The Importance of the Nobel Peace Prize

[dok]

Originally Posted by Calzone

I also think, however, that something that is supposed to herald great world-wide accomplishments towards peace shouldn't be thrown around like some political football. I do not believe that Obama has done enough at this time (and especially earlier in his term when he was nominated) to warrant an honor of this magnitude. Maybe in a couple years if things go well, sure, but now? I don't think it was worth compromising the value of the Prize for a jab at Bush.

When you replace merit with politics, everyone suffers.

I am (mostly) a fan of Obama, but I agree with everything you write here wholeheartedly.

[Onacara]

Originally Posted by J4Jandar

Say it aint so Joe...

A consumer-freedom group says President Obama's nominee for "regulatory czar" is an "animal-rights zealot" who may make life difficult for hunters and meat-eaters.

This is funny because the Obama's host BBQs all the time....look it up.

[Gulp]

Originally Posted by Calzone

I wasn't trying to insinuate that Obama was pulling strings to get himself nominated for a Nobel.

I didn't think you did. While I did respond to your post, my point was aimed more at the sentiment expressed and shared by a few other posters and the media in general today.

This is going to turn into another distraction for the media. The story today should be: "The Nobel Committee Embarrasses Itself" or "Poor Timing for the President?"

I agree with your points. We were all excited to see Bush go at the beginning of the year. No need to spoil the mostly good name of the Nobel Peace Prize to get that message across.

[scottishlad5]

When I woke up and read this I thought I was dreaming. It really made me look twice to see that it was real. I really think that this shouldn't have happened it such a prestigious reward, and really he has done nothing what so ever that was nearly as significant as the previous winners.! In fact I heard that he was nominated after 3 months in office, I mean what the...Thats just not a just and good enough cause to give someone this reward, all it did was make all of the previous winners look downgraded, I mean look at what they did!

This sums up what I think he has done.
http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-li...34#vid=1163334

Even my government teacher who is fairly democratic said that it was very bizarre.

[Einar's puppy]

I like the guy, but this is just wrong.

Martin Luther King deserved the award. Ghandi deserved the award. Nelson Mandela deserved the award. Obama has not done as much for peace as they all have. It kind of cheapens the nobel award to give it to someone so prematurely.

I sincerely hope that in time he proves this award validated, but right now it goes against what the award stands for.

[Onacara]

Originally Posted by Einar's puppy

I like the guy, but this is just wrong.

Martin Luther King deserved the award. Ghandi deserved the award. Nelson Mandela deserved the award. Obama has not done as much for peace as they all have. It kind of cheapens the nobel award to give it to someone so prematurely.

I sincerely hope that in time he proves this award validated, but right now it goes against what the award stands for.

Ghandi never won it though.

[Einar's puppy]

Originally Posted by Onacara

Ghandi never won it though.

Really? Man, that's not right.

[Gulp]

Originally Posted by scottishlad5

In fact I heard that he was nominated after 3 months in office, I mean what the...

Actually he was nominated after less than two weeks in office. Voting was the first week of February. So the award wasn't really for something he had done while in office. (They say.)

Gandhi was passed for a few years, and right after he was killed the committee chose not to give an award that year because "no living person deserved it". (Nobel instructed that the award not be given out to someone who had died.)

In the Nobel committee's defense, Obama had done something remarkable by making the world breath a sigh of relief after the Bush marring, but that's certainly not worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize. [/defense]

[Onacara]

Originally Posted by Gulp

In the Nobel committee's defense, Obama had done something remarkable by making the world breath a sigh of relief after the Bush marring, but that's certainly not worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize. [/defense]

Rodney King's "Can't we all just get along?" deserves the award more than that.

[CheddarLimbo]

I wonder what other awards Obama should win...

Heisman Trophy? Screen Actors Guild Award?

Oh! Oh! The Tri-Wizard Cup!

And he did throw out that one pitch...maybe he could get the Cy Young award!

[Onacara]

Originally Posted by CheddarLimbo

I wonder what other awards Obama should win...

He doesn't even deserve this...

[Ryougabot]

When I first saw this, I thought "for what...he hasn't been in office long enough"

Then I thought about the timing of this. He is commander an Chief of the nation that has one of the largest military armies...and he is fighting a war on two fronts...and he hasn't actually done anything to either win these wars or quit them. This award comes days before he is going to make a decision about 40000 more troops in Afghanistan. This seems more like a million dollar bribe not to do anything more violent, than a reward for something he has done (or may do).

Then I remembered that Nobel invented TNT and is probably responsible for more deaths than any other scientist. And I remembered that the award was also given to Arafat (who is not known for keeping the peace) and Gore (what has global warming got to do with peace). Then I realized that it was a million dollar popularity contest and should not be viewed as anything but politics.