Barack Obama wins the 2009 Nobel Peace Price "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples" according to the Nobel Foundation's website.
I am not totally shocked by this. For one, Obama was bound to get this recognition at some point. Yet, so many seem to be surprised, some even angry given comments I have read on other sites.
He has done what they awarded him the prize for already - and will continue to do so. He has people coming to the same table to discuss their differences who would not have been in the same room together a few years ago. He is broadening America's horizon, as we are hearing about country's we haven't heard about in awhile. He is trying to bring equality to those who haven't even been looked at up until now.
He brings people together. I look back on both the evening he won his presidency back in November and at all those who attended his Inauguration this past January. I look back and I see a sea of humanity filled with people from all walks of life, different races, young, old...he brings people together.
So, does he deserve it they ask. My question is: Why are people asking? Other than the fact it makes me proud for him and to be an American - which is hard to feel these days.
Goodness YES he deserves it! What is the big deal? While I think it MAY have been pre-mature (by a year or two), a person like Obama passes through this world once in a lifetime. No, he is not perfect, nor is he God. However, he has done so much more to bring people to the table TOGETHER, who you would not have seen come together in such a short time.
He would probably get a lot more done with his presidency if George W. Bush hadn't left us in such a sorry state. Obama more than deserves it - and the fact that he is donating the money that goes with that ALL to charity truly speaks volumes about the type of character he has.
I just get sick and tired of the pundits who try to find fault and issue where there is nothing at all, but their own scary, ridiculous agenda laced in racism calling it practicality.
To me, that has been the issue all along. Race. Which, unfortunately, does not surprise me given the fact Americans seem to give so much time to such a ridiculous notion. Racism built on prejudice stemmed from fear only to create more hate in the world. Say that to a Bible beater from mid-America and they would deny it, but you know where they come from. It's sad that this is the way it is.
Some, on the other side of the coin, would feel we have come a long way in America insofar as race relations. Maybe, but as a colleague and good friend pointed out in a recent post - it seems like pundits almost want Obama to start a race riot across America just to fix it. If it were anyone else getting the Nobel Peace Prize, I doubt it's recipient would be so questioned.
I think part of the problem is so many have placed him so high that they expect him to move mountains, when the molehills still need to be dealt with. You can't win a war without fighting some battles. As I stated before, I hope Obama has a chance to win a second term, because his first term has and will be filled with cleaning up his predecessor's mess. He is doing the best he can, in my eyes.
We should be congratulating him, not questioning the Nobel Foundation committee's reasons for their choice.
If it were anyone else, I doubt it would have even stirred a second tier news reel.
-
See past recipients here:
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/
I am not totally shocked by this. For one, Obama was bound to get this recognition at some point. Yet, so many seem to be surprised, some even angry given comments I have read on other sites.
He has done what they awarded him the prize for already - and will continue to do so. He has people coming to the same table to discuss their differences who would not have been in the same room together a few years ago. He is broadening America's horizon, as we are hearing about country's we haven't heard about in awhile. He is trying to bring equality to those who haven't even been looked at up until now.
He brings people together. I look back on both the evening he won his presidency back in November and at all those who attended his Inauguration this past January. I look back and I see a sea of humanity filled with people from all walks of life, different races, young, old...he brings people together.
So, does he deserve it they ask. My question is: Why are people asking? Other than the fact it makes me proud for him and to be an American - which is hard to feel these days.
Goodness YES he deserves it! What is the big deal? While I think it MAY have been pre-mature (by a year or two), a person like Obama passes through this world once in a lifetime. No, he is not perfect, nor is he God. However, he has done so much more to bring people to the table TOGETHER, who you would not have seen come together in such a short time.
He would probably get a lot more done with his presidency if George W. Bush hadn't left us in such a sorry state. Obama more than deserves it - and the fact that he is donating the money that goes with that ALL to charity truly speaks volumes about the type of character he has.
I just get sick and tired of the pundits who try to find fault and issue where there is nothing at all, but their own scary, ridiculous agenda laced in racism calling it practicality.
To me, that has been the issue all along. Race. Which, unfortunately, does not surprise me given the fact Americans seem to give so much time to such a ridiculous notion. Racism built on prejudice stemmed from fear only to create more hate in the world. Say that to a Bible beater from mid-America and they would deny it, but you know where they come from. It's sad that this is the way it is.
Some, on the other side of the coin, would feel we have come a long way in America insofar as race relations. Maybe, but as a colleague and good friend pointed out in a recent post - it seems like pundits almost want Obama to start a race riot across America just to fix it. If it were anyone else getting the Nobel Peace Prize, I doubt it's recipient would be so questioned.
I think part of the problem is so many have placed him so high that they expect him to move mountains, when the molehills still need to be dealt with. You can't win a war without fighting some battles. As I stated before, I hope Obama has a chance to win a second term, because his first term has and will be filled with cleaning up his predecessor's mess. He is doing the best he can, in my eyes.
We should be congratulating him, not questioning the Nobel Foundation committee's reasons for their choice.
If it were anyone else, I doubt it would have even stirred a second tier news reel.
-
See past recipients here:
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/
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