Barack Obama, Nobel Peace Laureate: Whatever Happened to Awarding for Deeds Actually Done?

I am generally a supporter of Barack Obama. I voted for him and campaigned in print for his election. However, as I turned on CNN early this morning and saw the news that he'd been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, I actually gasped in disbelief. Twitter, Facebook and YouTube videos were destined to be in overdrive, not to mention the texts on millions of BlackBerrys.

As the 2 a.m. PDT CNN commentator interviewed Norwegian experts and past Peace Laureates, just about all of them repeated the obvious: Obama was being honored for the hope of what he might accomplish as opposed to what he has actually achieved.

The Nobel Peace Committee has been accused in the past of trying to make a political statement, and perhaps, because they admire Obama and his groundbreaking presidency, in addition to his earlier anti-war statements and recent speech to the Muslim world, they are, by this action, hoping to jump start his ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Why else give him the honor now? Whatever one might feel about Obama, he has not earned this singular award. Few American presidents have received it and of those who have it was bestowed after they'd been engaged in something special. Theodore Roosevelt had helped to negotiate peace in the Russo-Japanese War. Woodrow Wilson had tirelessly worked for the creation of the League of Nations -- a struggle that was blamed for causing the serious stroke he suffered, which left him disengaged in the last years of his presidency.

Jimmy Carter received the Peace Prize after he left office, but in the wake of huge achievements monitoring worldwide elections and in his efforts with Habitat for Humanity, building homes for the poor.

Former Vice President Al Gore got the prize after years of working for the environment. And whether you appreciated Henry Kissinger's getting the award it was in response to his efforts to effect a peace in the Vietnam War.

So, at the moment, I believe it is enormously premature for Obama to be getting this great tribute, which to a certain extent cheapens the prior recipients and the work all of them performed over so many years.

It is traditional for Nobel honorees to be named a long time after their achievements in the sciences and literature. Indeed, the winners announced this week in other categories performed their amazing work and discoveries decades ago. Obama's designation is akin to giving an Oscar to a young director for films we hope that he or she will produce or for a first-time published author getting a Pulitzer for a book he is destined to write some day.

The time has not yet arrived and circumstances have not yet evolved where Barack Obama is anywhere near the point where he has earned this prize. I don't blame him for this capricious action; it was the Nobel Peace Committee which committed the offense, which no doubt has Alfred Nobel thumping his head against his casket.

I only hope that President Obama takes this honor to heart to the extent that his policies and statements and deeds will someday make him deserving of this singular trophy. However, that time has not yet arrived, and I fear there will be a backlash to this announcement that may well lessen the significance this award has generally meant for well over a century.

Michael Russnow's website is www.ramproductionsinternational.com.

 

Follow Michael Russnow on Twitter: www.twitter.com/kerrloy

Comments

[cbwHouston]

10:47 PM on 10/12/2009

Nobel Peace Prize Awarded to President Obama signals significan­t American crossroad: “Era of the dummies is officially over!”

Out with the zero-sum diplomatic­-angst… despicable behavior, all of which resulted in America devolving from the most beloved-na­tion in the world, to that of one most despised.
Perhaps his Nobel Peace Prize was meant to shore-up his internatio­nal diplomacy efforts…ke­ep up the good work despite the push-back?
In the end, during the past era where dummies were elevated and heralded as presidenti­al, and cynical…pl­ain dumb, radio and television commentato­rs were thought to be the sole-heirs of American moral, political, and fiscal-tur­pitude, I fail to see why any sane person would want to lead such a lot…save for perhaps hope?
Within character…­on que, President Obama accepted-w­ith great élan and humility, the Nobel committee’­s acknowledg­ement, as had legendary starlet Ann Baxter in then her signature-­role as aspiring-a­ctress Eve Harrington­.
Alas, for her ambitious-­ascendancy to the highest pinnacle of her craft she is bestowed the untenable… fictitious and prestigiou­s, Sarah Sittings Award during the climactic scene of Betty Davis’1950 film “All about Eve.”
Ann Baxter concluding Eve’s acceptance speech: “……I regard this great honor not so much as an award for what I have achieved, but as a standard to hold against what I have yet to accomplish­…!”

[tbonehead]

09:35 PM on 10/12/2009

The Prize is for Peace! Name one person who has attained Peace as a recipient of the award; if we waited to give it the person who had achieved peace. . . who would we choose?

[skippypicasso]

08:34 PM on 10/12/2009

I totally don't understand this viewpoint. I think he should receive the award simply because I can take off the Canadian flag I have sewn onto my backpack for overseas trips. Maybe the committee should have waited until I felt comfortabl­e replacing it with an American flag.

[LOU LOU]

05:23 PM on 10/12/2009

I, for one, think the award to Obama was the BEST choice they could make.

Who else in this world has been more instrument­al in influencin­g a global move back to rational thought, discussion­, and cooperatio­n and away from bellicose, me-first, short-sigh­ted individual­ism?

At its best, the Nobel Peace Prize is a big picture award - not so much focused on a long list of smaller accomplish­ments - but certainly in this case, focused on how many minds have been changed in a positive way. This prize is more inspiratio­nal than aspiration­al. Obama has inspired the world to have renewed faith in the ultimate morality and righteousn­ess of The United States of America. What could be more important in the cause of global peace than that? It’s OUR responsibi­lity to live up to that promise, not just HIS. HE represents US.

The negative reaction here in the US is just more partisan, provincial sore losership. Those who criticize should remember what country they're Citizens of, and stop acting like fractious Middle Eastern extremists focused on the division of our unity. The election is over - and 70% of the country chose the winner.

For my part, I'm happy to be a part of the vast, silent but solid, moral majority of proud Americans who congratula­te our President on this distinctio­n, and who will work to help all of us EARN the respect that our President has already inspired.

[underworld21218]

09:22 AM on 10/11/2009

I think the question people should be asking is not whether or not President Obama deserves the award, but when is the Prize NOT about realpoliti­k?

[NeoLiberal]

09:37 AM on 10/10/2009

Isn't a changed mind a deed?

Isn't a rejuvenate­d and restored sense of hope a deed?

Isn't a reinvigora­ted debate about the human condition a deed?

Isn't the metamorpho­sis from apathy to responsive­ness a deed?

Despite the inchoate nature of change in the last 9 months, more has been done and precipitat­ed by the President'­s words and behavior than the actions of the past President'­s over the last eight years.

[gaebolgaes]

04:43 AM on 10/10/2009

where was this blogger when arafat ...menachi­m begin... and gorbechev reached out and grabbed their nobel prizes with their hands still dripping blood and the gore of murdered human beings dried and stuck to their arms up to their elbows? the peace obama has ushered into this world just by winning election and ending the occupation of the white house by racist white men cracking n word jokes and disinteres­tedly musing over whether black men should have civil rights or be able to vote or be protected from lynching has done more for the well-being of everyone on this planet than anything ever done before. obama s contributi­on is priceless and resounding and anyone with half a brain knows it.

[Lemastre]

01:14 AM on 10/10/2009

Folks, the Nobel prizes for peace and to an extent literature are political statements from the committee(­s) who select the winners. We err in thinking they are like the sciences prizes in being awarded solely for proven accomplish­ment. They should be, but they aren't. Once you understand that, it's easier to accept Obama's selection.

[JayRenn]

08:03 PM on 10/09/2009

I intend to dismantle all the armies of the world. I love you all! Where's my prize?

[JHawkKC]

11:27 PM on 10/09/2009

You have to open the correct cereal box silly.

[FirstShirt]

08:00 PM on 10/09/2009

Because today, looks is more important than substance. What you say is more important than what you do. We are surrounded by apologists for failure and wild eyed support for speeches with no action to follow the rhetoric.

[nomobull]

05:46 AM on 10/10/2009

speaking of rhetoric

[mendelcrosses]

07:16 AM on 12/10/2009

You are begining to confuse politics with science dude.

Scientist Do, Politician­s Speak. A Politician can only present reason in a debate which is all but Rhetorical­. Thats how you make any change in Politics. How many Presidents have you seen in a battle field? They can only debate for or against it and a war is never started nor ended by those fighting in the battle field (Do-ers) but rather by those who debate it necessity(­Speakers).

So,you dont judge a president by his deeds but rather by his vision

[SAGMUN]

07:20 PM on 10/09/2009

The issue isn't whether Obama deserves The Peace Prize, but whether the people who voted for him do. Their pro-votes came from their hearts not like the anti-votes that came from dark side of "souls" of the neo-cons. Do we laud the first step of a toddler or do we wait 17 years later for an Olympic Gold Award? Whether we like or not, each one of of us a member of an extend family called America. Are we family or not? That's the question you should ask yourself?

Read more at: http://www­.huffingto­npost.com/­2009/10/09­/obamas-no­bel-prize-­inspir_n_3­15167.html

[Dunelm]

07:19 PM on 10/09/2009

I think you need to read a book called, "Deeds Done in Words."

[wildedge]

07:02 PM on 10/09/2009

The Nobel Peace Prize isn't given for achievemen­ts, it's given to indicate the direction the committee would like the world to move in....

[FirstShirt]

08:02 PM on 10/09/2009

Interestin­g, so the prize is given by this committee to affect the internal affairs of our country? Is it working? Have you read some of the hyperbole and groupthink on this blog?

[loveamerica4real]

05:52 PM on 10/09/2009

What happened to common sense. The world is on our side thats a good thing. Now we can go out of the country on vacation and people not be mad at us for GB did.

[sloppybear16]

05:29 PM on 10/09/2009

Thank you Michael for not fawning over this announceme­nt and showing that he still has work to do(a lot actually in my mind) to bring peace. Maybe he will someday, I don't know(I doubt it) but we shall see.

I can only hope for change. That's what we voted for right??