That would be like Al Gore winning it!
Oh wait!
I guess the GOP will soon come out against the Nobel Peace Prize, just like they are now anti-Olympics, anti-health care and pro-torture.
Good morning everyone.
Update: I had a few friends say "This is premature! What had he done besides win an election?"
My response:
I think it could argued it's premature, but I think living in the US bubble we have this weird sense that the world ends with domestic politics and whether or not you can get 60 votes or something.
Let's see...
He ended the Cold War/Reagan era "missile shield" that put us in a permanent state of antagonism with Russia. They are, it appears, no longer a country with which we're at war.
His administration instigated the first direct diplomatic talks with Iran in 30 years and got actual results.
One of his first acts in office was to declare that he will close Guantanamo Bay. I know it's harder than it looks to close (especially when the House Democrats vote against bringing the prisoners to US prisons) but he's absolutely admitting and trying to correct American failings there.
He used the word "torture" in front of the United Nations and not "enhanced interrogations" or whatever the fuck they're calling it now. I mean, NPR doesn't even use the word torture because its become so politically charged by the right. He's made us honest again over there.
He actually chaired the UN Security Council disarmament summit, which is a huge signal from the US after 8 years of Bush. He took leadership on non-proliferation.
He gave a speech to the Arab world that admitted American failings but also stood firm on women's rights and actually made references to the Koran that were not humiliating.
That's a few things anyway.
In short: he's changed America's posture to the world. Is he perfect? No. But I mean...c'mon. This idea that he's done nothing is totally bullshit.
About Me
- Freeman
- Matthew Freeman is a Brooklyn based playwright with a BFA from Emerson College. His plays include THE DEATH OF KING ARTHUR, REASONS FOR MOVING, THE GREAT ESCAPE, THE AMERICANS, THE WHITE SWALLOW, AN INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR, THE MOST WONDERFUL LOVE, WHEN IS A CLOCK, GLEE CLUB, THAT OLD SOFT SHOE and BRANDYWINE DISTILLERY FIRE. He served as Assistant Producer and Senior Writer for the live webcast from Times Square on New Year's Eve 2010-2012. As a freelance writer, he has contributed to Gamespy, Premiere, Complex Magazine, Maxim Online, and MTV Magazine. His plays have been published by Playscripts, Inc., New York Theatre Experience, and Samuel French.
4 comments:
Those are indeed awesome things. Let's see if this "constitutional scholar" does one lick of work on gay rights soon.
It's my hope that he will. I think it's inevitable.
I do think we're incredibly impatient. We say in the same breath "He's been President less than a year" and "He's not done enough" and "He's trying to do too much."
The Nobel isn't just about what people have done, but what they ARE doing ... Civil rights weren't completely fixed (and still aren't) but that didn't mean MLK didn't deserve the award ...
The award is meant (as quoted in Washington Monthly) not only to reward achievement but give momentum to possible achievement ... it's MEANT to spur something on, to reward a vision as much as effort.
I mean, Al Gore didn't stop Global Warming, did he? Perhaps he will (and I hope he does) but his prize was for the work he he was engaged in, not finished with ... that's the point.
And, let's face it, the world must breathe a sigh of relief that the majority of Americans have decided we're done with torture, done with attacking and invading countries that haven't provoked us, done with cowboy diplomacy ... this is a slap meant to be heard by those who cheerleaded Bush's 8 years, there's no doubt ...
my first thought was that maybe they're making up for Chicago not getting the Olympics
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