There are many people in our regions who reject violence and intend to negotiate all the time. I would like to ask them whether they can imagine a long-bearded senior imam sitting down for a discussion with them about the Koran’s commands on the terrace of Gerbeaud, with a cup of coffee?

The country celebrated, quite rightly, its accession to the European Union for two days. The speakers stressed the importance of Hungary’s accession, underlying the expected economic advantages, and repeated misty promises indicating that sooner or later we would have a better life, everything would be nicer and better, and the modernisation of the country would also speed up.
Let it be, let the nice dreams come true as soon as possible! However, fewer words were dedicated to what Pat Cox, Chairman of the European Parliament has pointed out in Dublin recently, namely that the founding members had created the European Union to put an end to wars. In fact, in our enthusiasm about Europe, we cannot forget that throughout its whole history our continent has been the scene of bloody and cruel wars. During the history lessons at schools, it is still taught that since the 16th and 17th centuries, the nations of Europe had led bloody wars for the establishment of national states, extension of their borders, and later for markets and colonies. During the 20th century, Europe was the starting point of two world wars with a death toll of millions of people, and the Holocaust also took place here, in the Heart of Europe. The mass killing of six million innocent people is a burden on the conscience Germany, of one of the most cultured nations of Europe.
It is also true that the thought of democracy was born in Europe, and democracy was implemented first in Athens, and then Rome, even if it lasted for a short time only. The human-centred sciences and arts of the Greeks started its victorious career from here, driven by the power of spirit and not swords, and it spread in the form of Hellenism, and later Renaissance. The thinkers and writers of Enlightenment stated their claim for the freedom of science and opinion-, and it was also in Europe that the idea őf equality  was invented and recognised. The declaration of human freedom rights was also a European thought, which was first codified in the Declaration of Independence of the Unites States of America. The same ideas launched the Grand French Revolution, with the attack against the Bastille, the castle of Tyranny- These  ideas about freedom, equality and brotherhood could not be quelled even by the hatchet of the guillotine.
Now we have high hopes that the new Constitution of European nations will unite them in a new, grandiose pact, on the basis of these same ideas.
At the same time, we must also note the role of the most important guard of freedom rights, the Unites States, in Europe as well. One of the reasons why we have to do so is that, unfortunately, there are already ideas according to which the enlarged Europe had to be created so that under German and French leadership a huge economic power could be created which can effectively counterbalance the excessive power of the Unite States.
The truth, of course, is that Europe cannot stand on its own without American defence even today. Today still only Washington has the military potential and commitment to protect the idea of Europe based on the freedom and equality of people and nations.
It is a paradox, yet a fact, that peace, humanity and democracy cannot be protected without weapons or arms. Without the military intervention of America, the nations of Balkan would still be killing each other under the leadership of blinded nationalists. It is a sad fact, but it was also proved in Europe that finally we reach a point at which reason has to be replaced with the logic of weapons. We cannot forget that in the cities and villages of Afghanistan and Iraq the American military forces must control the religious fanatics, who do not listen to human words, and fight with the instruments of mad, blind terror. The American marines protect the citizens of Europe and the piece and calm of our streets, too, against the wild terrorists of al-Khaida.
There are many people in our regions who reject violence and intend to negotiate all the time. Moving to a joke I would like to ask them whether they can imagine a long-bearded senior imam sitting down for a discussion with them about the Koran’s commands on the terrace of Gerbeaud, with a cup of coffee?

Translated by Balkay Fruzsina