October 23: Remembering April 12
On Hungary's national day, here is a reminder why we can celebrate again. Those going to polls around the world might need it.
These are not my best photos, not by a long shot: I was still learning how to use my new camera in low light. But these pictures depict history, something I very rarely have the chance to capture.
I could go out tonight and photograph the festivities, but that would not add much. The real change happened on April 12, on the night of the last elections in Hungary. I will be forever grateful for being able to witness some of these moments.
You know the feeling when you cast your ballot... and then you have nothing to do but wait for the results. (Hungarian elections are always held on Sundays.) This came with severe anxiety because these were the first elections in 16 years where there was hope of real change... but we knew the race was rigged and there was fear that the ones in power wouldn't give it up peacefully.
When I struggle with anxiety, the best thing I can do is go for a long walk and take my camera with me. That day I also decided to continue experimenting with my new zoom lens, too.
So, I started walking downhill towards the Danube bank. It isn't far from our home, and a walk to the river and back is one of my standard routes. But I forgot that the opposition, the TISZA party, would have their ballot counting party exactly on the square I was headed for... and I ran into the crowd.
I'm not a fan of crowds but I did not want to turn back. The anticipation on the riverbank was palpable. Entire families joined in. The tram was stopped.
Then the first results started to trickle in. The photo with the crowd, the banners, the metro station and the Parliament dome captures the moment it became clear that the government, having ruled for 16 years, was finally defeated.
Some photos show the people watching screens that are whitened out. The part you cannot see is the now prime minister giving his first speech as the head of the victorious opposition. Other photos show empty streets. At the Parliament, if you look hard, you can already see the people gathering for the rave party that took place later.
I am not a rave person and I didn't go to the Parliament that night. So, no photos of a dancing health minister (candidate), no closeups of the now prime minister talking.
I do not have full trust towards the new government. I downright hate some of their policies. But the power that tried to capture our entire identity is gone. It is possible to celebrate freedom without feeling sick to the stomach, and I give some credit to them for that. Some, not all: because it would not have been possible without us voters who had hope enough to go out and cast our ballot, no matter the odds.
We are witnessing some high-stakes elections this weekend and the coming weeks. As little as my voice matters, I say this to the voters in the US, Israel, Brazil, Serbia, and other places: your vote matters more than you think. Staying home always plays in the hand of those who want to hoard power and hurt others.
And no, I will not keep away from politics. Every single pixel is politics. Every last business decision, about every last cent, is political. In my other life, my work is related to AI: every last word I utter is political and I am tired of pretending it isn't.
