Secretary of State: “Pope Francis spoke about race like Orbán”
More than a week after his speech in Tusnádfürdő, Viktor Orbán’s speech is still the talk of the town at home and abroad. European Parliament leaders say the Hungarian PM’s ideas on mixed races run counter to the EU’s core values. Academic János Kertész said because of the speech, Orbán should resign. Now Zoltán Kovács, State Secretary for International Communications, has said that Pope Francis used the term “race” in the same sense as Orbán.
After his controversial speech in Tusnádfürdő, Romania, Orbán tried to save the day in Vienna by saying that he defines himself as an anti-immigration politician, but for him, it is not a racial or biological issue, but a cultural one. He said that he was talking about race in cultural terms, and that in Tusnádfürdő, he was just being ambiguous, which sometimes happens, Telex.hu writes.
On Monday, 1 August, the Minister of State held a press conference on the 20 August celebrations and fireworks, followed by an interview with RTL. Then, Kovács said that Pope Francis used the word “race” in a similar cultural sense to Orbán’s when answering journalists’ questions on the plane home from Canada.
Last week, the Pope took part in a penitential pilgrimage to Canada, where he apologised for the abuse of indigenous children in Canada. He was later criticised for not using the word “genocide”.
He was asked about this on the plane by Canadian Press journalist Brittany Hobson. In response, Francis said that he had not thought of using the term at the time, but this time he said that he considered what happened to be genocide, which he himself condemned. It was here that the following sentence was uttered:
“To take children, to change their culture, their way of thinking, their traditions – to change a race, a whole culture… yes, [for that] I use the word genocide.” Kovács is therefore right that the Pope said the word, and also that he did so in a cultural context. However, he used it in the opposite context, as a condemnation of discrimination on the basis of culture and race.
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Source: Telex.hu, Index.hu, rtl.hu
8 Comments
Cardinal Peter Erdo – Hungarian cardinal of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church – Archbishop of Esztergom – Budapest and Primate of Hungary – since2003.
Comment please.
This could be viewed by millions of Catholic Hungarians, as an insulting example, being centered on the Holy Father – Pope Francis.
Is their a “tarnish” the Holy Father attack from the present Orban led Government of Hungary – built on and around AGAIN no Factuality nor substance – in “embroiling” the Holy Father, in the subject of this article.
Cardinal Peter Erdo – “off the fence” – led from the FRONT and make a Statement.
I find it extremely distasteful and offensive (to say the least) of Zoltan Kovács to draw similarities between what His Holiness said and what Pm Orbán said in Tusnádfürdô.
His Holiness was talking about the forced changing of the culture of some Canadian First Nations children (by the Church – by us Caucasians).
Ps. Unfortunately, Card. P. Erdô has to tow Pm Orbán’s line if the Hungarian Catholic Church is to continue to receive support from this Government.
There will never ever be another József Mindszenty in Hungary.
Race is a categorization that is based mainly on physical attributes or traits, assigning people to a specific race simply by having similar appearances or skin color. It is generally rooted in White supremacy, trying to prove some biological superiority and maintain dominance over others.
Ethnicity is broader than race and generally refers to long shared cultural experiences, religious practices, traditions, ancestry, language, dialect or national origins – the more positive identity marker.
Mr. Orban has been propagating ethnic homogeneity in the past – however it should be clear by now what he REALLY means is that mixed-race is something to fear, most of all. And only he and his party can protect us. Very clear (and scary) wolf whistles.
Classic blame deflection which is a very irritating Hungarian trait (and Hungarians have many irritating traits but blame deflection is by far the worst).
@Anonymous – 03/08/2022 at 11:23
Would you be so kind as to name some nationalities that you consider not to have many, or any, “irritating traits”.
Thank you
@Dari, all nationalities have irritating traits. But blame deflection is one that the Hungarians use all the time in every walk of life.
@Anonymous – 04/08/2022 at 13:29
With all due respect, I beg to differ.
I do NOT (personally) know of any particular nationalities that, from time to time, do NOT deflect blame – it’s human nature.
As for, “…all the time in every walk of of life”, is streching it beyond reality. I fear you must have had a terrible experience with one/some/few Hungarians and use that as the “one apple spoils the whole barrel load” example.
Are there any non-Hungarian readers who agree with my opinion, or am I in the minority, and the majority of readers see Hungarians as Anonymous does?