Hungarian Americans should boycott his visit!
György Lázár