So it’s a done deal: Jobbik has scored big, ending up with barely 10 fewer seats in the next parliament than the imploded outgoing ruling party (59 to 47). It’s an amazing achievement that is only overshadowed by the unprecedented two-thirds majority secured by Fidesz, a 263-seat hammer the party can use to pound anything that gets in its way, not least Jobbik. Let’s get ready to rumble!
The first test of Jobbik’s professed willingness to buck the new government is expected to involve party boss Gábor Vona’s plan to wear the banned uniform of the Magyar Gárda on his first day as an MP. Apparently Vona figures this a win-win situation: either he gets in trouble for wearing the uniform, in which case the party has a new cause célèbre, or he doesn’t, which will make it look like the Fidesz leviathan has blinked. I, however, think that making Jobbik’s “first stand” about what Vona chooses to wear will end up being a huge missed opportunity for himself, his party, and the country.
Let me first say that in many ways I actually sympathize with Vona and Jobbik on this particular issue. I won’t say that the banning of the Gárda and its uniform were an outrageous breach of civil liberties. But if it was up to me, I certainly wouldn’t have voted to put the boot down on them, and I can understand why V.G. wants to push the point.
Still, does Jobbik really want its first day “in power” to be consumed with a fight over clothing? Not to mention a fight that will only reinforce Fidesz’s claim to be the only grown-up, responsible party on the right.
So I instead suggest that Vona mark his party’s entrance to Parliament with something even more provocative: a detailed list of potential corruption “hot spots” everyone should be carefully watching now that Hungary has a government able to rule essentially without any checks on its power.
In addition to reminding people of the potential dangers inherent in granting one party such extraordinary power (Fidesz is apparently the only party in the EU with such a supermajority), such a focus would help Jobbik deal with the inevitable whispers that its leaders only talked tough about corruption in order to get their place at the trough. And these whispers will only get louder if it is seen to be silently cooperating with Fidesz as the latter regains its grip on the great graft and patronage mill that is the Hungarian state.
Some readers may be wondering why I would be giving free advice to Jobbik. The answer is that politics is not always a zero-sum game. And I can’t see how it would be a tragedy if Jobbik were to become a leader in the fight against the corruption that is at the root of so many of Hungary’s problems. Who knows – maybe if Jobbik finds fighting corruption to be a successful long-term political strategy, the ostentatiously “anti-Fascist” parties of the Hungarian left will get the message, and next time more of their members will actually have to face the question of what to wear in parliament.
an article about the jobbik that doesn’t immediately label them as “facist, racist, anti-semitic, anti-roma, anti-european, xenophobic, undemocratic nazi thugs”?
bravo!
hopefully this will be the start of a trend of more reasonable reporting on a party who have been the victim of an unbelievably hateful and obviously dishonest campaign of smears in the media.
and seeing a politician arrested for wearing what is effectively traditional hungarian dress, will itself be a great symbol of what our nation and parliament have become. vona has been arrested without charge whilst sitting down before – he is no stranger to the politicisation of the police force.
i have no doubt jobbik will continue to push the anti-corruption agenda, no matter how many of its politicians are arrested for standing against the corrupt budapest elite. there is a true hungarian voice in our parliament once again – its name is jobbik.
and if he is arrested, the question will be raised again – why is this uniform banned? – which will draw attention to the fact that this the ruling to ban the uniform had, in reality, no real legal grounding nor reasoning other than the obvious political pressure from above. more evidence of corruption in the judiciary (as if we needed any), which can only work in jobbik’s favour.
having community organisations banned and then accusing other parties of being “undemocratic” is hypocritical in the extreme.
a politician arrested for wearing what is effectively traditional hungarian dress
Paul at April 26, 2010 12:16 PM
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Could you please describe the “effectively traditional hungarian” parts of the Magyar Garda dress that would make it into a non-political statement, worn by normal Hungarians?
having community organisations banned
Paul at April 26, 2010 12:27 PM
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Which one?
You can hardly mean the Magyar Garda?
Since when was an Uniformed Wing of a Political Party a “community organisation”?
@Erik
All in all not a bad post. Should I ask the type of question our village idiot and ask if this is the same Erik or someone using your name?
Several courts ruled in dismissing police charges against Magyar Garda members that wearing the Garda uniform is not against the law. There is virtually no discussion of Vona wearing a Garda uniform (actually, he spoke of the Garda vest only but I attribute it to faulty translation) because it is a non-issue for most Hungarians. Only the Communist MSZP is going nuts over it but they were rejected by 85% of Hungarian voters. Who cares what they think? Orban himself said that much at the end of his press conference.
Orban’s speech yesterday and his press conference today could have been given by Vona. He spoke, as a Hungarian leader should. We will see if he follows his fine words with equally fine governance.
I join Paul in complimenting you for not doing the mandatory Jobbik bashing. If all posters addressed the issues as you just did, there would be less need to talk about those other things…
Out of curiosity, do you understand Hungarian sufficiently to follow Orban’s speeches?
@Pauk,
“there is a true hungarian voice in our parliament once again -
its name is Jobbik”
Seems like the overwhelming majority of the Hungarian
electorate disagree.
Why is the Garda illegal? A judge decided that the
Hungarian Guard’s goal is to spread fear among the Roma.
The judge also noted a speech by a spokesman of the Guard
in which he called Jews “Zionist rats, locusts, and grave
diggers of the nation.” The judge ruled that the activities of
the guard are unconstitutional and violate terms of Hungary’s
agreements with other nations.
Given this, I can’t see how you could call Jobbik (after all
why would they want to wear the uniform if they are not tightly
associated) a true Hungarian voice, when that shrill voice
excludes Hungarians that are Jews or Roma. A rather
exclusive voice at best.
I thought it was a heck of a good article.
The state that Hungary is in right now, screw the clothing.
I’m sure that there will be ample opportunity in future, for Jobbik to take a stand, that would look far less childish.
“Could you please describe the “effectively traditional hungarian” parts of the Magyar Garda dress”
gladly. a few quick google searches would answer your questions very easily. i assume you have the requisite braincells to do this yourself, but allow me to illustrate:
http://www.folk-art-hungary.com/images/Magyar_folk_Kalocsa.jpg
http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/02OD1Nr1Rz8PJ/340x.jpg
if you can’t see the similiarities here, you have some serious problems that i cant help you with.
as for them being “normal hungarians”, well, judge for yourself:
http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/07S2bGV6Mz8Zt/610x.jpg
I agree with Erik that Jobbik is faced with the choice of either
acting like a mature political party and making their first day in
power (and the stories in the papers) about their policies or
acting like a bunch of frat boys and making their first move as
a political party about playing dress-up.
Erik@Nice and balanced! Thank you.
As for the ‘left’ worrying about what to wear in parliament,more likely they will be worrying about what to wear at their court appearances!
@ PeteH
I keep reading all these eloquent postings re Vona and the MG Uniform
I think a “mature political party” leader observes the laws of the land. If he objects to a piece of legislation , he takes the matter to court and until the Court rules in his favour, he abides by the law
About MG and “frat boys”
I think you and I have a huge difference in what “frat boys” look like. In American terms, I think of the late John Kennedy Jr. as “looking like a “frat boy” – not to much similarities to the pictures I have seen of the MG.
Mhh!! nice article
so what could we expect? i have here a little video which shows how the hungarian police last dealt with vona gabor. things you might see in this video:
-hungarian riot police attacking seated protesters (some in garda uniform but most in plain clothes) with pepper spray, then bashing them senseless with batons and arresting them indiscriminately.
-the head of a democratic political party (in plain clothes) being tackled by riot police and arrested without charge. he offers no resistance but is manhandled nonetheless.
type in “Brutálisan szétverték a gárdisták ülősztrájkját” to youtube, you will see what i mean. and he wasnt even wearing the uniform last time! vona gabor knows no fear and is exposing the hungarian police (and the corrupt judiciary) for what they are – politicised bullies. you missed the point, erik – wearing this uniform is ITSELF a symbol of fighting the corrupt political establishment which presides over our state.
watch that videos and tell me who the real facists are here. tell me which side are really the “uniformed thugs”. who is “undemocratic” here – the seated protestors, or the riot police who bash them. if you really care about human rights, you will support vona gabor’s right to wear any formal attire he pleases, into our beautiful parliament, as a symbol of freedom of expression in the face of oppression.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxbnMAcOXys
skip to 2.43 to see vona’s brave entrance. now that is leadership.
as for ever-ignorant pete:
“when that shrill voice excludes Hungarians that are Jews or Roma. A rather exclusive voice at best.”
neither jews nor roma are excluded from the guard or from jobbik in any way. so your statement is completely wrong and shows that you rely on anti-jobbik propaganda (rather than the obvious facts) for your opinions.
“The judge ruled that the activities of the guard are unconstitutional and violate terms of Hungary’s agreements with other nations.”
i’d love to know which “activities” these are. perhaps giving blood? food deliveries? flood relief? see their website for a list of their “activities”, none of which are illegal. http://magyargarda.hu/
the ruling was nonsense – nothing but an obvious political move, revealing the level of corruption in the hungarian judiciary. how you could convince yourself to believe otherwise eludes me, i suppose it was take a lot of “jobbik=nazi” propaganda to become that blind to what is really happening here. try checking these things for yourself next time.
@Paul: When you say “wearing this uniform is ITSELF
a symbol of fighting the corrupt political
establishment which presides over our state” you are
admitting it is just a symbol. And I’m just no so
impressed by these symbolic battles when more
concrete, non-symbolic battles are waiting to be
fought. Especially if the latter potentially involve
serious real-world consequences for the people
fighting them – which “uniform-gate” will most
certainly not have. It’ll just be a silly little
media circus.
That in itself, that Vona will be walking into Parliament as a member, should be enough to thumb up his nose to the “corrupt political establishment”.
Why set yourself up for people to have something to throw back in your face? Now’s the time, to use his head and not be ruled by his emotions.
I personally think, that he will be kicking his own ass one day for wearing that particular outfit.
On the flip-side…how does he get out wearing it, while still saving face?
“The state that Hungary is in right now, screw the clothing.”
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Yep. Make all the politicians turn up naked.Then maybe they won’t be so eager to get up and speak in front of everyone.Especially if the aircon is cold.
-
Sorry Zsuzsa, I just couldn’t resist.
“The judge ruled that the activities of the guard are unconstitutional and violate terms of Hungary’s agreements with other nations
That other nations is called the EU group, where the hungarian political elite is a part of. So it is very clear that Jobbik and the Garda is their enemy in their process of creating a federal europian state.!!
Hungary didn’t see nothing yet, now with Fidesz it really starts!
@ justasking
Re: “Why set yourself up for people to have something to throw back in your face? Now’s the time, to use his head and not be ruled by his emotions.
I personally think, that he will be kicking his own ass one day for wearing that particular outfit.”
I hope you realize my day is ruined when I agree with you politically. (There are a lot of other things I do see the same way as you)
I think he is caught between a rock and a hard place; however, my sympathies do not go out to him.
@Paul,
“”if you can’t see the similiarities here, you have some serious problems that i cant help you with.”
Just the same, if you can not see the similarities between Garda uniform and Arrow Cross uniform, you have some serious problems and I can not help you.
And yes it is a symbol intended to scare Roma – that is intended as a symbol regarding fighting corruption, that a new one. They see themselves as an auxiliary security force, not as a Hungarian folk dance troupe.
While I don’t necessarily disagree with your idea, I think you are GREATLY overestimating the rational ability of Vona and Jobbik.
These people are not intelligent, progressive (in the true sense) politicians or they wouldn’t have founded a party based on the kinds of things Jobbik is based on. Yes, it would be nice if they did something good, but if they were going to do something good, they would have done it long ago.
Similarly, it would be nice if MSZP would put ethics before winning, and it would serve them better in the long run, but that’s not going to happen either.
@saltpeter at April 26, 2010 5:50 PM
Just the same, if you can not see the similarities between the German Nazis and Israeli Nazis you have some serious problems and I can not help you.
if you can’t see the similiarities here, you have some serious problems that i cant help you with.
Paul at April 26, 2010 2:09 PM
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Well, I see more similarities between the Hungarian male traditional clothes in the first picture and similar pictures of Swedes in elderly clothes
Black west, black trousers and white shirt is definitely *not* a strict Hungarian thing, that divided Hungarian farmers in their Sunday costumes, going to church, to any other European farmer going to church on a Sunday
.
With your logic, if I change the red-white stripes on the Magyar Garda uniform you show in the 2 other pictures, into blue and yellow, I would have a ‘traditional Swedish clothing’
-
And *when* did farmers march in tact?
Not even these from Jersey
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http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jersey_costumes_Faîs'sie_d'Cidre_2007_b.jpg
If your a fan of Pink Floyd,THE WALL, the movie; then you will see many scenes which we might be seeing more of in the future weeks and years.
http://bit.ly/am4ErZ
Sadly to say…
but fear seems to be a common denominator used to
the benefit of the political parties today.
@Viking,
“And *when* did farmers march in tact?”
And to take it a bit further (at the risk of beating a dead horse). When did folk dancers or farmers not only march in formation, but also flank leaders at a rally, and snap to attention when a leader walks into the room? Do the Garda do the czardas as they enter Roma neighborhoods? No. Their behavior is military, so the closer more logical association in terms of dress is also military (not folk dancers or farmers costumes, but rather Arrow Cross members).
@Paul: The MAGYAR GARDA uniform reminds me, most of all, of
the garb preferred by the tablewaiters at my usual csarda. A
serviette folded over the forearm and… from maitres de l’univers
to maitres d’hotel, in one easy step.
@ Cin,
Actually, I thought your comment funny:)
@Koermendi:
Well, the waiters and especially the waitresses in my favourite restaurants here around Heviz are much nicer (and better looking) than those garda types …
Dear Vona Gabor, wear that Hungarian Garda vest with pride, show those anti Hungarians that our spirit is still alive.. Szebb Jovot
József Attila: Nem! Nem! Soha!
Szép kincses Kolozsvár, Mátyás büszkesége
Nem lehet, nem soha! Oláhország éke!
Nem teremhet Bánát a rácnak kenyeret!
Magyar szél fog fújni a Kárpátok felett!
Ha eljõ az idõ – a sírok nyílnak fel,
Ha eljõ az idõ – a magyar talpra kel,
Ha eljõ az idõ – erõs lesz a karunk,
Várjatok, Testvérek, ott leszünk, nem adunk!
Majd nemes haraggal rohanunk elõre,
Vérkeresztet festünk a határkõre
És mindent letiprunk! – az lesz a viadal!!-
Szembeszállunk mi a poklok kapuival!
Bömbölve rohanunk majd, mint a tengerár,
Egy csepp vérig küzdünk s áll a magyar határ
Teljes egészében, mint nem is oly régen
És csillagunk ismét tündöklik az égen.
A lobogónk lobog, villámlik a kardunk,
Fut a gaz elõlünk – hisz magyarok vagyunk!
Felhatol az égig haragos szózatunk:
Hazánkat akarjuk! Vagy érte meghalunk.
Nem lész kisebb Hazánk, nem, egy arasszal sem,
Úgy fogsz tündökölni, mint régen, fényesen!
Magyar rónán, hegyen egy kiáltás zúg át:
Nem engedjük soha! Soha Árpád honát!
(1922 elsõ fele)
@Law,
“Dear Vona Gabor, wear that Hungarian Garda vest with pride, show those anti Hungarians that our spirit is still alive”
Your pathetic to equate criticism of a certain Hungarian party with being anti-Hungarian. By your twisted logic you either support the Garda and Jobbik or you are anti-Maygar. And you wonder why many of us think the Jobbik mindset of “your either with us or against” is anti-democratic. And by your logic it seems that over 80% of Hungarians actaully hate their own country.
Interesting that you choose a poet who was once a member of the communist party and than quit it to advocate for humane socialism. He was also the darling of the communists during the 1950′s. Seems out of character for you to post a poem by a socialist.
What’s the link to Jobbik here? That he liked to write about the working class?
@peteh
When a critical mass of people in a society have come to believe in a certain standard for what is normal human behavior, well then it will be very difficult for them to go beyond that standard unless they see someone like Jobbik who are willing to defy the standard of normality. Not in an insane, crazy way but by shattering the boundaries, the limitations, that are set up by the norm.
What does it really mean to be normal? Well, it means that you accept boundaries for who you are, what you can be and how you can express yourself as long as you want to be an accepted member of society.
And so the job of Jobbik is to challenge people’s sense of what is normal, which is what you saw Jesus do with his miracles and his words. Look at how even in the scriptures it is portrayed how people wanted him to be normal, to follow their standard, to not go too far beyond, to not push the envelope, push the limits for what was considered possible for a human being.
And so you see, again, the incredible depth in the statement of Christ, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” For you see that with men with their human consciousness, with a standard for what is normal, when you are in that state of consciousness, you must accept that there are limitations for what can be achieved.
And that is precisely what the establishment uses to maintain status quo by getting people to believe in the lie that there are certain problems that cannot be solved, or even certain conditions that you have come to believe are natural, are normal, because nature simply is that way and there is nothing that can change it.
In reality there is no norm, there is no standard. Why is this so? Because the Creator has created billions of expressions of itself, each one of which is unique in God. And so if everyone is a unique individual with a unique God given individuality and identity, well then how can there be a standard? How can there be a norm? How can there be norms in individuality? How can there be a standard in uniqueness?
@Law: Do you really think that if Jesus showed up
he’d be a Jobnik? I’m not saying I’d absolutely rule
it out, but it just strikes me as pretty unlikely,
what with him being a communist Jewish pacifist and
all that…
Jesus was not a pacifist.See “The narrative of Jesus and the Money Changers, commonly referred to as the Cleansing of the Temple,…”
Erik. What is a Jobnik. Something like a picnik without the sandwiches?
If Jesus did turn up he would be two thousand years too late. And he would be disappointed because Orban the Orange has just got his job.
Constantine was converted to Christianity on his deathbed. Before that he used the faith to suit his own ends. (Like so many have done, down the centuries.)
Constantine encouraged his troops to win battles with the promise that they would enter the kingdom of heaven and have eternal life etc.
Orban has pledged a new era in politics. A kind of Utopian paradise where all men and women are equal. Especially if they are a member of the government.
@Zebediah: I think the passage from Matthew 30:34-36 “…I come not to bring peace, but to bring a sword” Matthew 30:34-36″ (“…nem azért jöttem, hogy békességet bocsássak, hanem hogy fegyvert.” Máté 30:34-36) is more problematic for Christians. (It’s also mentioned by Luke).
The turning the tables of the money lenders in the temple uses force, but does not use violence against people, nor advocate violence.
Ha ha just heard how Jobbiks pal in the UK, Nick Griffin from BNP is declaring 1 seat in parliament a win and 3 seats an earthquake…Blimey and Jobbik got 47 seats…Your extreme right in the UK and Jobbik are not your ‘Classical fascists’ like in Germany in the in between war years, but a new breed that will play by the rules to get power and follow the democratic laws, but always pushing the envelope and testing the waters, not overthrow by violence and brute force, just a more subtle way. BNP are against Eastern Europeans coming to work and not outright black people. They have some token African immigrants polling for them, a vicar and a jewish councilman…So BNP says Hungarians out but dark brits can stay…ha ha..
And to take it a bit further (at the risk of beating a dead horse).
saltpeter at April 26, 2010 8:22 PM
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Still looking for Nazis in the wrong places.
Jobbik has nothing common with Nazis but it is a convenient smear to call Jobbik Nazi by those who cast a hungry eye on Hungarian farmland and water resources. Hungarians are entitled to their own country and the Nazis are those who would deny Hungarians the right to be masters in their own country.
German Nazis murdered a lot of people and took their lands to make room for Germans. Today, Israel is that Nazi country and those who support Israel indiscriminately murdering Palestinians, stealing their lands and cutting out their organs are Nazis.
Nazi is as Nazi does. One does not become a Nazi because those with the power of the media label those who they do not like Nazi. Nazis are those who behave as Nazis behave and that is not Jobbik but Israel and those who support Nazi Israel.
What is the difference between Mengele and the rabbis arrested in New York for trafficking with human organs, very likely Palestinian organs?
Jobbik does not and would never imagine doing any of the horrible things Nazi Germany did and Nazi Israel does.
I find it ironic that so many Jews would accept Hitler and his ideas and practice then on the Palestinians.
Nazi Germany lost the war and the world thought that would be the end of Nazis but no, Nazi Israel and Nazi Israel’s supporters are every bit as Nazi as Nazi Germany was.
Jobbik has nothing common with Nazis but it is a convenient smear to call Jobbik Nazi
LHVJ at April 27, 2010 8:34 AM
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But Pete did not do that
He wrote about Magyar Garda:
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Their behavior is military, so the closer more logical association in terms of dress is also military (not folk dancers or farmers costumes, but rather Arrow Cross members).
Pete H. at April 26, 2010 8:22 PM
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Who is talking about Nazis?
Where not the “Arrow Cross” Hungarian Patriotic Freedom Fighters?
Were they not that when they tried to escape the Russians in February 1945 from Budapest, together with their Waffen-SS minders?
You have not already forgotten
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http://dayofhonour.hu/
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already?
Was their sacrifice not worth your honour?
Did they not fight to keep Hungary free from the unwashed jewish-communist hordes?
Bernie@For what it is worth,on this occassion I agree.BNP are nothing in comparison to Jobbik (the only similarity is that they are on the right,hence a need for co-operation in the EUP).Jobbik is a true patriotic Hungarian organisation whilst BNP is simply a bunch of hard heads lacking cohesion and sucking up to the UK Jewish voter whilst vilifying the far more numerous Muslim minority-The muslims are there for ever and will never leave so get over it and work out a solution rather than creating a hot-bed of future problems.
The two countries situations are vastly different and the solution to the problems must also take a different route. But remember your REAL enemies always seek to divide and create mayhem,BNP is letting itself be used,or is it intentional?By the way I am originally from the UK like you.
Jobbik is a true patriotic Hungarian organisation whilst BNP is simply a bunch of hard heads lacking cohesion and sucking up to the UK Jewish voter whilst vilifying the far more numerous Muslim minority
Ricsi at April 27, 2010 10:53 AM
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‘bob’, do not miss your cue ‘Go!’
But remember your REAL enemies always seek to divide and create mayhem,…
Ricsi at April 27, 2010 10:53 AM
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Very true and something people often forget at their own peril…
Maybe chicken-yellow would be a better colour, given what our Ukrainian brothers has been up to:
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8645847.stm
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“Parliamentary chaos as Ukraine ratifies fleet deal”
Chicken-yellow makes the eggs not so visible