This brings me to the media issue. On Tuesday, just as I arrived in Budapest, the Media Council made a decision to deprive the most popular opposition radio station, Klubradio, of its frequency. In addition, one of the most popular online news portals, Index, was banned from the parliament. These were just two of the many decisions, which angered a lot of people - liberals and conservatives alike - who still believe in a free press and freedom of speech. Both decisions were clearly motivated by political ideals and are aimed at silencing opposition against the ruling party.
For someone who has lived in the United States for over 10 year - and for other people who believe in the protection of these basic democratic rights - this is just outrageous. I do not live under the illusion that the US media is completely free, independent and unbiased. Of course not. No media is. But in most places in the first world, there is strong protection of freedom to speak and print against or in favor of whatever political party or ideal. Everyone in the US knows about the NYT-WSJ rivalry: one is considered a liberal while the other a conservative paper, whatever the definitions might be. The same is true about radio stations, and TV news oulets. While I can't say I often look at the WSJ, it absolutely needs to exist - and in any case, it's probably a lot more neutral than what conservative media would be in Hungary. There absolutely has to be a balance, and equilibrium. There needs to be discussion. People need to be able to read both sides of stories. Those who want to at least.
When this was announced on TV a few days ago, I was watching with my parents. They were both moslty silent. There wasn't much to say. This is a dictatorship, they simply announced. The next day, some journalists on a talk show airing on a liberal TV station spoke about their fears that they might be the next ones to get shut down. It's not easy to imagine such things happening in the US, but it's incredibly easy to do this kind of thing in a system where every national council, such as the Media Council, is led by people close to the ruling party. They beomce puppets in this game. Radio stations are shut down based on fabricated reasons. These same journalists decided to organize a demonstration for the following day in front of the building of the Hungarian National Radio. My Mom said we had to go. This was one of the most shocking things I have ever heard from her. Both my parents are very peaceful people. They don't want to get involved in politics either. But my Mom said: "Enough is enough!". She asked me if I would go with her. A few minutes later, there were already articles online - most strikingly on facebook, posted by several of my friends - urging people to go out onto the streets. They said "we cannot stay silent anymore".
So on Thursday afternoon, my Mom and I got on the metro to go to this demonstration. An older couple sat opposite us on the train: they didn't have any bags or purses with them and I have to admit I also noticed a quiet intellectual air about them. My Mom turned to me and whispered "I bet they are going where we are goingt". When we actually saw that they were indeed going where we were going, I was a little shocked. Not because of them, but because most people in the crowd that was heading towards the square in front of the bulding owned by the Hungarian national radio station were older, my parents' generation, with their friends and families, like it was a trip for afternoon tea. The affair was completely peaceful and rather quiet for how angry a lot of people were. There were well known actors, historians, philosophers, journalists, writers, and they all called for more people to come out to the streets, to stop being quiet, to start resisting. They recited revolutionary poems - of which our country has many - talked about what democracy should mean, why a free media is absolutely necessary for that and why things had to change. I got pretty emotional at point during the speeches. I also felt a little out of place, a little bit like a hippocrate who has long ago abandoned a sinking ship and came back to see what's happened, hoping that nobody will notice that I am not on the ship anymore.
What will happen if nothing changes is anybody's guess at this point. But the next day, with some people my age, at a birthday gathering, the issue came up again. My friend whose birthday we were celebrating said something shocking. She thought this might be her last birthday spent in peace for some time. For someone in her early 30's in a country that hasn't experienced war or any really turbulent times in decades (definitely not in our lives), that is a statement that should be taken very seriously. The issue is, the way I see it and the way a lot of young and progressive people see it, that the leaders of this country, who now have a lot more power than what is comfortable in a country claiming to be a republic or a democracy, are trying to distance themselves from the West. From the EU, from the US, from integration and globalism. They think - and this is absolutely deliusional - that Hungary can sustain itself without foreign aid, investments, loans, etc. With propaganda similar to what Hitler used in the 30's, they had convinced many people that anti-globalization and this distancing ourselves from the West are the way to save what they claim is Hungarian, national identity and whatever else they want people to believe. Unfortunately, this type of brainwashing usually works, because the crowds in any country want to be convinced and want to believe that they don't have to do anything or give anything up and things will just magically be better, even great. However, now that the democratic institutions are slowly being undermined by the current governing power, the world seems to have noticed too. I suspect that the EU is not going to let a country remain one of their member states if that country violates some pretty basic principles they believe in: the national bank is no longer independent of the government, there is barely any freedom of religion or speech left with a tightly controlled media.
What it really comes down to though, is the people. However bad the economy is, whatever is going on with the national bank and the media, the main question always has to be about the people. And sadly, as I have observed, things are much much worse now than they were even a few months ago when I last visited. I recently met doctors who haven't received a paycheck in months and are still working (why? don't ask!), I already mentioned my friend who is concerned about the end of peace, the older generations are comparing this era to the early 50's, during which people were living in fear constantly, and which eventually led to the revolution of 1956. A lot of people are struggling, others are afraid of losing their jobs, losing their life savings, their social security checks, benefits, etc. What I see today is that everyone is afraid of something and everyone is worried about the future. Contantly. Young people can't afford to dream, to follow their own paths becasue they are constantly struggling to make ends meet. To the point where a young medical resident has to get an additional job to support just herself and ends up working several days and nights in a row, just to pay the bills. What do you think will happen in the 40th hour she spends in the hospital? Consequently, a lot of young and talented people leave, while those who would like to stay find themselves in impossible situations.
There is so much more to say here but I am depressed enough already. Also, I have no idea what the solution could be, if any. Hungary is small and insignificant enough that the world might simply not care. Even though I live in a very different world, one which I can call carefree and comfortable, I worry about whta's going to happen here. This is still my home in a way, still where a lot of people I love and care about live. What will happen with the dreams of all the young people here? What will happen to my parents? What will happen to my niece who was born 10 days ago and will have to grow up in a place like this? I have no answers but I have a very distinct feeling that things are about to take a turn for much worse. And then what?
3 comments:
I usually avoid politics as often as possible, but what will come depends on (like you said) the people. As an American i take no pleasure or seek satisfaction for the illusion most Americans effortlessly opinionate the "right thing", i honestly am quite embarrassed to be American. Our so-called "democracy" which we have never actually had, our inability to update and scrap what isn't working (Electoral College anyone?), there are countless reasons and examples. It comes down to the people. Europeans have it over Americans 100 fold. Experience counts here. It is up to the people to show the oppression how serious they really are, how passion will motivate with wise and tactful precision.
History has a tendency to repeat itself. Hungary is a perfect example. With unstability comes change, combine those changes and there's cause for true alarm and true change, not Obama-change, i'm talking real world, reality, changes. How the people NEED to change thier countries. The domino effect of Greece's financials, coupled with Hungary, Italy, and countless others that tip the tide towards a change.
I must remind myself to believe in people. Somehow, some way.
It's almost impossible to compare what's going on here to American politics. I don't want to go into any detail anymore but to say that there is no democracy there - in any case, democracy is different from a republic - is a bit of an exaggeration. It's a completely different story when people are afraid to speak their minds in their own homes, to their own friends and they can be fired anytime without a need to even give a reason.
Hence my point. I can't, don't and won't compare American politics to anywhere else on the planet. The fear, true soul-wrenching fear, and uncertainty is what needs to be addressed in the media, promoted of what people are feeling and experiencing there. Complete lack of civil liberties.
But, i know shit, and my opinion means less, but what i recognize and respect is the power of a person, the voice and spirit. I hope they can make progress, somehow, in some way.
Post a Comment