Observations....not Rants : By Ben

I have a few entries about my observations in this blog. However, I feel that I rant more than inform so I apologize. So I am going to make a true effort to just tell stories and vent on my own time as opposed to yours. :)

Some things about the Cold War I have found interesting were as follows. For example I found out that Eastern Europe was used as a potential shield to protect Russia from future attacks from the west. I also found out that the Soviet Union wanted to eventually take over Western Europe. I already had assumed that but what I found interesting was their plan. They assigned each of the eastern countries a western one to attack when invasion was decided or on the defensive in an attack. Hungary was assigned to go after Italy. The men here were required to do military service. So most of my adults have served in the Soviet Army. They explained that they were trained on where to attack in Italy and what to do in case of an invasion. Most of them of course hated being in the military and are happy to be out.

Another aspect of the Soviet take over I found interesting was religion. It is hard to differentiate between Chinese and Soviet Communism today because people mix them a lot. Especially the extreme right in the US who label any one a socialist or Nazi if they smile the wrong way. As far as religion goes the Soviet Union was pretty bad. Religion wasn’t illegal in Hungary from what I have been told. However, it was not wise to attend or participate in religious activities. The Soviet government did not approve of the way that the church (especially Catholics) received funding and paid it’s leadership. So if you were observed being active in religious activities it drew attention to you. As I have been told the last thing you wanted during that time was attention on yourself. People disappeared and were arrested for any reason that could be found. So religion wasn’t against the law but if you participated it could create an opportunity to be punished for other offenses linked to suspicion. This created a strange social situation in Hungary. The older generations who remembered pre-Soviet Union kept practicing religion and taught it at home. The next generation attempted to keep going with the home practicing. However, the 3rd generation did not practice it hardly at all. Therefore, a lot of the younger adults and youth in Hungary today do not practice religion or have confusion about it. This of course does not apply to all people of Hungary but a decent percentage of the population.

The last thing I found interesting about the Soviets for today was the missing of communism. I have heard MANY people say that they miss the fact that during communism there was “100% employment.” Today there are a lot of homeless and poor through out the eastern block countries. Many of the old people still want to know how to vote for the communist party. Most of the people here also agree that the same politicians from communism are still in power today. The same politicians who were against church during the Soviet Union are now Bible carrying Christians today. Sounds a little like the Republican Newt G. who produced the Moral Contract with America while simultaneously taking money from the poor and sleeping with a mistress while his wife was dying of cancer. Or the Republican produced Patriot Act which listens to our phone conversations and communications. Reminds me a little of Big Brother. I love how their supporters have the ignorance to call Democrats Socialist and Nazis. Sorry, couldn’t let that one get away. :)