The great theologian and mystic Howard Thurman once described his undergraduate institution, Morehouse College, as holding a crown above the heads of her students that she challenges them to grow tall enough to wear. This comes to mind in regards to President Obama being awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace.
It seems a little oxymoronic that one can be both a wartime president (even attempting to escalate one war in Afghanistan) and be a peace prize winner. Just as this award should not be reduced to an indictment against the egregious practices of President Obama’s predecessor it should be based on one’s own proven record of promoting the cause of peace and justice. And, in my humble opinion, the jury is still out on our current president. Understandably so.
But this does not mean that one should not acknowledge and celebrate President Obama’s seemingly virtuous sentiment and the world’s recognition of his efforts in these early months of his presidency. Rachel Maddow here offers a sober perspective as to why we can honor our president’s selection while holding him accountable to realize his own professed aims. He has indeed cast a noble vision of peace for our nation and world. It is now up to us to under gird him with our prayers and constructive challenge so that he will indeed be able to fit the award that the committee in Oslo has placed around his neck.
Tags: afghanistan, nobel peace prize, obama, rachel maddow
One former Norwegian prime minister is head of the Peace Prize Committee. Another commented on the award to Obama at a reception at the South African Embassy the night of the award. He said that Obama has brought the U.S. back into the family of nations. That, of course is a major accomplishment in just eight months.
Last night (Oct. 12) on Norwegian TV, the former UN representative from Norway Jan Egelund said that no one has done more for peace this year than Barack Obama. He has eased tensions in the Mid-East, relaxed tensions with Russia, committed the U.S. to climate change, and brought the U.S. back into the UN.
Those are actions, but detractors, who don’t understand the history of the Prize, say he has only talked of peace. But even if he had not done anything his words have been important. Words must come before action--they guide the action. Obama has, through his words, relaxed world tensions, and given hope to the world. Through his actions he has rejoined the UN by paying the dues.
The Dalai Lama got the Prize for advocating the freedom of Tibet through peaceful means. As holy as he is, Tibet is still not free. Desmond Tutu advocated the peaceful end of apartheid. He probably played a part, but he was not the major player. Heck, in Jesus's 3 years he just talked--except when he threw the Pharisees out of the temple. So obviously the hard Republican right wouldn't back their Christ for the prize! But for Obama deeds AND words are obviously not enough!
Like almost everyone, I was surprised when President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize. As an Obama supporter, I don't think that winning this prize, at this time, is an asset for the president. I was less surprised by the hideously mean-spirited reaction of the stereotypical Right-wing-hate-machine, who play to the bigoted and the ignorant... as Rush so clearly stated in a recent interview, this is done to gin-up ratings for his profit at the expense of civil society.
What is worth my comment, as someone who lives much of the time outside of the US, is the unrecognized accomplishment of Barrack Hussein Obama. In a country where less that 20% of the citizens even have a passport, international changes are likely to go unrecognized and undervalued. Yet, even before the election, candidate Obama transformed dynamics around the way that much of the world looks at America. His intelligence, his obvious open-mindedness and good-heartedness; his willingness to listen and to acknowledge errors that they entire world already sees, presented a view of America that was not an insult to people's intelligence. The decency of his demeanor has dramatically transformed the way a great many people look at America. That is an accomplishment.
Comments closed
The comments for this story have been closed. Thank you to everyone who participated.