October 9, 2009

I didn't win the Nobel Peace Prize... and Obama did?


It was the surprise news we all woke up to this morning; President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize, and I didn't.
Sure, no one thought I was in the running for it. Pretty much the same thing for Obama, though, as all the talking heads on the cable news channels are now admitting - he is less than a year into the job and really hasn't accomplished a whole lot yet.

As a Canadian without a vote, I still was a big fan of Obama pre-election, embracing the whole "Yes We Can" mantra, reading his books, admiring his courage and brains and intentions.

Now I am waiting to exhale, seeing if he will fix healthcare, work towards peace, go for equal rights for gay people (that is a whole other posting, to compare what he promised vs what he has done).

While I am waiting for him to accomplish or change something, I still think the guy has potential. But the Nobel Peace Prize? The same one that Nelson Mandela won?

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." So... Obama? really?

Even in his comments about the win, the president spoke of it being acknowledgement of a mission going forward rather than specific acts or accomplishments.

Bottom line -- it may just be the international community giving the middle finger to George W Bush, saying we are so friggin happy you are gone, we automatically think this new guy is a boon for world peace. And I am OK with that sentiment actually.


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