Though much is taken, much abides, and though we are not now that strength which in old days moved heaven and earth, that which we are, we are: one equal temper of heroic hearts, made weak by time and fate, but strong in will—to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. - Alfred, Lord Tennyson - Ulysses
(Source: jennalouisa)
Hungary’s Appetite for Self-Destruction
Hungary isn’t necessarily a country famed for its defenses. After losing 1.5 million people in World War I, a third of its population deserted the country. Then, during World War II, over 60 percent of its economy was destroyed, leaving the Soviets to take control until 1989. It’s the George Costanza of landlocked central European nations—highly unlucky, kind of testy, and not particularly well equipped to defend itself from outside attacks.
In 2013, however, it’s not alien armies they have to worry about, it’s the burgeoning far-right movement, a worrying level of state control, and an increase in censorship all brewing within the country’s borders.
Last Friday, members of the European parliament met in Strasbourg to discuss the country’s human rights—a meeting that follows a succession of criticisms made by heads of states and political commentators; the refusal by acclaimed authors to accept cash prizes in protest against the country’s abuse of human rights, and its own people marching almost non-stop since the beginning of last year.
So what’s really been going on? And why—when there’s already Greece’s fascist Golden Dawn, Italy’s far-right Lega Nord, and Britain’s festering nationalists, the BNP, to deal with—are European politicians spending so much time on a small country with apparently little international presence? Here are a few potential explanations.
JOBBIK
It might only be ten years old, but Jobbik (The Movement For a Better Hungary)—described by its opponents as fascist and neo-Nazi—is already the country’s third most popular party. At the end of last year, its Minister of Foreign Affairs, Márton Gyöngyös, called for the country’s Jewish population to be cataloged and screenedas potential security threats. A month later, 10,000 people took to the steps of parliament to protest the move and urge the government to condemn the man who proposed it.Following that little flirtation with eugenics, FIFA ordered last month’s World Cup qualifying match between Hungary and Romania to be played to an empty stadium due to antiSemitic displays from Hungarian fans. Jobbik responded to that by protesting outside the stadium. There have also been attempts by sympathizers to talk down the extent of antiSemitism in the country, both from Jobbik and elsewhere. Even though defining Jews as potential threats just for being Jewish would seem to be more or less transparently bigoted.
Also, this week the government had to oppose a nationalist motorcycle club from disrupting the March of the Living, a commemoration of Holocaust victims. Which kind of says it all.
“Horses literally walk on their nails”
- Erin’s post-YD thoughts.
You make it sound like I did nothing after Youth Dec! Let us not forget that the moon was very big tonight!
Napoleons Burnous
Napoleon’s Egyptian-style cloak or burnous, early-19th century, taken from his carriage after the Battle of Waterloo.C.1820. Felt, silk, silk brocade, silver thread, braid & tinsel.
A red felt cloak or burnous with hood; embroidered and appliqued with silver thread and braid borders of trefoils, and elaborate scrolls and arabesques around the hood and breast, with tinsel tassels attached. The cloak is lined with yellow silk brocade woven with pink roses and appliqued around the opening with purple silk lozenges on red felt, to represent a displayed Imperial eagle.
Contemporary biographies, and other works, including Tolstoy’s War and Peace, describe Napoleon wearing a cloak of this nature during his campaigns in Egypt in the 1790s. The design is inspired by the North African burnous, traditionally worn by Berbers, although this cloak was probably made in France. It was seized from Napoleon’s baggage train at the field of Waterloo, following the defeat of the Emperor. | Royal Collection Trust
I CAN EXPLAIN
Woah, am I the ‘other’ now? And I thought you were different.
Stina Rapp Wastenson photographed by Tim Walker for the Red Valentino Spring/Summer 2013 Campaign
Such a performance
This frustrates me in ways I cannot understand
I showed this my dad, and he said that it’s a perfect description of Government work. brb dying.
that ^^^^^
I would actually consider killing someone for these.
Not sure if I’d kill, but…
I must learn to make these! And corner the world’s market in filigree!
╰(✿´⌣`✿)╯♡キス
1 week ago
