Norwegian award dishonors the deserving (10-10-09)

Shock to me....Shame on you!

Many were shocked by the unexpected choice of Barack Obama for the nobel peace prize so early in his presidency. The Nobel committee said it paid special attention to Obama's vision of a nuclear-free world, laid out in a speech in Prague and in his April address to the United Nations last month. Problem there is, these speeches occurred more than two months after the peace prize nomination deadline. Could it be he was nominated before the Feb 1st cutoff just in case he did, or said, something marginally acceptable in the months following?

'SNL' Obama accomplishments sketch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA88hGGmr-M#


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYnMYZDsrJM

O.K., consider Barack Obama's accomplishments.....now compare it to those of Desmond Tutu, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King Jr., or Albert Schweitzer. Not to hard to figure which is the odd man out, is it? Most distressing is that his award nomination occurred less than two weeks after his being sworn in as president. Does just wining a political election, a glorified popularity contest, justify nomination? Awarding the prize to the President this early into a first term has generated debate about the timing of the award in relation to it's recipient's few achievements, of any kind, let alone peacemaking. The peace prize was created partly to encourage ongoing peace efforts, but Obama's efforts are at far earlier stages than those of past winners, and even the award committee acknowledged that they may bear no fruit at all.

"So soon? Too early. He has no contribution so far. He is only beginning to act,"
-Former Polish President Lech Walesa
(1983 peace prize recipient)

Truth is, it sees in Obama, a kindred spirit willing to do its bidding. The Norwegian liberal elite have chose to support Barack Obama in his bid to reshape America so that it resembles, well, Norway, or at least more like socialized Europe. The nobel prize committee has sought to use the award, selfishly, as a political tool to influence American politics that controls a quarter of the world's economy and the great majority of its military power.

You see, Euro-socialism cannot succeed without the participation of United States. With lower social taxation, private sector economic ambition, innovation and ingenuity will always flow to America. When the EU's labor regulations require long vacations, high social benefits, and proscribed layoffs that ours does not, employers who wish to run their business, their way, will flock to the U.S. as they have for the last 400 years. So, Lenin was right. Socialism cannot exist in just one country — or even one continent. It must dominate worldwide or the wealth and power will flow to those who remain committed to a free market system.

Awarding Obama the peace prize could be seen as an early vote of confidence intended to build global support for the policies of his young administration. It could also be a cute piece of political manipulation designed to urge our dithering president to not do the surge in Afghanistan, not take serious actions against Iran, N. Korea and their nuclear programs and to basically continue his apology tour of the world to further emasculate the United States.

"They love a weakened, neutered U.S, and this is their way of promoting that concept." -R.Limbaugh

In the past, the United States was willing to stand up, alone if necessary, to protect human rights in Bosnia, in Iraq, and in Afghanistan? Nobel believes Obama will reverse this arrogant American independence and weave us within the fabric of "group think" appeasement that has dominated Europe for the past half a century.

There are those who dismiss the prize as no more than the "Not George W. Bush" award. Because, unlike the other Nobel Prizes, which are awarded by Swedish institutions, the peace prize is given out by the five-member committee elected by the Norwegian Parliament. Like the Parliament, the panel has a leftist slant, with three of five members elected by leftist parties. Over the last decade the only requirement to win the prize was that the nominee had to be critical of George W. Bush (see Al Gore, Mohamed El Baradei and Jimmy Carter). Conferring this tribute on Mr. Bush’s as-yet-unaccomplished successor is evidence not just of the far-left ideological orientation of the Norwegian panel, but of its pettiness.

There are those who would disparage the Committee's award for honoring the President's "aspirational sentiments" over the "real and painful achievements" of other, more deserving, nominees. But I guess one cannot be a peacemaker who does not posses the skill of engendering false hope for peace in those who are in actual conflict. Kind of reminds me of the old saying.
"Those who can't do.....teach!"
(But with a little spin)
"Those who don't act.....talk!"

Further proof that the nobel peace prize has become little more than a political high five, is the notable greats who have been over-looked in the past. Nobels failure to award the worlds greatest individuals, with widely recognized contributions to peace, have many scratching their heads in amazement. The list includes; Mahatma Gandhi, Corazon Aquino, Pope John XXIII, Pope John Paul II, Dorothy Day, César Chávez, Oscar Romero, Jose Figueres Ferrer, Steve Biko, Ronald Reagan, Raphael Lemkin, Abdul Sattar Edhi and Irena Sendler.

When nobels past nominations from 1901 to 1955 were released, it was discovered that Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin and Benito Mussolini were candidates for consideration. They actually awarded 1/3 of the peace prize to Yasser Arafat.

"Those who dismiss the award because we are still fighting in Afghanistan or because of his civil liberties shortcomings should take note of his long commitment to denuclearizing the world." (yeah, someone actually said that)

"Those who dismiss the award because the President has yet to fulfill his campaign promises should take note of the unusually long list of campaign donors who must be dealt with first." (that one was all me)

"Sometimes it is enough to be hopeful, respectful of others, inspirational and willing to say anything to be liked. Isn't that the elemental stuff of which real peace can be made."(me again)

(People who were more deserving)

Morgan Tsvangirai,(the man who should have won) for those of you who don't know, is the PM of Zimbabwe, and head of the Movement for Democratic Change, and has long been opposing the brutal regime of Robert Mugabe, and now is in a unity government that appears to making things a (little bit) better, with the promise of a better future for the worlds most destitute nation. Talk about a man that has actually suffered for the cause. Talk about a man who deserves international support. All of Obama's talk of a better day, with no real change yet to show, does not even come close.

Ingrid Betancourt: French-Colombian ex-hostage held for six years.

"Hu Jia, a human rights activist and an outspoken critic of the Chinese government, who was sentenced last year to a three-and-a-half-year prison term for 'inciting subversion of state power.'"

Sima Samar, women's rights activist in Afghanistan: "With dogged persistence and at great personal risk, she kept her schools and clinics open in Afghanistan even during the most repressive days of the Taliban regime, whose laws prohibited the education of girls past the age of eight. When the Taliban fell, Samar returned to Kabul and accepted the post of Minister for Women's Affairs."

Handicap International and Cluster Munition Coalition: "These organizations are recognized for their consistently serious efforts to clean up cluster bombs, also known as land mines. Innocent civilians are regularly killed worldwide because the unseen bombs explode when stepped upon."

"Wei Jingsheng, who spent 17 years in Chinese prisons for urging reforms of China's communist system."

"Dr. Denis Mukwege: Doctor, founder and head of Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo. He has dedicated his life to helping Congolese women and girls who are victims of gang rape and brutal sexual violence."

Remember, just 9 short months ago, Barack Obama was the junior Senator from Illinois, and I hope that over the next 39 months he does something to earn the award (who doesn't like peace?), but there is simply no comparison between his actions to date (again, less than 9 months)to the years long efforts of Morgan Tsvangirai, Ingrid Betancourt, Hu Jia, or hell even Pete Seeger on behalf of peace, reconciliation, and justice.

Nobel has shown itself to be a political cheerleader of sorts. Their goal was to lift Obama up in the eyes of the world. In my mind, instead of lifting him, they have lowered themselves. It is unfortunate that the president's star power has outshined tireless advocates who have made real achievements working towards peace and human rights. It's a stunning, if not truly surprising, indication of just how meaningless a once honorable and respected award has become.