The degradation of the nobel peace prize

[sgreger1]

First Carter, then Al Gore, and now Obama.

I promised sage no more political posts so I won't go off on a rant.

But I just think its a little soon to be giving someone who has not accomplished anything in his adult life except being the first black president, a nobel peace prize.

What are your thoughts.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle6867711.ece

The award of this year’s Nobel peace prize to President Obama will be met with widespread incredulity, consternation in many capitals and probably deep embarrassment by the President himself.

Rarely has an award had such an obvious political and partisan intent. It was clearly seen by the Norwegian Nobel committee as a way of expressing European gratitude for an end to the Bush Administration, approval for the election of America’s first black president and hope that Washington will honour its promise to re-engage with the world.

Instead, the prize risks looking preposterous in its claims, patronising in its intentions and demeaning in its attempt to build up a man who has barely begun his period in office, let alone achieved any tangible outcome for peace.

The pretext for the prize was Mr Obama’s decision to “strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples”. Many people will point out that, while the President has indeed promised to “reset” relations with Russia and offer a fresh start to relations with the Muslim world, there is little so far to show for his fine words.

[sagedil]

Yeah, SO much worse than when they gave one to Yasir Arafat 15 years ago. Or what about Henry A. Kissinger?

[sgreger1]

Yeah, SO much worse than when they gave one to Yasir Arafat 15 years ago. Or what about Henry A. Kissinger?

Equally terrible choices.

What has happened to the nobel peace prize? It is just a joke nowadays, you don't have to actually do anything good to get it, just be a big media sensation. It's like the grammys now.

[sgreger1]

We should invent a SNUS award where we give admiration for great people around the world who snus. We could have the whole international ceremony at Sage's house, no?

[tom502]

The "Prize" has no meaning, no credibilty. It's just a joke now. He may have just as well been awarded the Mr. Happy Super Snazzy Tie Award. The problem with this, is Mr. Obama is a newbie, and has not really done anything. I hate to say it, but did he get this just because of his skin hue? I mean, if he was in office a few years, or after he's out, and really accomplished some lofty goals, then I could understand. But it just seems these are passed out at the door.

[Mullolley]

I think they kind of jumped the gun juuuuust a tad. It remains to be seen whether he will earn the prize that he just got, but he literally just moved into the White House. Maybe they have a time machine and they found out that Obama did something really awesome a couple years from now.

[RRK]

Yeah, SO much worse than when they gave one to Yasir Arafat 15 years ago. Or what about Henry A. Kissinger?

But both of those peace prizes were given jointly to two sides of conflicts for resolving a peace treaty.

[sgreger1]

The "Prize" has no meaning, no credibilty. It's just a joke now. He may have just as well been awarded the Mr. Happy Super Snazzy Tie Award. The problem with this, is Mr. Obama is a newbie, and has not really done anything. I hate to say it, but did he get this just because of his skin hue? I mean, if he was in office a few years, or after he's out, and really accomplished some lofty goals, then I could understand. But it just seems these are passed out at the door.

The problem is that this just strokes his ego more, making him more arrogant, and will likely prompt another tour of the late night talk show circuit, when he should be back at the white house doing work.

Either way, it's not really about him but the fact that the nobel peace prize has beena joke for several decades

[chadizzy1]

It's sad that I fear talking about Obama because people will call me a racist, what has our country come to?

I think they said it best, he won it more on promise than achievment. Obama did not deserve this in any way whatsoever.

Obama has done nothing to prove himself, and there are dozens more people who deserve this more than he does. How can a first time, first year president deserve an award THIS prestigious when he has done nothing of the magnitude of those who came before him? Ridiculous.

[Veganpunk]

It's too early to tell. Oh yea he should be back at The White House. Or maybe on his Texas ranch for weeks at a time. Jesus the guy hasn't been in office a year, and all I hear is how bad he is. Maybe it's due to living in South Alabama, but come on. Bush was universally hated by the world, except for Americans who think religion should be in government. Or the War On Iraq was about 911. Or that think someone like Obama is gonna take away our guns. It's too early to tell how he will be as a president. Personally I think the guy is allright. At least he's intelligent. Which is way more than I can say for the last guy.

[sgreger1]

It's too early to tell. Oh yea he should be back at The White House. Or maybe on his Texas ranch for weeks at a time. Jesus the guy hasn't been in office a year, and all I hear is how bad he is. Maybe it's due to living in South Alabama, but come on. Bush was universally hated by the world, except for Americans who think religion should be in government. Or the War On Iraq was about 911. Or that think someone like Obama is gonna take away our guns. It's too early to tell how he will be as a president. Personally I think the guy is allright. At least he's intelligent. Which is way more than I can say for the last guy.

He has had nearly a year and en epic failure even grander than Bush is becoming very clear. Also, the discussion is on whether or not he has done anything worthy of winning a nobel peace prize. Since he has no measurable success in anything, and has not helped the world in any relevant way, he is not worth of the prize. Maybe in the future, but not now.

[Veganpunk]

Which is why I didn't vote. (In your poll)

[chadizzy1]

It's too early to tell. Oh yea he should be back at The White House. Or maybe on his Texas ranch for weeks at a time. Jesus the guy hasn't been in office a year, and all I hear is how bad he is. Maybe it's due to living in South Alabama, but come on. Bush was universally hated by the world, except for Americans who think religion should be in government. Or the War On Iraq was about 911. Or that think someone like Obama is gonna take away our guns. It's too early to tell how he will be as a president. Personally I think the guy is allright. At least he's intelligent. Which is way more than I can say for the last guy.

This is what happens though, anytime anybody talks negative about him.

"Give him a chance."
"He's not as bad as the last guy."
"You're being racist."
"He's only been around a year."

I hear that all the time, when I say something bad about Obama. Seems like there's ALWAYS an excuse that can be made. If he slips up once and somebody tries to say something, all these excuses come out. And they're DEFENDED. You cannot say anything negative about Obama, PERIOD. It's a fact. If you do, you risk public embarassment.

Bush? Oh you can say whatever you want. It's okay.

It's a ridiculous double standard.

All I'm trying to say is he didn't deserve this award, he hasn't done anything to deserve it, and that's a fact.

[tom502]

I think one thing that has hurt P. Obama is his massive messianic superstar overhype before he was elected. He was praised and touted as the second coming, and no one can live up to that. Also, many put their ideals and wishes onto him, whether he agreed with them or not, like gay marriage, and ending the wars. And since he hasn't done these, and probably won't, and he has not helped the nation either, there is nowhere for him to go but down in the polls. I think he also has a terrible team, I mean Pelosi, Clinton... Biden.... sheesh, I think even Palin would have been better. Now, IF, as I dream, Obama really did end the wars, brought the troops home, ended the don't ask, don't tell, legalized gay marriage, legalized mary jane, threw the Pact act in the trash, stopped NAFTA, keeping jobs in America, sealed the border, used our military to fight the gangs like in Chicago, and the Mexican border, and really made the US a more free, safe, and prosperous nation, I'd LOVE him. But he isn't going to do any of it.

[Veganpunk]

I think one thing that has hurt P. Obama is his massive messianic superstar overhype before he was elected. He was praised and touted as the second coming, and no one can live up to that. Also, many put their ideals and wishes onto him, whether he agreed with them or not, like gay marriage, and ending the wars. And since he hasn't done these, and probably won't, and he has not helped the nation either, there is nowhere for him to go but down in the polls. I think he also has a terrible team, I mean Pelosi, Clinton... Biden.... sheesh, I think even Palin would have been better. Now, IF, as I dream, Obama really did end the wars, brought the troops home, ended the don't ask, don't tell, legalized gay marriage, legalized mary jane, threw the Pact act in the trash, stopped NAFTA, keeping jobs in America, sealed the border, used our military to fight the gangs like in Chicago, and the Mexican border, and really made the US a more free, safe, and prosperous nation, I'd LOVE him. But he isn't going to do any of it.

And no American president ever will.