June 28th, 2012

How soon before we’re passing the hat for the first person imprisoned for insulting the Holy Hungarian Crown?

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They say you learn a new thing every day, and what I learned today was that for years it’s been a serious crime to offend the Hungarian flag or the country’s coat of arms – and now the Holy Crown of Hungary. Apparently, the newly-enacted criminal code includes a Jobbik-sponsored extending the existing penalty for verbally abusing the flag and címer to the Szent Korona. The maximum penalty? A year in prison!

I seriously doubt we’ll soon see any lefties get put in the joint for talking trash about the physical incarnation of Hungary’s eternal monarchy, but if they do, they shouldn’t blame it all on the backward-looking right, for it seems the law on abusing national symbols goes back to 1978. For me, I’ll just say that’s one damn fine-looking piece of headgear. [inforadio.hu]

Erik D'Amato (@erikdamato) is publisher and editor-in-chief of the All Hungary Media Group.
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  • Nick

    It’d be great if Bernie Ecclestone is the first person thrown in the slammer over this new law… the incident is even recorded, starting at 2:15 in this video…

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iV1Oxj8IAY

    • Leto. مؤدّب

      That was not an explicite insult. He only demonstrated his poor taste of humour and that he’s an asshole.

  • Andy

    So Jobbik made the old *communist* code stronger which had “only” criminalized defamation of the flag, anthem, and coat of arms?

  • Pete H.

    How post-commie of Jobbick.

    And if Bernie is going be thrown in jail for a harmless joke, then this perversion of the Hungarian Flag should get it wavers life in prison.

    -http://www.aijac.org.au/media/news_item/64870-hungary-jobbik-magyarorsz-g-rt-mozgalom-the-movement-for-a-better-hung_150x150.jpg

    • Leto. مؤدّب

      You’re ignorant. That’s not a protected national symbol, they used the traditional* Hungarian military flag base.

      * since 1848

      • Pete H.

        No kidding, the military flag? Wow, like the one on my grandfather’s plaque for his service in the Hungarian Armed forces. I’m not ignorant, but you are presumptuous.

        Your snark detector is broken – life in prison was the tell.

        And shouldn’t the military flag be protected too? Why stop at the crown? Why not a law about making jokes about Palinka or using Petofi’s name in vain?

  • Leto. مؤدّب

    We should have seen such imprisonments already. One year of prison is fine… provided it’s served in the right place, not in a holiday resort.

  • Paul

    @ Leto
    We should have seen such imprisonments already.

    Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union
    ARTICLE 21 – NON-DISCRIMINATION
    1. Any discrimination based on any ground such as sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or ……..sexual orientation ……..shall be prohibited.
    You are being illegal

    Yep you belong in prison!~ You are really so arrogant?

    • Leto. مؤدّب

      Are you really so daft?

      It’s your Fundamental Right in Hungary not to insult our national symbols … unless you want to spend a year in a prison, of course.
      I’m not sure if you’d be discriminated against there based on your sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation but chances are your cell mates will be muscular, heavily tattooed and of dark complexion.

      • Paul

        L.O.L
        but chances are your cell mates will be muscular, heavily tattooed and of dark complexion.

        Thanks Leto….. you made me laugh very much…Evelin too….Life is short…I am an atheist too…you only live once…and you made us happy with a very good joke. Thanks!!!

        So politically an enemy….personally I like you a lot.

        • Leto. مؤدّب

          Well, actually that’s the (probably rather unpleasant) reality you’d face there. :)

  • Californicus

    What next, a push for an “insult Hungarianness” law?

  • spectator

    I wonder if anybody ever defined the term “insult” in this context.
    How about people who using the “National Flag” as a piece of their clothing? When you see people actually wearing the flag as cape, scarf, etc.? Are they insulting, or they only devoted nationalists?
    And how, on what criteria you – or anyone for that matter – can tell the difference?

    Is it lies in the eyes of the beholder, either you see it so, or you don’t?

    Once again there is a “rubber”-law, as is: you can stretch it every which way you will…

    • Leto. مؤدّب

      “I wonder if anybody ever defined the term “insult” in this context.”

      I’m surprised. The first sensible remark… from spectator! Vow.

      • spectator

        Trying hard to please you, you see ;-)

      • Curious George

        The first sensible remark… from spectator! Vow.

        @Leto Elvtars – We are still waiting for yours. According to you, referring it as a piece of metal is an insult, and would warrant a year in jail. When are you going to send the black car?

        • Leto. مؤدّب

          No worries, soon. And they’ll rip that bone out of your nose.

        • Curious George

          Ah, so Fidesz has resumed the black car service. What do you mean they will rip the bone out? I’m expecting you to do it.

          • Leto. مؤدّب

            I’d gladly do it but sorry, I cannot. I’m too busy dispatching black cars.

          • Curious George

            @Leto Elvtars – While your young Commie training would come in handy, you do know that there are software programs for dispatching cars (taxi companies use that all the time). I honestly think you’d be more useful polishing the statues of Horthy & Orban.

          • Leto. مؤدّب

            Yes, I researched these software programs. Then I decided I’d rather write my own program. It had a fairly sophisticated AI algorithm and it worked quite well but then I decided I’d rather do it myself since I enjoy dispatching these black cars to collect your kind. But thanks for the idea, maybe I’ll do some Horthy & Orbán-statue polishing as well. Anything to scrap your lot (as long as I like doing it, of course)

  • Viking

    Where is ‘geza’ and ‘ricsi’ hammering on about the Thought Police?

    • Géza

      Good to hear you missed me Viking…and finally a law that is free from political correctness in it’s liberal meaning!

  • Focus on the bigger picture

    It must be Friday, there is a smidgeon of humor in everyone. Or did everyone receive a bonus this week?

  • I love Hungary

    Hey, that cross is all crooked.

    • spectator

      Hmm….
      That’s the minor problem, we’ve already got used to be that way.
      The real problem is, that the lawmakers are, which came as a surprise if one count in their declared devotion to impeccable moral and Christian values.

      Here we are today, in the shadow of the Holy Crown.

      • Leto. مؤدّب

        “Here we are today, in the shadow of the Holy Crown.”

        You could be (and that’s good!) but I’m in the shine of the Holy Crown (and that’s even better)

        • spectator

          Try to put on some sunglasses then, you’re appear to be blinded by the shining…

          By the other hand I was referring to the sad fact, that people who dragging the crown into the courtroom to “defend” it, mostly has nothing in common with the historical and moral value, crooked far beyond the cross on top the crown.

          • Leto. مؤدّب

            People to be dragged into the courtroom have absolutely nothing in common with moral and historical values and besides being crooked, they are also unfair, dishonest and foul. I mostly use the “postcommie bastard” for short.

          • spectator

            - You may want to read again, before you answer, so far it has nothing to do with what I’ve wrote.

            Once again:
            “Who drags the crown in a courtroom”
            - for your sake I explain, obviously you need it: those cretins who pushed this law through the legislation are the “crooked” in my reference. An idiocy by itself to offend an object, for heavens sake!

            Now you can start again, if you really are in dire need to make a fool of yourself.

          • Leto. مؤدّب

            You may want to read again what I wrote. Here it is again in other words:
            Those “who pushed this law through the legislation” are great people and the crooked cretins are those who insult the Holy Crown of Hungary. These crooked cretins should rot in jail.

          • Leto. مؤدّب

            “An idiocy by itself to offend an object”

            What an idiot you are… Actually not, of course… you’re smarter than this. You’re just insidious.

  • Leto. مؤدّب

    Now if an emmigrant wants to acquire British citizenship then s/he is asked questions like “How to read the gas meter? How to apply for benefits? How to borrow money?”. However soon they will be asked to recite the British anthem and they’ll be told “Britain is historically a Christian country” and they’ll need to know basic stuff about British history!

    What a huge scandal this is!! Fascism must be spreading from Hungary! :D :D :D

    -http://uk.news.yahoo.com/citizenship-test-rewritten-071815821.html

    • Curious George

      @Leto – How is your post remotely relevant, unless they now can’t insult that funny piece of metal on Liz’s head?

      • Leto. مؤدّب

        Think harder. ;)

      • Curious George

        Don’t need to. I know a ‘little’ about ‘Britain’, and the computer says no. :)

  • Feelings

    Jobbik does have some good ideas, this is not one of them.

    • Leto. مؤدّب

      First of all who said this was a Jobbik idea? Erik? So what? Does that make it true? (Even he wrote only “Jobbik-sponsored idea”)
      Secondly this is actually a good idea indeed.
      Thirdly can you list some of those “good ideas”?

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