I fully disagree with the argument made in this article which depicts Obama as unworthy of the Nobel Peace Prize. This article tries to infer the Nobel Peace Prize is meant only for individuals who have been successful in their attempts at bringing about peace. The article states “The fact this Nobel Peace Prize is more of a hope than an accomplishment takes away from the grandeur of the award.” This statement takes away from the struggles and efforts made by so many people that have actually received the award in the past. I would like your paper to be aware of a few other Nobel Peace Prize winners that this article failed to take into consideration.
-In 1984 Archbishop Desmond Tutu received the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to stop the apartheid in South Africa. The apartheid did not fall until 1994. Should the Nobel Committee have waited until then to award him?
-In 1934 Journalist Carl von Ossietzky won the Nobel Peace Prize for his opposition to the rise of Adolf Hitler. Was he unworthy of receiving the Nobel Peace Prize when his efforts had no real accomplishments in that year whatsoever?
-President Jimmy Carter won the award for efforts to seek peace in the Middle East? Should we take back the award since there is still not peace made in the Middle East?
-Aung San Suu Kyi won the award for her opposition to the Burmese military junta. The Burmese military junta is still in control to this day. Does Suu Kyi not deserve the award?
-Shirin Ebadi won the award for her efforts to end the tyranny occurring in Iran. Today, Iran still is subjected to this injustice. Your thoughts on her still deserving the award?
-President Woodrow Wilson won the award for establishing the League of Nations and for his work on the Treaty of Versailles. Since then, we have been through endless other wars, including World War II, which ultimately lead to the demise of the League of Nations because it was not able to prevent the wars it originally promised to prevent. Are you going to write an article comparing Wilson to Vin Diesel?
You argue that President Obama received the award after only being president for 11 days and state this as “insufficient justification for receiving such an award.” Let’s remember Obama closed Guantanamo Bay and other secret prisons. Obama stopped the use of torture of inmates. Obama campaigned for diplomatic solutions to our nation’s and world’s problems while making promises for nuclear disarmament all before Feb. 11. Like Obama’s fellow Nobel Award winners mentioned above, the award isn’t given out based on concrete accomplishments. The Nobel Peace Prize does not work like that. It’s given out to those who are making conscious and meaningful efforts against injustice. To say Obama does not deserve to receive this award is an insult to the Nobel Committee and to previous Nobel Peace Prize winners.
I would never have expected this article posted in The Badger Herald. This article is not based on a clear and knowledgeable understanding of the Nobel Peace Prize and insults not only the accomplishments of President Obama but also many other great people, whom I have mentioned. An American just received the Nobel Peace Prize and instead of being proud, this paper and article are trying to justify this is “demoting the Nobel Peace Prize to the equivalent of a participation award.”
Martin Medina
UW-Madison
Pre-Physician Assistant