Yes, He Can Win A Nobel Peace Prize, But Does He Deserve It?

Lilypie
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 02:37 pm: [report]

Yes, feels like it was based on Obama infatuation rather than concrete actions.  I am all for giving it to him if he had earned it, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

tabby
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 02:42 pm: [report]

I was so surprised this morning that I thought it was a hoax. I think that it was an odd choice for the Nobel committee. But what is done is done and I will say, “Congratulations, Mr. President.”

CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 02:50 pm: [report]

FYI, he was in office 12 days when the nominations ended for the Nobel Peace Prize. This was a gimmie award.

Shriekback68
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 02:51 pm: [report]

I say good for him. If words can lead armies into battle, then words can lead those same armies to lay down their weapons. Obama is doing that, with eloquence and patience in the face of hatred, intolerance and incivility. Bravo, Mr. President!

MissMay
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 02:54 pm: [report]

I think almost eveyone in the world can say they want to accomplish those things but I wouldnt get an award like that unless I had completely fulfilled those words. Why does he get rewarded before the deed has been done? Because he is an “eloquent speaker”? not fair.

bethlynn00
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 02:56 pm: [report]

Um, yeah!  He deserves it just for getting elected, I think that should be considered a miracle…

OhAshluv
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 03:04 pm: [report]

Alright, first off.. not only is it pointless,it is not fair to ask the question from ‘in comparison to other presidents’ point of view. Every era and generation brings unique and historic events and troubles, so who are we to say that president Obama would not have been the one to end ‘the bloody battle between Japan and Russia’ he wasn’t in office during that time..nor in existence, and that isn’t a war that is presently happening now. All of those monumental actions of the past presidents has come to pass-before we start comparing. and if heaven forbid he runs America even deeper into the ground-than we can start that conversation.

and for the record- I’m on the fence about this. I do believe he deserved this award but it was early.

SueSue
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 03:06 pm: [report]

I think Michael Moore said it best:

Congratulations President Obama on the Nobel Peace Prize—Now Please Earn it!

Dear President Obama,

How outstanding that you’ve been recognized today as a man of peace. Your swift, early pronouncements—you will close Guantanamo, you will bring the troops home from Iraq, you want a nuclear weapon-free world, you admitted to the Iranians that we overthrew their democratically-elected president in 1953, you made that great speech to the Islamic world in Cairo, you’ve eliminated that useless term “The War on Terror,” you’ve put an end to torture—these have all made us and the rest of the world feel a bit more safe considering the disaster of the past eight years. In eight months you have done an about face and taken this country in a much more sane direction.

But…

The irony that you have been awarded this prize on the 2nd day of the ninth year of what is quickly becoming your War in Afghanistan is not lost on anyone. You are truly at a crossroads now. You can listen to the generals and expand the war (only to result in a far-too-predictable defeat) or you can declare Bush’s Wars over, and bring all the troops home. Now. That’s what a true man of peace would do.

There is nothing wrong with you doing what the last guy failed to do—capture the man or men responsible for the mass murder of 3,000 people on 9/11. BUT YOU CANNOT DO THAT WITH TANKS AND TROOPS. You are pursuing a criminal, not an army. You do not use a stick of dynamite to get rid of a mouse.

The Taliban is another matter. That is a problem for the people of Afghanistan to resolve—just as we did in 1776, the French did in 1789, the Cubans did in 1959, the Nicaraguans did in 1979 and the people of East Berlin did in 1989. One thing is certain through all revolutions by people who wish to be free—they ultimately have to bring about that freedom themselves. Others can be supportive, but freedom can not be delivered from the front seat of someone else’s Humvee.

You have to end our involvement in Afghanistan now. If you don’t, you’ll have no choice but to return the prize to Oslo.

Yours,
Michael Moore
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
MichaelMoore.com

P.S. Your opposition has spent the morning attacking you for bringing such good will to this country. Why do they hate America so much? I get the feeling that if you found the cure for cancer this afternoon they’d be denouncing you for destroying free enterprise because cancer centers would have to close. There are those who say you’ve done nothing yet to deserve this award. As far as I’m concerned, the very fact that you’ve offered to walk into the minefield of hate and try to undo the irreparable damage the last president did is not only appreciated by me and millions of others, it is also an act of true bravery. That’s why you got the prize. The whole world is depending on the U.S.—and you—to literally save this planet. Let’s not let them down.

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/mikes-letter/congratulations-president-obama-nobel-peace-prize-now-please-earn-it

dizzy
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 03:07 pm: [report]

Teddy Roosevelt was a huge douche who not only had very little to do with arranging peace between Russia and Japan, he actively engaged in conflict in the Phillipines, built a canal in Panama without permission, and invented the idea of the US as policeman of the world. If he can win a Nobel, anyone can.

lilrockgoddess4u
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 03:12 pm: [report]

He hasn’t actually done anything yet!  I also though this was fake at first.  I think just about every one is scratching their heads over this one.  One things for sure I’ll never look a the Nobel Prize the same :<

Shriekback68
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 03:14 pm: [report]

Russia is considering restricting its nuclear proliferation because of Obama’s “talk.” A recent poll of 27 countries views America’s geopolitical stance as positive for the first time in a generation because of Obama’s “talk.” We are finally making some headway with Iran because of Obama’s “talk.”

For those of you who think talking doesn’t amount to much, Obama is sure making some decent headway with it.

LiciMama
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 03:15 pm: [report]

But he didn’t elect himself. Millions voted for him. So do we get a Nobel Peace Prize?

Don’t get me wrong,I like Obama. He is attempting to change America and the world in a big way. He just hasn’t done it yet, and he may never be able to. There are thousands of people out there with great potential that have failed to do anything with it. A person shouldn’t get an award they haven’t earned.

Shriekback68
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 03:16 pm: [report]

@lilrock: I’m sure you can enlighten us with your in-depth knowledge of the history of the Nobel Peace Prize winners. Perhaps you’d like to share?

Shriekback68
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 03:17 pm: [report]

@Lici: oh, but he IS doing it. Look at my last post. Also, you might want to do some traveling overseas. The world is *definitely* viewing America differently because of Obama. He IS changing things.

Bee Mee
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 03:18 pm: [report]

And it’s a whole lot more headway than any of the Monday Morning Quarterbackers are making.  I see lots of sour grapes from the right and lots of “why isn’t the country all fixed yesterday” from the left.  Probably why I have no use for those on the far right or those on the far left.

Shriekback68
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 03:19 pm: [report]

@BeeMee: exactly! People just LOVE piling on Obama these days, no matter *what* he does. The guy could be Christ himself and the right and left would be pissing and moaning about what took him so long.

OhAshluv
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 03:21 pm: [report]

lilrock unless you can eloquently back up that comment ‘i’ll never look at the nobel prize the same’ again..please stop stealing the comments of the morning radio shows.

_jsw_
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 03:23 pm: [report]

I agree that he’s made remarkable progress on the front of regaining allies and reducing tensions, and I’ll agree that his initial pronouncements were very helpful, but I also agree that the award was made based on a period of time in office roughly equivalent to the expiration period of a carton of milk.

However, I’m not sure to whom they would have awarded it if not Obama. His two-week period in office very likely did as much to advance peace as anyone else did in the year judged by the committee. Who else should have gotten it? I can’t think of anyone right now.

LiciMama
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 03:28 pm: [report]

@Shriekback68 your post wasn’t there when I started typing. But that aside. Politicians from any nation can say whatever they want but I highly doubt that Russia will be changing its ways entirely because of a speech from an American president. They will just do things in secret, just like we do as a nation.

And where do you see that attitudes towards Americans are changing? Attitudes toward the president are making him favored overseas. That does not mean that the average foreigner thinks better of Americans in general. Those attitudes can shift quickly without actions to back it up. traditionally the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded for actions not potential actions.

Shriekback68
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 03:32 pm: [report]

You need to travel more, Lici. Seriously…Obama is the face of our nation for many people in other countries, just as Bush was. Regardless of what you think of that, that’s a fact.

I’d rather have Russia, et al saying positive things about us because of what our President has negotiated than them rattling their sabers and threatening us, as was the case with Bush.

The world is mighty short on peace. Obama is accomplishing that, whether you think it’s true or not.

I seriously wonder if Obama can do ANYTHING to silence his relentless critics. Some people just hate the guy on principle.

dizzy
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 03:34 pm: [report]

Completely agree with Shriekback about attitudes towards Americans and America as a whole. I was this year in Turkey, Egypt, France and Italy and whenever I said that I was American people jumped for freaking joy and started talking about how wonderful Obama was.

LiciMama
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 03:39 pm: [report]

@Shriekback68- I don’t hate the guy. I voted for him for goodness sakes.  I think that he is on his way but how could he have accomplished anything in 12 days. And telling me that I need to travel more is kind of silly and off point. Besides, you dont know whether I have traveled or not. My travel experiences could be vastly different from yours.

In my humble opinion, Obama is attempting to change things that have many more roadblocks than previously anticipated. If he actually completes his promises then I will be impressed. Just because he won the presidency does not remove my ability to believe in him nor my right to question him.

LunaLena
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 03:40 pm: [report]

@LiciMama - but they DO think better of Americans because of Obama.  I’ve seen a lot of people saying that America is finally making progress because we voted out Bush and his cronies.  They’ve stopped thinking of us as the numbskulls who voted Bush in twice, and now think that, if we elected a charismatic, intelligent leader who speaks of peace, not war, then maybe we aren’t as bad as they thought we were.

That said, when I saw this news, my reaction was “huh??”  I too think they should have waited until some of the results Obama hopes for are actually coming into fruition, but as tabby said earlier, what’s done is done, and as long as he’s been chosen to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, congratulations to him and please live up to the high expectations they have for him by giving him this award.

subpar
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 03:41 pm: [report]

I’m 100% with Shriekback. The committee does not pick its winner based on bullet points or by sizing up the nominees to those of yesteryear. You don’t have to DO anything besides promote peace. There is no quota, there never has been, and the award often goes NOT to someone who accomplished something in recent years, but someone currently making an ongoing effort. This is basic knowledge for anyone who cares to do the research. So is the fact that there is always controversy surrounding this award.

That being said, I’m extremely disappointed that some people can’t see how important it is (for EVERY American) that we’re regaining respect overseas. It’s sad that other cultures are showing more respect for our country than we do.

Shriekback68
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 03:50 pm: [report]

Well said, subpar! And you’re right…just because the Peace Prize winner hasn’t accomplished what they’ve set out to do, it doesn’t mean they aren’t worthy of the reward.

A “peace” prize isn’t like a “hard” science prize like Chemistry or Physics. Those awards have precise, quantifiable standards…peace is a much harder thing to measure. Did Mother Theresa eliminate poverty? Did Jimmy Carter bring peace to the Middle East? No.

Citygirl_smile
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 04:07 pm: [report]

Was the award specifically given to Obama “for his actions in office”? (Really, I’m asking, I dont know.)

I’m pretty sure that he wasnt elected, went to sleep in his new White House bed and woke up with all these brilliant ideas for world peace. His presidential title may have been just 12 days old, but his ideas were not.

pragmatryst
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 04:23 pm: [report]

@_jsw_ “the award was made based on a period of time in office roughly equivalent to the expiration period of a carton of milk.”

True, but the minute he was sworn in he assumed executive power over the most technologically advanced arsenal of destructive power in the world, and the fact that he didn’t make it his first order of business to fire-bomb the residences of Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck after that brutal election campaign shows a capacity for restraint and peaceful diplomacy that should have at least won him a gift certificate to Baskin Robbins or something.  The Nobel prize may have been a tad generous so early in his presidency, but he has a few more years to grow into it.

retro chic
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 04:23 pm: [report]

Aside from the question of merit, just the look on his face makes me think even he realizes these good, but mistimed things can be a set up for a fall. This award raises an impossible bar – where else is there to go but down? *crossing fingers and hoping for the best*

Sorry, guys, this makes no sense to me: “just because the Peace Prize winner hasn’t accomplished what they’ve set out to do, it doesn’t mean they aren’t worthy of the reward.”

It’s a reward, not a preward.

dizzy
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 04:32 pm: [report]

No, it is sometimes a pre-ward. Case in point: Yasser Arafat.

Bee Mee
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 04:38 pm: [report]

Most peace prize winners have not accomplished what they’ve set out to do.  Otherwise, there would be no reason to award any ever.  MLK didn’t eradicate racism, and was gunned down during the civil rights movement, with many battles left to be fought and many that are still being fought to this day.  Do we now go and revoke awards from those who fell short of the goal?

The award only raises an impossible bar for those who are always looking for a reason to criticize, no matter how petty or unrealistic the reason may be.

The reward goes to those making a strident effort to bring about peace.  Not to one ultimate peace god.

justme
wrote on October 9 2009 @ 04:58 pm: [report]

President Obama didn’t get the peace prize for being president.  President Obama got the peace prize for the hope he has given the world.  During the election he gave rallies and speeches across the globe that, at the time, a lot of people called inappropriate.  January 20th is not the date that Obama was introduced to the world.

skywalk
wrote on October 10 2009 @ 04:32 am: [report]

@Shriekback68: Hey I got you back, the minute that man was elected it changed the world view on America.  Yes does he have a long way to go, yeah he’s only been in office less the 9 months.  Look at the havic Bush lead us to in 8 years.  I welcome the change, fresh ideas/approach and if anyone thinks they can do a better job, well you got to get hired first… and good luck with that

SamL
wrote on October 10 2009 @ 06:10 am: [report]

@justme. That’s exactly the point!

As a mere foreigner, not living in the US and with no influence on who Americans vote for as their president, I can vouch for the collective sigh of relief the rest of the world gave when you did install Obama as your President.

Your actions have changed the way the rest of the world perceives America and Americans.

The Nobel committee have rewarded aspiration, rather than achievement, and yes, it is a compliment and a mark of huge respect to all Americans for their vision for the future of the world.

That Obama hasn’t yet achieved all he set out to do is somewhat academic at this time.

Personally, I congratulate both President Obama and the American people for the positive and encouraging change in your country’s attitude to the rest of the world.

etexman903
wrote on October 10 2009 @ 10:42 am: [report]

The single purpose of The Nobel Peace Prize is to shine light on people or groups who do the most to promote peace. The aren’t being singled out by the Catholic church to be canonized for St.Hood.

Name any other world figure who offers more hope for recognizing the possibility of peace on the planet than Obama.

They used their name and power to say to the world they believe in what he offers and represents. The fact that he himself is befuddled by his award only highlights the fact that he has no misconceptions that is about him.

I just continually am more disheartened by the the face that the American people can’t see past the end of their nose when it comes to being a citizen of the world versus a citizen of one.

His nomination wasn’t based on his presidency and probably could have won had he lost the election. His message and power comes from a larger place than his office.

Very disappointing that the bulk of the U.S. citizens are the last group in the world to recognize this and what an opportunity we have to actually make a difference on the planet rather than stuff our faces and our pocket books.

Clinton
Texas

etexman903
wrote on October 10 2009 @ 10:44 am: [report]

Congratulations Mr. President. I believe in your vision of a more peaceful world.

resullins
wrote on October 10 2009 @ 04:31 pm: [report]

There’s no way he deserved this award. I’m sorry, but it’s true. Alfred Nobel’s will specifically states that the awards shall go: “to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” Shall have DONE being the operative statement here. Obama has done nothing but change people’s PERCEPTION. I’m so glad that the rest of the world doesn’t hate America anymore, but we’re still the exact same country we were before he got elected.

Whether or not the Nobel Prize is about accomplishments now, it should be. Adolf Hitler was actually nominated once, and Mahatma Ghandi didn’t win when he was nominated. It was a political move to give it to Obama, nothing more.

DancingGeek
wrote on October 10 2009 @ 05:19 pm: [report]

Perception is a very powerful and, politically, important thing.  Changing how we are perceived as a country may be the first step in the process of promoting peace.

skywalk
wrote on October 10 2009 @ 09:19 pm: [report]

@DancingGeek:  Well said!!

resullins
wrote on October 11 2009 @ 06:51 pm: [report]

@Dancing: Ok, then the award should go to the people that voted for him, his speach writers, his college English teachers, all the people that put him on their TV shows, the Democratic Party, and his father for being black. Perhaps then the award should go to George Bush, for setting the bar so low in the world’s mind that anyone would have made them think better of us. HE has not done anything. Even people’s perceptions are changing again… his domestic polls are going down daily.

The rest of the world is giving us credit for putting a young, black, hip man in office. Ok… fine, but we (and I use the word WE hesitantly, I didn’t vote for him) also elected him to do something BESIDES push a healthcare bill that no one wants, raise the deficit AND my taxes simultaneously, and sit around with his thumb up his butt about everything else.

The world’s perceptions are their own… people look at me and assume that since I have tattoos and smoke and drink that I’m a deliquent, even when I haven’t done anything to earn that moniker.

DancingGeek
wrote on October 11 2009 @ 07:44 pm: [report]

@resullins- I guess it’s unfortunate that Nobel doesn’t have a Best Supoorting category.

Honestly, I would love it if we could turn the billions per day for the Iraq war inwards, work on our own problems and let the rest of the world work on theirs. Unfortunately economies are global and situations in other countries do affect the rest of the world.

There used to be a really great website called YellowTimes, which was taken offline because it published pictures from the Iraq war, pictures that were censored here. The interesting thing about this website is that it contained politically themed articles from journalists all over the world. It saddened me to read how the rest of the world perceived the US, it wasn’t pretty. I do care how the world perceives us, and I think our being perceived in a more positive light is a strong first step.  The man’s been in office for 9 months, give him a chance- he has 8 years of bad karma to correct.

resullins
wrote on October 11 2009 @ 09:25 pm: [report]

@Dancing: Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for giving this guy the benifit of the doubt. I did not vote for him, but he’s there now, and I pray to <insert favorite diety here> that he turns this sh*thole around. But the fact of the matter is, he’s spending more time on Letterman trying to convince the public that and IRS version of healthcare is a good idea than he is actually listening to the people that elected him and doing his job.

I don’t really even care about the money being spent on the Iraq war right now, I care more about the bailouts that get me nothing but increased bank fees AND increased taxes. There’s something wrong with that. And yes, I know that it was the Bush administration that started that process, but it was Obama that quadrupled the national deficit in a matter of days without putting any stipulations on the money.

I also don’t really care if right-wing muslims don’t like us… they’re never gonna. And the French? They’ll like us again as soon as the Germans get a wild hair up their asses.

The man was nominated 10 days into his administration… or 12, whatever. The fact is, he had done absolutely NOTHING to earn one of the most coveted prizes in the world. He had no right to join the ranks of Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa, and MLK Jr.

Just because Bush did bad things, does not automatically make anyone who is NOT Bush a saint. By that line of thinking, every Cambodian who is not Pol Pot should get awarded the Eli Weisel humanitarian award. Bush’s administration did good things, that’s a fact. But he was labeled as the worst President since James Buchanan. Obama hasn’t done anything at all, but he’s been compared to Abraham Lincoln.

This award was completely and totally undeserved, but I really hope he takes it to heart and does earn it.

CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on October 11 2009 @ 09:48 pm: [report]

@resullins: Cthulhu?

resullins
wrote on October 12 2009 @ 07:58 am: [report]

@CheeeeEEEEse: Yes, you most definitely MAY pray to an evil comic book divinity… but I’m not sure praying to something that represents evil is the best way to go here.

CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on October 12 2009 @ 08:12 am: [report]

@resullins: What ‘chu talkin bout? This is Cthulhu.

resullins
wrote on October 12 2009 @ 08:14 am: [report]

@CheeeeEEEEse: That is him, alright… for some reason I always associate him with comic books. My bad. He’s still evil though!