And you're UNHAPPY that he was awarded this honor?!? YOUR response is to belittle, ridicule and TRASH it? REALLY?!? SERIOUSLY?!?
SHAME! SHAME on th' lot of ye!
Well, I say... Barack H. Obama, President of the United States of America has been awarded the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize. This is a proud day for him, for his oft-expressed ideals and goals, AND for the United States of America.
Why did the Committee select a man who had been President only twelve days at the close of nominations? Why did they even consider him?
I believe they may have seen the same hope we who were intelligent enough to vote FOR him did. Perhaps they recognize diplomacy as superior to bombast, belligerence and war. Maybe, just MAYbe, they believe that talking to leaders of other countries, even those who insult you and make absurd statements, beats killing tens of thousands of their citizens to make your point. Maybe, just MAYbe, they believed that his expressed willingness to speak with your allies as equals, and listen respectfully even when you disagree (and not give their leaders insulting nicknames), beats going off alone and demanding support, whether you have reason to expect it or not.
I doubt very much their deliberations considered only his pre-election, pre-inauguration rhetoric. Even though the nominations were closed February 1st, I'd bet this had more to do with actions since, with expectations still held, and with a desire to encourage his behavior on the part of leaders in the world.
Listen folks, I say again, in case you didn't understand the first time... the PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA won the NOBEL PEACE PRIZE!!!
When I heard this on my way to work (at about 5:15 this morning, I cheered and bounced like a kid at a football game his team just won. The PRESIDENT of the USA WON a NOBEL PEACE PRIZE!!! How EXCELLENT is THAT?!? How can we not be proud? Then I thought, "I've gotta get out of work by 3:00 this afternoon. I've gotta hear Hannity. There HAS to a point at which eve HE says, "Good for you, Mr' President!" doesn't there?"
Turns out, it's apparently very easy to not be proud, and that we have definitely NOT reached any such point with Ol' Sean. He was so angry, so frustrated, so infuriated, so filled with vitriol and hate, so downright MAD that he was just stammering. I could "see" the flecks of froth flying at the mike. I couldn't turn it off. He was near-apopoleptic. His only recourse was ridicule, and it was the lowest, basest, most vile ridicule he could find. The man (and his fans) were just terror-ridden that this might actually MEAN something. And y'know what? It just might could.
Indeed, we should ALL be proud. He stands in great company (Mr. Arafat aside), I'm proud for him and for us!
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Comments: 172
How can we teach our children respect for anyone when you have grown ups acting more childish then children.????
nothing to do with the PERSON, it is all spin.
the reaction partially is because a lot of people don't like him sure... but TWELVE DAYS... you used to have to WORK a lifetime to get this honor, actually HELP others and make a CAREER of it, now all you have to do is be 'black' and get elected.
I didn't vote for Obama, but I didn't vote against HIM either, I voted against the pandering splinter group accessed democrats that I was a member of for a quarter of a century.
I'm rooting FOR Obama, but you have to admit that TWELVE days ain't a career, and certainly NOT the 'Mother Theresa' standard of this award.
Calling me a racist, or a hater make you feel justified? go ahead.
here have you been sunc January 20th?
I didn't call you ANYthing.
"also this award is not given for 'hope', it is given for accomplishment."
Wrote the rules didja? Apparently... you're wrong, for now.
I don't get the quotes around black, and, frankly, I don't get this sentence at ALL. So NOW I'll call you something. Lemmee think... what'll fit?
Oh, I know... how 'bout ignorant? That oughta cover pretty much deverything up there.
Congratulations, Mr. President!
No. Because your comment is filled with ignorance.
Elizabeth
go look up the actual voting record of Mr. Obama, it isn't that much. He seems sincere in his wanting to help but until he got the presidency he was not a person of excellence. Good college record yes, but hardly Nobel caliber.
Can you not imagine the AWE to which the rest of the world viewed the election? All knew that the likelihood of a non-white being elected were slim and none. How many times has this nation come together to reject its own world-renown legacy of racial intolerance? Only South Africa had it worse.
If it was indeed this election that garnered him the award, then I say it was awarded to us all, the intellectual world's way of saying "Well done, children."
"We saw our country tear itself apart in terrible conflict... The time for healing of wounds has come... Never, never again will this beautiful land experience the oppression of one by another."
Nelson Mandela
I would accept the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to the United States for showing the maturity as a nation to elect a black man as their President.
I bet that is what the Nobel selection committee had in mind, and if so, pat yourselves on the back! A lot of people all around the World admired the USA on election day!
Not to say ours isn't bad, just to say that it is a common human failing.
Feh. Never mind. As Robert Lowry, Joe Wilson, Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh would say, "Screw the proprieties!!"
Hi, Joyce!
I think some of our point here is that all this happy happy joy joy may not be in the interest of the country. Far as being under a microscope the second term of old dumbass was pretty well scrutinized...
We shall agree to disagree until we're on a proper post for such an argument.
"Happy Happy Joy Joy".. I destest Ren & Stimpy.
I much prefer Balki's "The Myposian Dance Of Joy".
my point being that the MEDIA chewed dubya and rightly so with ATTITUDE far more in way to "torn apart, dissected and found wanting"....
Obama has gotten kind of a free ride, which given how screwed up things are I don't really mind, but lets cal it what it is.
by the way is it a "hundred days" of Democratic majority yet? that never got brought up and THAT nobody can blame Obama for.
right starts wars, spends our money, left starts programs that make jobs for the emerging from college children of their supporters claiming to help the people they often have requirement inflated out of the jobs to start with.
Never mind skin color, I don't give a damn about that though I find aspects of Obama's background kind of comical, there isn't a COAT OF PAINTS DIFFERENCE between the two major parties.
that said we can continue this elsewhere if you like.
I am proud of and for our President Obama, and for the honor to our nation.
Oh, right... Not what you meant, is it?
So, we're even.
"Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future."
Do you, by chance have any photos, maybe a video of you jumping up and down, hollering like a little kid? Gimme!
My personal opinion - he hasn't been in office long enough.
Marilyn
Sorry... no video.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/33248241#33248241
This is at least one link.
I think it is kind of funny and awkward, a kind of symbolic gesture to America, but directed at one man who is having some trouble leading all Americans ... like this is going to help?
I don't know, I hope it does.
I really wonder about the politics really, this is obviously a symbolic statement, so what for?
The Nobel prize is cheapened.
It is almost as if the Nobel committee is exorting President Obama not to attack Afghanistan? It's just funny and kind of weird.
Congratulations President Obama. Some surprises are nice.
That's right, Tim, even if you might not have made the same award, what you say is "congratulations". Shimon Peres, said "congratulations". At least my Republican governor has the grace to act as though he understands that when America's leader is honored, America is honored, unlike many cynical, self-absorbed liberals who can't seem to understand the power that a thing like this can carry as a force for peace, and can't seem to get over themselves enough to stop trying to subtract from a potential, symbolic force for peace, and say, "congratulations". . . and leave it at that.
Anyone that thinks President Obama wanted to wake up to THIS in the midst of everything that he is embroiled in is kidding themself. That being said he did a very respectable job of being honored and humbled in his acceptance statement.
Now be sure to spend even MORE time on second guessing his decision about donating the cash award to charity.............and then ask yourself how many of YOU or your favorite FOX talking heads have made their donation to help get some much needed health services to your neighbors!
National Association of Free Clinics(NAFC)
http://freeclinics.us/
His acceptance speech was very humble. He's now a little over $10,000,000 richer. He just might quit his day job if people don't start being nicer to him. Maybe he'll spread the wealth around (Not).
I get the impression you don't like Sean Hannity. LOL
I was going by the prize amounts given out in the past. I Goggled past peace price amounts and it was ten million dollars last year.
:O\
Hi--may name is Charity . When may I expect my check.???
Just kiddin---- Lonnie Fowler
Congratulations President Obama.
That sets you worlds apart from the crazies on your side...
I took this, "Maybe he'll spread the wealth around (Not)." to mean something you obviously did not intend it to.
Since this is the case, the "other crazies" I refer to is clearly myself. My faux pas aside, you still seem a very nice person.
Doc, in the middle, holding on... Curmudgeon esq. Oct 9, 2009, 7:29pm EDT
also this award is not given for 'hope', it is given for accomplishment.
From the Nobel site:
According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize should be awarded "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."
The committee has often awarded the prize to those who are PROMOTING the cause of peace, even if those efforts have not yet fully blossomed. Using your definition, the Dalai Lama did NOT deserve his prize either, because heck, Tibet is STILL under Chinese control (in fact, the Chinese government bitched and moaned about the award about as much as the Republicans are now bitching about Obama!) The Dalai Lama is an inspirational figure that represents peace, but how many peace treaties has he personally negotiated?
:O)
As for Hannity and the other haters, seriously, what else would you expect? Rousing the rabble is how they put food on the table. But not everyone one the right is like that. Andrew Sullivan led his post about it with the following statement:And Huckabee said any outcry from those on the right would "sound like right-wing whining", which I think is being pretty generous in many cases.
I don't know much, if anything, really about politics, and know even less about the Nobel Peace Prize...but I did think it was something they had to work many years before being awarded.
Then, I realized that maybe it is about FINALLY, those big-headed Americans are looking to a kinder, gentler place. We voted for a better world when we as a whole elected him.
What a proud day for all Americans who love their country.
:O\
Obama has waged war against the Taliban and the Al Qaeda, in the hope that it will bring peace to the world, even if millions of lives are lost.
Bush had invaded Iraq to bring peace in the world.
Russian troops invaded Chechnya, a part of its own country, killing thousands of innocent people, in order to bring peace to its country and thereby the world. Afterall, the Russian President only wanted peace in the world.
Nixon indulged in Watergate, only to bring peace in USA, which was then a super power that controlled the rest of the world. I pity him for having missed out on the Nobel prize.
There are scores of leaders whose heart bled for the conditions of innocent people in the war ravaged countries. They have all waged war only to bring hope for peace. They all deserve to get the Nobel prize!
You just summed up what I was thinking and wasn't sure how to express it.
:O\
President Obama was awarded this because of the hope he brought back to the world at large during his running for the president, and during his acceptance--- not for any peace he has won or negotiated since.
It is really a Hope Award -- for bringing hope to a nation and a world which at the time felt very hopeless. Can we truly say there is no peace felt when hope revives????
Ask the committee. /// And really---- wasn't that bringing of hope quite an accomplishment at such an awful time.?// And yes that is why he was awarded this honor. Lonnie Ray Fowler
And, I wonder if his 'health-care-union-insurance-co-op-exchange-mandate' will still be worse than the problem. The illogical bills that over the last 5 or 15 years that have been passed as 'law' are what has added greatly to the fractured system we have; additional idiocy is not likely to help. I am not distracted from the very vital issues before our Nation. While I am happy for PBO, his family, and America, American Freedom is still number one for me.
National Bill of Rights Day Holiday is December 15th. If we continue to ignore the vital issues before us, for the pomp and circumstance, we'll deserve what we won't have.
I urge everyone to consider the Bill of Rights Day, and to question why the power-elite have removed that National Holiday from our calanders.
And, if the power elite in congress insist on passing the 'cap&trade' power & money grab, which requires we "reduce (our) carbon fotprint", does that mean I must get a smaller size boot?. Jus' askin'. Or, Maybe they jus' tax the air we that we exhale?.
Because National Holidays cost corporations money and reduces corporate profits, Maybe?
And this is a perfect time for Health Care with so many folks already on the Public Option. Unfortunately the States can't afford it for long. I just had a weird thing happen to me at the Hardware Store. A young girl about twenty some came up to me and said, "I was told that you would know what I need, you know everything."
"I do?"
I don't know her from Eve!
She lifts up her shirt. She has stainless steel staples from her diaphragm to her pants. There was a bit of redness around them. I had seen this before C - section. Good job too. But from the redness they were due to come out. She wanted something to remove them.
"Must have started to really hurt and itch."
Girl, "I need to get under these to cut them." Here.
She lifts the shirt again!
"Do you know what I need?"
Me: "Yes I do!" there is only one tool here that would cut the stainless steel." "It is this."
Girl: "Can't I just get this one tool?"
Me: "No, you will also need this and this too." Sold in a set of six.
Girl: "How can I get this under, Oh use the corner?"
I now have a friend coming over and saying hi.
After a quick hi and hello with my friend. I look around for the girl to ask some really needed questions and give some advice against. She is gone.
We don’t need to reform Health care or expand coverage. After all, this would reduce the profits at the local hardware store!!! And that would be Un American!
Featured in the Triple Name Club.
We should take it as a source of pride for our country...and as Obama noted in his comments, take it as a call for action.
Now if he can live up to his award......
I am hoping he donates the money to a good cause. That would make me tickled.
As opposed to...???
Congratulations President Obama.
He has plenty of name recognition but not many accomplishments.
Not going to fret over this little award though, there are more important things to be concerned about...
I see that he has chosen to do the honorable thing though and donate it to charity.
really I admire the man, even if I didn't vote for him, but weary of how over the top everything is ABOUT him. I don't blame HIM for it though...
Even SNL knows pBO has done *nothing... As long as intelligent people from both sides are still stupid enough to keep rubber stamping these shills into office, we are getting what we deserve.
If you're worldview is based on what SNL says, then you might want to reconsider your own objectivity.
Face it - just like the pro Bush people were duped, all of this shinola about Obama is being used to dupe people.
It is about INSPIRING a way to peace. Look at the past winners. Many were far more inspirational that productive in terms of peace goals.
"Some in China's democracy movement are outraged at what they see as a weak stance on rights by Obama, who the same week as Friday's announcement avoided a meeting with Tibet's exiled Dalai Lama that would have upset Beijing."
All in the name of peace I am sure....