Barack Obama stood in for the American electorate as the winner of this year's Nobel Peace Prize.
The award goes to American voters for repudiating not just the war-mongering of the Bush adminstration, but politicians such as Hillary Clinton, who voted to wage war against Iraq because it was politically expedient.
Americans gave the world a chance for peace by electing someone as different as anyone could be from George Bush: articulate, intelligent, risen from single-parent poverty to the heights of achievement, a Harvard Law School graduate who rejected money for community organizing.
In 2008, Americans realized the opportunity Obama represented for growth and change. In 2009, the Nobel committee realized the same.
The prize is really for Americans, for making the opportunity a reality by electing Obama. For Obama, it's an encouragement- and a reminder, now, to walk the walk.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca NY Blog
1 comment:
Interesting thought about the prize actually awarding Americans for their vote! I think this is very reasonable point of view, after all the cursing that Obama hasn't achieved any accomplishments yet and that he doesn't deserve such a prize at all. And if some are trying to justify his winning saying, he has great visions, they are smacked down, by claiming this prize is not about some abstract ideas. So let's call it prize for Americans and their good choice. Lorne
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