Dear Barbara, thank you very much for your newsletter, which I read with great sympathy!
As an Austrian, when I think of my past and see the political future, I could really get scared! We have a far-right party in our country again, legitimised in parliament, as if nothing had been learned from history. It seems to me that in many democracies of this world the ice is very thin and could break quickly.
Not only here in Austria, even in the oldest democracy - the USA - symptoms of a democracy-destroying attitude are showing, not least the day when the Capitol was stormed!
No country in the world is immune to the dangers of this darkness, just watch the Madison Square Garden video of 20 February 1939.
Thank you for sending on that video. And you’re right, things look very dark right now in America and all over the world. I have been worried for years about Hungary, and the fact that Hungary is still a EU member is astonishing to me. England left of its own free will (a big mistake, of course), but how Hungary is allowed by the other member states to remain with its undemocratic policies and authoritarian leader is itself a failure of what is supposed to be a democratic union.
Dear Barb , I have just read this entry on your blog and I am blown away by your articulate comments , your honesty , your humanity , your courage to speak of your former country. And I have to say that I too am very frightened by what is happening in this country right now .
Wow! (Happy birthday)
Dear Barbara, thank you very much for your newsletter, which I read with great sympathy!
As an Austrian, when I think of my past and see the political future, I could really get scared! We have a far-right party in our country again, legitimised in parliament, as if nothing had been learned from history. It seems to me that in many democracies of this world the ice is very thin and could break quickly.
Not only here in Austria, even in the oldest democracy - the USA - symptoms of a democracy-destroying attitude are showing, not least the day when the Capitol was stormed!
No country in the world is immune to the dangers of this darkness, just watch the Madison Square Garden video of 20 February 1939.
https://vimeo.com/237489146
Let's hope that all will be well and stay well!
Best regards from Austria
Peter
Thank you for sending on that video. And you’re right, things look very dark right now in America and all over the world. I have been worried for years about Hungary, and the fact that Hungary is still a EU member is astonishing to me. England left of its own free will (a big mistake, of course), but how Hungary is allowed by the other member states to remain with its undemocratic policies and authoritarian leader is itself a failure of what is supposed to be a democratic union.
Thanks for subscribing and keep in touch!
Best wishes to you and Maria
Dear Barb , I have just read this entry on your blog and I am blown away by your articulate comments , your honesty , your humanity , your courage to speak of your former country. And I have to say that I too am very frightened by what is happening in this country right now .
Thank you, Sandy! Let’s keep speaking out!