IN 2000 - A B'nai B'rith Budapest Páholy

170 ANTI-SEMITIC DISCOURSE IN HUNGARY IN 2000zens tolerate that in our country, on its way towards the European Union, asmall group of people considering themselves Jewish keep the state administrationin check? If Jewish people raise their words against them, they can be surethat they will be labeled anti-Semites or opportunistic Jews.” 68The opponents of the present government 69 : “…if somebody, say, supportingthis government, is conservative and also Jewish, and is fed up with the factthat this government is constantly labeled anti-Semitic, … then they call thisperson a self-hating, anti-Semitic Jew. …They can and will use any means todiscredit and destroy this government, as they did with the government of thelate József Antall. And the people who use such tools are, in my view, lowlyscoundrels.” 70About Jews Living in Hungary In GeneralMost of them “would like to live here in peace with the nation that receivedthem”; however, “certain political interest groups, … try to use the intellectualpotential and connections of the Jewish people living in Hungary for their ownpolitical goals.” – the interviewee names the SZDSZ as an example. 71“90% of them do not consider themselves Jewish and basically, they cannot beconsidered Jews. They are the ones who incite ill sentiments against the 5,000or 10,000 religious Jews living in Hungary: They keep mentioning Auschwitz,and label people anti-Semites. 99% of them were members of the HungarianSocialist Workers Party (MSZMP 72 ) and are still the most zealous leftists.” 73About Their Anti-Hungarian Activities“…some citizens of the world, for whom Hungary is but a hotel to stay in temporarily,keep condemning us. It is very sad that public opinion is often shapedby them.” 7468 Postabontás. (Opening the Mail). May 28, 2000.69 FIDESZ-MPP and FGKP “civic” coalition.70 “Falig érô liberalizmus” (Liberalism Reaching the Wall. Pál Lakatos in conversation with ZsoltBayer). July 23, 2000.71 “A zsidóság nevében” (In the Name of Jewry. An interview by Tibor Franka with Tamás GoldmannGalambos and Gábor Ács). January 16, 2000.72 MSZMP was the name of the Hungarian communist party between 1956-198973 “A zsidóság nevében” (In the name of Jewry. An interview by Tibor Franka with Tamás GoldmannGalambos and Gábor Ács). January 16, 2000.74 Postabontás. (Opening the Mail). January 23, 2000.