They've upped the ante. The newest Nobel Peace Prize winner is, wait for it, President Barack Obama. If you know me at all, you know where my political stance is. This post is not designed to get political, I just find it amusing what people have said about this choice and what they hope it means.
Committee chairman Thorbjoern Jagland said, "Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future."
Really? He gives me absolutely zero hope for the future.
Former Polish President Lech Walesa, a 1983 Nobel Peace laureate, said, "This is probably an encouragement for him to act. Let's see if he perseveres. Let's give him time to act."
Since when is this award given to people who haven't done a darn thing? Oh yeah, Al Gore. Does this sound ludicrous to anyone else? "And the Academy Award goes to...Steven Segal. This is probably an encouragement for him to start making good movies. Let's give him time to make good movies."
"You have to remember that the world has been in a pretty dangerous phase," Jagland said. "And anybody who can contribute to getting the world out of this situation deserves a Nobel Peace Prize."
Really? The world is in a less dangerous phase now? Oh that's right, the entire world loves America now. Thanks, Barack.
Former Peace Prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei stated, ""In less than a year in office, he has transformed the way we look at ourselves and the world we live in and rekindled hope for a world at peace with itself. He has shown an unshakable commitment to diplomacy, mutual respect and dialogue as the best means of resolving conflicts."
Uh huh. The entire earth is going to be at peace with itself because of the efforts of this man. Mutual respect and dialogue to resolve conflicts? In a home, yes. In the world, sorry, but no. I don't respect crazy extremists who want Americans dead. And I'm pretty sure a nice little talk won't deter them from their ideals.
In his 1895 will, Alfred Nobel stipulated that the peace prize should go "to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between the nations and the abolition or reduction of standing armies and the formation and spreading of peace congresses."
And this year that's Obama? Sad year for the world, apparently.
The committee has taken a wide interpretation of Nobel's guidelines, expanding the prize beyond peace mediation to include efforts to combat poverty, disease and climate change.
Wide interpretation indeed. Sorry Alfred, it appears they will give your award to just about anybody these days. But hey, maybe we can give one to each of the committee members. It just might encourage them to do their jobs better.
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