"To my mind, the most important aspect of the Nobel Awards is that they bring home to the masses of the peoples of all nations, a realization of their common interests. They carry to those who have no direct contact with science the international spirit."--Irving Langmuir
"I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many transformative figures that have been honored by this prize," he said. "I will accept this award as a call to action, a call for all nations to confront the challenges of the 21st century."
--President Obama
Listen up. Today, President Obama won the Nobel Prize. Though, even to him, he said he recognized that the award was not so much about his personal achievement but the leadership his administration has provided in helping to deal with some of the difficult issues in the world, such as nuclear non-proliferation, climate change, and getting people of different faiths and ethnicities to learn to live with each other.
Some who object say it's too soon. He hasn't done much. Check it: Mother Theresa didn't end the war between Israelis and Palestinians. She fed a bunch of children. She got an award. Dr. King didn't end racism in the United States. He provided leadership that ended apartheid in the American South. But he got nowhere in the North. He got the award. The point is: sometimes you don't get an award for a great achievement but for your leadership to achieve certain ends. For Mother Theresa, it was to end poverty. For Dr. King, it was to end poverty and injustice.
Some who object (Republicans) say President Obama hasn't done anything significant at home. Well, just off the top of my head, I remember that President Obama achieved the following:
* He changed the law to make it easier for women to file lawsuits against companies that refuse to provide equal pay for women who do the same work as men. This is the Equal Pay Act, the first law he signed.
* He provided a set of laws to provide greater protection for Americans against bands and other credit card companies. *He placed people with integrity in his administration, some of them fired by Karl Rove, foot soldier for Bush.
*He paid black farmers who were denied loans and cheated out of money for decades by the U.S. Agriculture Department.
*He lifted the Bush administration's 2001 ban on using government funding for stem cell research. The order ends the ban on federal funds for research using newly created embryonic stem cell lines.
*And here's something you want here about from the press: He has inspired many young children to study and to believe that they can get be someody important-- something other than a gangbanger or basketball player.
* And he is tried to bring healthcare reform to a country with many, if not most, politicians who are owned by insurance, hospital and drug companies. This is amazing. Most presidents who tried failed. President Bush knew he was too incurious and too insensitive to working class people to every try. And he's gotten farther than other president so far. So to say President Obama has made no achievements domestically shows not only a lack of knowledge of the presidents acccomplishments domestically; it also minimizes the significant importance of thos problems he solved or is trying to solve.
Beyond domestic accomplishments, the real accomplishments of President Obama was to set a new approach in dealing with world affairs. Even before he became president, President Obama began to provide leadership on difficult issues from a non-dominating, diplomatic framework. Obviously, world leaders were impressed.
What made President Obama's diplomatic approach stand out, of course, was the shoot first-cowoy, warmongeriing approach of the previous U.S. administration. World leaders welcomed this new American leader with such a cool and calm demeanor in a time of war and turbulence.
All Americans should be proud that President Obama won this award. It demonstrates that the world is beginning to respect American leadership again.
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17 comments:
When are you going to get back to music and poetry?
McDaddy,
ONCE AGAIN, my friend, you hit it on the head and crystallized the achievement for me. I listen to the pundits and the crazies alike (Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and all of that ilk just to see what they are really disseminating to the excitable masses) who said that "too much too soon" about his Peace Award today.
You have once again put it in perspective...as with you...you don't create the truth but you explain it to those who would try to twist and turn it into something ugly. You are our BASF: you don't make the controversies, you just clear them up and make them transparent for all to see!
-James
The right wing racist element are simply beside themselves over this. I look for an all out concerted effort to villianize and put down the Nobel Committee in general in the next 24-48 hours.
The headlines will read something like:
Is the Nobel Prize still rellevant?
or
Nobel not so noble anymore
I'm very proud of this man that I and my family helped elect!
Sorry bout the spelling. . .
James: Thanks. You are so kind. Blessings.
Sagacious: "The right wing racist element are simply beside themselves over this."
Right you are, Sagacious. But there's a part of me that's wondering if, deep inside, they aren't proud of President Obama too. After all, he's our president. But maybe that's just me daydreaming. Thanks, guy.
You're absolutely right.
My question is: why is it so hard for conservatives to give this president credit for actually bringing this country out of isolation and into the 21st century?
Well spoken, and I am bursting with pride.
I am overjoyed!
I think that this is a remarkable analysis. Thank you very much for sharing it with us!
peace, Villager
MacDaddy,
with all due respect, I was dismayed to hear President Obama had won the Nobel Peace Prize.I have seen nothing positive from him in the foreign policy arena.No change from the previous administration.
Admittedly to be an honest broker in Palestine,end the occupations of Iraq/Afghanistan and normalize relations with Iran would all be political suicide with the media and both political parties.
Such actions would feed the racist frenzy against him.Should I be in his shoes I doubt I'd want to risk my position in history either.
He is certainly better than Cordell Hull,Henry Kissinger,Elie Wiesel and Al Gore among previous winners.But he's no Desmond Tutu,Mikhail Gorbachev or Dr.King.
He would fall somewhere in the middle of the pack.A decent,intelligent human being who circumstances prevent from making a difference.
My opinion.
Oslo, with all due respect, I think you, like many other Americans, are missing the point. The point is not that he negotiated peace between Palestinians and Israelis or ended our occupation of Afghanistan. That stuff takes time. What leaders abroad get and what you seem to miss is the great change in tone and the true leadership he provided from that tone. It was a tone that embraced diplomacy over confrontation. Now, America is acknowledged as a full fledged leader in the world community again, perhaps the top leader. That's quit an accomplishment for a guy who's only been in office for 9 months.
To truly appreciate that feat, you need to revisit the Bush administration and its wrecking of our foreign policy. If I were you, I'd think about that.
MacDaddy,
Your point about world leaders recognizing the change is well taken.The world seemed to breath a collective sigh of relief when Obama assumed office.
If the change of tone seen by the world eventually results in the improved perception being followed by improved substance then he will have done the world a tremendous service.
Understand please I am not against our president at all,my observation is that so many forces handcuff a good man that his policy may end up no better than a bad one.
Hello Daddy,
I agree with you. Your objective and insightful message is appreciated and must continue to be expressed to dilute the naysayers or negativity.
Those who are critizing and denying President Obama's leadership are purely "spoil-sports"--they make our country look bad as a country that purports it being a land of freedom yet continues to display what I view as political and racist based actions.
But from my life experiences, I know that what some may mean for bad can actually work for good.
I am proud of President's Obama's award of the Nobel Piece prize which some may criticize but yet it is what it is--a wonderful recogniziton and accomplishment for President Obama.
Thanks.
Eve: Thanks for dropping by.
I'm glad you're proud of Obama. One thing I like about what he is saying that it's going to take many world leaders working together to deal with nuclear weapons, the economies, and violence. This militates against the false idea that it should all be left up to Obama.
MacDaddy,
I agree fully -- I am very proud of the fact that President Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize. Surprised? Yes, didn't see that one coming. This recognition is in part about hope, and certainly about change and the sweeping deep sigh of relief that occurred outside of the U.S. when he won the presidency and as he started to talk to the rest of the world. And he has actually done more than many give him credit for, in part because he is not George Bush and is not representing the right wing conservative lunacy that exists. I for one am very happy that he is who he is.
I have to say amen to all you said. I really think the entire world is so hungry for all Obama has to offer. He is truly a lighthouse of hope for all of us. I just pray he gets the health care bill passed as I hear rumblings of revolution and I hope we can avoid that. But if we cannot, we cannot. We must change our greedy self serving direction. Period.
Great work, McDaddy!
Clara
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