Today reminds us that voting is a privilege

Today marks a very important date in Hungary’s history. It was on October 23, 1956 that Soviet tanks rolled into the country to crush the Hungarian Revolution. Born in Hungary, Budapest, I was only one year old at the time. While I can’t recall the events of that specific day, I know that the revolution on October 23rd changed my life, as well as the life of thousands of other Hungarians.

My father, along with many other Hungarians, escaped Hungary during the revolution and immigrated to America. My mother, brother and I were separated from him for nearly five years. It wasn’t until March 3rd, 1961 that we received our passport to leave Hungary and immigrate to this country to reunite with my father. I remember that date because it was also my mother’s 34th birthday.

Like so many other immigrant children today, I spoke no English when I arrived. I attended the Mt Vernon elementary school in Newark and my family lived in the Ivy Hill Apartments. While I can’t say that our life was easy when we first arrived, my family never regretted the decision to leave Hungary. Indeed, my father’s love for America was second to none. He died only three months ago on July 25th, but I still remember all the things he told my brother and me about his life in Hungary and why he felt the need to leave behind the country he once loved.

While Hungary used to boast that nearly 99% of its residents voted in the elections after the revolution and before the demise of communism — voters were not given a choice of candidates to choose from. In fact, the only reason that Hungarians voted was because of their fear that they would be arrested. Elections were nothing more than a sham! There was no freedom of speech, no opportunity to choose the best individuals to lead the country, and Hungarians were left with no hope for change.

That is why I am so very supportive of my husband’s candidacy for governor in New Jersey. And that is why my father was so proud of Chris before he died three months ago. Democracy provides us with the opportunity to vote for the best candidates we feel should represent us, regardless of their religion, party affiliations, and political ideologies. That is why the largest paper in New Jersey, The Star Ledger, endorsed Chris. They made history by their decision to endorse an independent candidate for governor for the first time.

Together, we can make history in New Jersey. We can create new jobs, fix our state economy, and restore fiscal order to our budget, so our children and grandchildren don’t have to suffer from the mistakes of our current Republican and Democratic leadership. Working together, we can change New Jersey – because we are bigger and better than the challenges we face.

-Bea Daggett