2006-09-19
Detaillessness
Okay, so Gyurcsány Ferenc is a liar. But he does not seem to be too upset about this. And nobody seems to be bothered by his Hugh Grant penchant. But people are angry, or at least desirous of television equipment. As may be expected, Erik D'Amato is ready with a constitutional solution.
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7 comments:
Honestly I do not understand why all this fuss - they are all liars, Gyurscany only said what most politicians try to hide although they are doing it all the time. Don't tell me you believe them here or there?!? Strange coincidence, 50 years after 1956 uprising, and then the reason were Russian tanks on the streets of Budapest. Pity, it seems Hungary is having problems with economy, like all former communist countries.
Gyurcsany certainly embarrassed himself with his remarks, but I don't think the response is proportionate. For one thing, the context makes clear that he was trying to encourage his party colleagues to make an honest effort. For another, his remarks show an awareness of something that has alwats been clear as an underground fact in the post-comm countries: there is a huge gulf between the technocratic political elite and ordinary people, who are as far from "European" standards as before.
As for the riots themselves, I think it will become clear that it amounts to a bunch of thugs who took advantage of the situation.
If only we Americans had the strength of character that the Hungarians have after being lied to.
I wonder what this will do to the coolness factor of Budapest. The day before the riots Hungarian ambassador to Washington was on The Colbert Report marketing the city to American youth as the place to be in Europe.
The coolness question might depend on how the events are interpreted: awakening of democracy, or ordinary disorder? It looks like the violence of the first night has been holding the opposition back.
Well my impression is that if this is happening in one of the most succesful transition countries, what awaits the rest of us in a few years time?
Still I have a natural empathy with protestors and a natural distrust of government. Ok maybe the government should not fall but governments everywhere should always bear in mind that they must serve the people not lord over people.
Here's a perspective I got in an e-mail from my friend in Budapest:
"you can also see the things from another point of view and say that finally, something is happening! Since three days, from midnight to 3-4 am stones, beer bottles and things like that are flying in the streets, while the other people are waiting at Kossuth ter for the resignation of the PM. I also wait for it, but in front if the TV with red wine, evidently."
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