9/29/2016 – The “Hungarian Free Press” attacked AHF for supporting a senior American diplomat who had the wisdom and courage to pose with the Szekely flag. While it is our general policy not to respond to such attacks, we make an exception when appropriate. AHF later thanked the publication for the resulting dialogue.
AHF’s letter and subsequent responses are below. Refer to our original letter to Ambassador Klemm [here]
Mr. György Lázár:
Normally we at the American Hungarian Federation would not respond to the kind of posting you made on September 22, “Exploiting the naiveté of Hans Klemm, the US ambassador to Romania,” but we are making an exception in this case since you have gratuitously defamed not only an outstanding career American diplomat but our organization as well.
The tactics you employed reflect neither a responsible use of logic nor a fair understanding of the issues involved. Any display of the Szekler flag by radical groups no more vitiates its symbolic legitimacy than that of the American flag when it is displayed by extremist groups. This is a form of guilt by association which is a thoroughly discredited polemical tactic and never used by respected interlocutors.
Your painting of Ambassador Klemm as naïve for posing with Mayor Árpád Antal of Sepsiszentgyörgy with the flag in the Hungarian speaking region of Romania is as absurd as it is ill informed. American career diplomats are highly trained experts charged with carrying out U.S. policy abroad, and it as an established feature of American interests and values to promote diversity and minority human rights around the world. Ambassador Klemm was doing nothing other than what American diplomats do elsewhere in similar circumstances.
Finally your ad hominem depiction of the American Hungarian Federation as a “right-wing organization,” is as ludicrous as it is preposterous. Our hundred year old mission in preserving Hungarians’ cultural and historical heritage and promoting minority rights has drawn popular support across the political spectrum and faith community as well as across the professions, including medicine, history, science, diplomacy, and the law. For your information, our governing board currently includes professionals with differing political views, reflecting its nature as a federation.
Since you say you enjoy spending time in Hungary, we wish you would also find it enjoyable backing our worthy mission, including our efforts to combat the discrimination confronting Hungarian minorities in their ancient homeland, instead of trying to tear it down. We would welcome your support.
Sincerely,
The American Hungarian Federation
HFP’s response:
Dear Mr. Koszorus,
Thank you for your letter and for sharing your organization’s thoughts on Mr. Lázár’s article with our publication. We have published your letter, as well as Mr. Lázár’s response:
Sincerely,
Christopher Adam
AHF’s thanked HFP:
Dear Messrs. Adam and Lazar,
I believe our exchange has amply demonstrated that one can disagree on an issue and yet carry on an intelligent and respectful discourse without lapsing into personal attacks and defamatory labeling.
While there is an unfortunate tendency on both the Left and the Right to over politicize every question, our Federation strongly believes that discrimination, intolerance and hate speech directed at any group are unacceptable. We are concerned that when it comes to the Hungarian minorities in some of the states neighboring Hungary, this principle sadly and inexplicably is ignored. [See our letter]
We champion those rights for the Hungarian minorities and hope that those who otherwise support human rights, the rule of law and democracy will join in our efforts.
Thank you for publishing our letter and for carrying on this discussion on its merits.
Sincerely,
Frank Koszorus, Jr.
Chairman
Related
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9/30/2016 – Abszurd vádak a székely zászlót felvállaló amerikai nagykövet ellen: Míg az eseményt hevesen támadták Romániában, addig a magyar kisebbségi jogokért harcolók dicsérték. Közéjük tartozott az Amerikai Magyar Szövetség, amely levélben köszönte meg a nagykövet morális és politikai bátorságát. [tovább]
9/15/2016 – AHF thanks US Ambassador for his “moral and political courage in being photographed with the Szekler flag… It is unacceptable for Romania to stifle measures by the Hungarian minority, such as using the Szekler flag, to preserve their unique culture in their ancient homeland and to overcome the effects of discrimination, persecution, and in some instances violence they have faced.” [read more]
10/25/2016 – AHF sends follow up to US Ambassador to Rumania for praising Rumania’s “model democracy.” “Considering the irrefutable record of discrimination, intolerance, and anti-democratic attitudes, practices and policies by Romanian authorities, not to mention your experience relative to the Szekely flag, we are puzzled… by your statement last week praising Romania for being a model of democracy and observing the rights of minorities. [read more]
“Unfortunately we must continue to remember Trianon, not merely as a historical event — “the greatest catastrophe to have befallen Hungary since the battle of Mohacs in 1526,” as noted by Sir Bryan Cartledge — but as a current problem that needs to be judiciously addressed. What is the current problem ninety-one years after the Treaty was imposed upon Hungary? It is the discrimination, intolerance, and, in some cases, hatred directed toward the Hungarian minorities living in the Successor States. Steps must be taken to ensure that Western values, democratic principles and international norms and practices relating to national minorities will finally prevail in Central and Eastern Europe, thereby at long last relegating Trianon to the history books.” – Frank Koszorus, Jr., AHF President
- Why so many Hungarians across the border?
- AHF Statements on Trianon
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Today: A Quarterly Report
6/20/2014 – With the conflict in Ukraine and ethnic tensions once again on the rise, AHF republishes prophetic 1996 essay from the Fletcher Forum of World Affairs: “Group Rights Defuse Tensions,” written by Csaba Zoltani and AHF President Frank Koszorus. “Moreover, the strong U.S. interest in a stable and peaceful Europe is contingent upon the resolution of minority disputes and the elimination of tensions that arise from such disputes. When European minority issues were ignored or improperly addressed in this century, the United States was called upon to intervene in two world wars.” [download the essay]
6/17/2014 – AHF Book Review: “Transylvania Today: Diversity at Risk,” edited by Csaba Zoltani. Written by noted experts, describes the issues faced by minorities in Transylvania in their effort to retain their identity in an adverse environment. The essays of the book capture some of the fault lines in Transylvania, created by the incorporation of a territory with western traditions into one of Byzantine culture. Minorities, according to the official census, constitute nearly one-quarter of the population of Romania. Contributors include Amb. Geza Jeszenszky, Prof. Andrew Ludanyi, Tilhamer Czika, Viktor Segesvary, and Andreas Bereznay. [read more]