Truth & Politics
I lifted this image of a protester in Budapest from the BBC web page. It appears there with this caption:"Police used water cannon and teargas against the protesters, who were angry at Mr Gyurcsany's admission that his Socialist government told lies to win an election."
I then read this his is a astonishing and oddly inspiring report from from The Guardian:
"Gutted cars, shattered glass and smashed paving stones littered Budapest's Freedom Square today after protesters stormed the headquarters of Hungarian state television to demand the resignation of the prime minister.
Hundreds of people, most of them young men, burst though police lines to attack the station, having broken away from a much larger, peaceful demonstration against the country's Socialist leader Ferenc Gyurcsany, who admitted to lying to the nation about the state of the economy to retain power."
So, In Budapest, the citizenry will protest when officials lie to win an election; in the US we basically sit back and do nothing when the Supreme Court usurps power and declares winners in national elections; and we acquiesce when the government repeatedly lies to lead us into war. Perhaps rioting is not the answer, but the Hnngarians have every right to be indignant and angry when their political leaders lie to them. So do Americans.
I then read this his is a astonishing and oddly inspiring report from from The Guardian:
"Gutted cars, shattered glass and smashed paving stones littered Budapest's Freedom Square today after protesters stormed the headquarters of Hungarian state television to demand the resignation of the prime minister.
Hundreds of people, most of them young men, burst though police lines to attack the station, having broken away from a much larger, peaceful demonstration against the country's Socialist leader Ferenc Gyurcsany, who admitted to lying to the nation about the state of the economy to retain power."
So, In Budapest, the citizenry will protest when officials lie to win an election; in the US we basically sit back and do nothing when the Supreme Court usurps power and declares winners in national elections; and we acquiesce when the government repeatedly lies to lead us into war. Perhaps rioting is not the answer, but the Hnngarians have every right to be indignant and angry when their political leaders lie to them. So do Americans.
3 Comments:
This a great picture...you could see this negatively and say how naive of the Hugarian protesters to imagine, as citizens, they are not lied to during elections. But it is also very uplifting to think they would be so indignant about it. I have one question...is that the Hungarian flag in the picture? perhaps the article speaks to the question if so sorry I admit I have not had time to read it yet.
Here is what the Guardian says about the flag - I first thought (oddly) thata is was a US flag with the stars obscured. But:
"Last night's protests carried an echo of the 1956 revolt, during which students besieged the main radio station in Budapest to demand their grievances be read out on air.
Some of the protesters last night chanted nationalist slogans and waved flags with red and white "Arpad stripes", a centuries-old Hungarian symbol named after the founder of the country's first royal dynasty. Rioters also vandalised a large obelisk commemorating Soviet soldiers who were killed driving Nazi forces from Hungary at the end of the second world war."
I was there and there was nothing inspiring about a bunch of football supporters hijacking a peaceful protest in order to have a big fight.
I am glad people are out on the streets protesting, though, as it's refreshing to see Hungarians care enough about something to protest.
However, putting aside the violence, the numbers protesting are still very small. It is not widespread movement (yet), but it may become one if the PM doesn't change his unapologetic tone.
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