Hungary and Toledo are linked by ties of history, family, and commerce.
I visited Hungary recently and came away with a sense of urgent concern, both for them and for us.
Right now, Hungary is contemplating a series of actions that would weaken civil society, marginalize the voices that would oppose the central government, and diminish the free exercise of civic engagement.
President Trump needs to reach out to Prime Minister Viktor Orban and tell him that America’s values and interests lead us to urge him to stop the closing of Central European University and withdraw the law that would stigmatize civic organizations.
Szentendre is a beautiful village about a half-hour upriver on the Danube from Budapest. It is a living town that has seven historic churches, winding narrow streets, ethnic roots in Serbian, Greek Orthodox, Calvinist, and Roman Catholic communities, and a lively arts tradition.
It was also the family home of Father Martin Hernady, who spent 45 years in Toledo as pastor of St. Stephen’s Church in the Birmingham neighborhood.
He’s buried in that little village of Szentendre, where he was raised. Father Hernady was an educated man who read history and literature, appreciated art and sport, skied in the Alps when he could, loved conversation, and was great company.
As a parish priest, he saw that the power of the church grows from its people, and the job of the church was to serve the needs of those people wisely. He was a national leader among Hungarian Americans and other ethnic Americans, working with my friend and mentor, Msgr. Geno Baroni, to bring together disempowered people to defend cities, families, and communities.
My work as a community organizer and my life have been influenced deeply by the values and ethics of Hungary. The Hungarian government’s weakening of voluntary associations, higher education, and a free press are not in this tradition.
Twice in the last century Hungarian resistance inspired the world. The Nazis and the Soviets were not merely “foreign” influences; they sought to forever suppress the voice of citizens in a free society and used scapegoating and suspicion to divide Hungarians. Both are gone, driven out by brave Hungarians and the free people of the United States and our allies.
Now, inspired and supported by the Russians and Vladimir Putin, there is anti-democratic interference in countries all over the world. Hungarians are being agitated to fear the European Union, the euro, NATO, and the West. This campaign of fear and falsehoods emanates from Moscow. We need not stand by and let this happen.
I was in Budapest recently. A bright, energetic, and passionate young democracy activist named Bernadett Sebály told me about these attacks and the organized resistance. She has worked in poor and minority communities in the cities and rural villages of Hungary to combat poverty and teach about democracy.
As part of her training, she visited the United States, participated in grassroots groups, and observed firsthand the exercise of free speech and the powerful voice that community organizing provides. She’s a key figure of the resistance, the effort to support civil society in Hungary.
“I’m fighting for my life right now,” she told me. “If these laws pass, the next election will be a Russian-style show, and we’ll be on our way to dictatorship.”
Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) is co-chair of the Congressional Hungarian Caucus, and she has spoken out on these latest actions. On April 27, she said, “I respectfully urge President Trump to express to President Viktor Orban of Hungary to stop the closing of the Hungarian Central European University and withdraw the law that seeks to stigmatize civic organizations.”
Sen. Rob Portman (R., Ohio) is on the Foreign Relations Committee; his voice could make a difference. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D., Ohio) and Rep. Bob Latta (R., Bowling Green) should also speak up.
Hungary can be great — as can America. We know that freedom of expression, the vigorous exercise of a free press, and higher education are hallmarks of that greatness, not weaknesses.
We are better than this. Our patriots and forebears weep. Let’s make them proud.
Dave Beckwith is a consultant whose work focuses on organizational development, strategic planning, and community organizing, working with social justice nonprofits and philanthropy. He is the principal of the Great Lakes Institute, based in Toledo.
First Published May 6, 2017, 4:00 a.m.