Friday, October 9, 2009

Nobel Peace Prize

As soon as I got up this morning, I turned on CNN. I could not believe the news. President Barack Obama has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. My first reaction was “for what?” Has Nobel Peace Prize become like an honorary doctorate degrees given to the Tamilnadu politicians?

All nominations must be received by the Nobel Peace Prize Committee by February 1. President Obama took over as President of United States on January 20. What did he accomplish in the first 12 days?

Then I read a statement from the awarding committee. It cited "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." I like Obama. But excuse me. In 12 days in office, did he strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between people? All he did was promise. In my opinion, it is an award for promise and not for performance.

If they give a Nobel Peace Prize for promise, the following people should also be considered:

Vladimir Putin – He promised to protect journalists in Russia who face serious threats.

Gordon Brown – During election campaign, he promised to allow the people of Britain a democratic vote on the Lisbon constitutional treaty.

Kevin Rudd – He promised zero-tolerance of violence against Indian students.

I am sorry, I forgot about some of the Indians who are qualified for this prize. They are:

Sonia Gandhi and Congress Party – They are always promising to end poverty in India.

Most of the Indian Politicians – They promise constantly for passing Women’s Reservation Bill.

All Tamilnadu Politicians – They have been promising for ever to help Sri Lankan Tamilians to achieve their goal, peace, and happiness.

In the end, the power of the President of the United States won. In my opinion, a deserving individual, who was nominated this year, Greg Mortenson was denied this prize. His Central Asia Institute has built more than 130 schools for girls in places where opium dealers and tribal warlords roam. They are located in Afghanistan and Pakistan. His mission has inspired millions of people to realize education and protection of girls is very important to peace and prosperity.

In order to be fair, I have to write here what Obama said after hearing the news that he won the Nobel Peace Prize. He said: "To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize.”

A tid bit here. There is no Nobel Prize for mathematics. Reason? Alfred Nobel was a bachelor. But he had a mistress. She ran away with a math teacher. Nobel got angry and decided not to give Nobel Prize for mathematics.

PS: Please read about Mike Ditka in the "comments" section. Thanks.

34 comments:

  1. I’m with you on this one SG.

    Barack Hussein Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize is just a ridiculous slap in the face.
    If I knew this was going to happen I would’ve ended his political career before it even started.

    He can Kiss My Ditka.

    Coach Mike D
    (DA BEARS)

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  2. Thanks coach for your comments. It is all your fault and your greed to make lots of money. Otherwise things would have turned differently. I was going to write a blog about this. But you let the cat out of the bag. So here it is:

    Mike Ditka is an American Football hero. When Obama ran for US Senate from the
    State of Illinois in 2005, everyone asked Mike Ditka to run against him. Mike wanted to make more money from football games and product endorsements. So he refused. Had he run against Obama, if I say in Indian terms, Obama would have lost his deposit. In the State of Illinois, Ditka is more famous than Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai or Sourav Ganguly in Kolkata. Once lost in a senate election, Obama’s political career would have been finished.

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  3. My reaction was "For what joy"!!! Then I saw Obama's speech.

    "I know that throughout history, the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievements. Its also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes"

    Geeeee.....then I understood all. Why is it so surprising to you all? Anyone who wants world peace and shouts about it(without doing too much about it) absolutely deserves it. Good intentions you see!! Just have aspirations, impact later, do or not. And he; being the US president, has not invaded any country yet. Isn't that enough?

    Next time, don't be surprised if a Miss World walks away with Nobel Peace Prize, they all make empty speeches, don't they?

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  4. By the way, I just wanted to blog about the same, you hit it on :-) Thanks for the post.

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  5. Today the whole paper is full of cheers and jeers.....ultimatley it showed that US rules everywhere...I just hope it gives a catalystic raise to Obama's peace initiative.

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  6. He got it because he became the President of the US of A, after Bush Jr.! No other qualifications, at least, for now! It is too early to judge him.

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  7. exact same thoughts on this...and my dad was discussoing the exact same points that you have mentioned...what has he done in those few days at office that he was given this honour...whatever!

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  8. i read one more post on this issue, n there I mentioned the nomination point, n here you too have mentioned the same...

    I read your comment comment about mike ditka too...

    all I wanna say is that this episode too will join so many other most debated issues...it is going to be spoken about for few days, then everyone will forget about it like it happens always...

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  9. yeah...I too asked the same question : for what ?

    This is an interesting write up.

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  10. My reaction was also "What the!!"
    I always thought that Nobel perize was the one that was not politicized .. now even that is!

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  11. i read somewhere that it was for the nuclear deals.. neways.. crap.. fortunately i totally agree..

    lol@"Has Nobel Peace Prize become like an honorary doctorate degrees given to the Tamilnadu politicians?"

    it seems so..

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  12. Thanks for your comments Insignia. Award for promises. You are right. Someday Miss World will walk away with Nobel Peace Prize.

    You wanted to blog on this? I am sorry for raining on your parade.

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  13. Thanks for your comments Renu. U.S. does not rules everywhere. President Obama and his wife went to Copenhagen and made a personal pitch to have the 2016 Olympics in their hometown Chicago. But it went to Rio de Janeiro.

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  14. Thanks for your comments Sandhya. He got it because he is not Bush.

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  15. Thanks for your comments Sandhya. Please convey my regards to your dad.

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  16. Thanks for your comments Neha. As you said, this news will die down in a few weeks.

    So far, you are the only one mentioned about Mike Ditka.

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  17. Thanks for your comments Vaniquest. I am glad we both have the same point of view.

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  18. Thanks for your comments Shruti. I do not know if it is politicized or not. But we have to be fair to President Obama. He has nothing to do with getting this award.

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  19. Thanks for your comments Vishnu. Nuclear deals? Not yet. He is only promising.

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  20. Oh no!! I would not have written half as good as you about this topic.
    Its superb with information and a trivia on Mike Ditka

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  21. Very well expressed. I guess Mr. Obama got the prize in anticipation of or in appreciation of not bombing North Korea and Iran. This was also in commemoration of his huge support given to Pakistan for creating havoc in India. Hail O-bomb-a.

    PS: Are you serious about the Alfred Nobel tid bit?

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  22. Thanks for your complements Insignia. History would have been different had Mike Ditka run against Obama in 2005.

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  23. Thanks for your comments Numerounity. Hail O-bomb-a? That's funny.

    Yes. Alfred Noble tid bit is 100% true.

    Mike Ditka story is also 100% true.

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  24. It's shocking and ironic that Barak Obama got nobel peace prize. He is a non-deserving candidate. But I am sure he will definitely work for the peace in this world. Let's hope he will do something effective for wiping out terrorism .

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  25. Thank you for your comments Asit. He may become a deserving candidate before he leaves office. Giving him this prize early in his Presidency is a little bit too much. Again, he has nothing to do with this decision.

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  26. hi SG, we have written a post on this issue, but in a very humorous and fictional manner...please chk it out

    http://crap-station.blogspot.com/2009/10/o-and-nobel-prize.html

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  27. I just did Neha. That was hilarious. I loved it.

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  28. Just read Neha's post on the same issue..I agree with you completely SG. Can't understand how he won the Nobel Prize..

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  29. Obama never deserved this award. I think Nobel Prize has lost its importance. he has done nothing as far as peace is concerned. Nobel Prize these days seems to be like the Indian filmfare awards!!

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  30. Thanks for your comments Novice Writer. And, welcome to my blog. I cannot understand either. Some people say this is to sabotage him. Now that he got this prize, whatever he achieves, people will still expect more from him.

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  31. Thanks for your comments Nazish. I won't say "Nobel Prize" lost its importance. May be "Nobel Peace Prize" lost its importance. Three days ago, an Indian origin person, Venkatraman Ramakrishnan was awarded Nobel Prize for Chemistry. We all should be proud of him.

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  32. The tidbit was interesting! the news made me feel like it was out of a filmfare award show! every ash, sush or priyanka gets an award..Obama might be good, might be not so good, but whatever it is, it is too early to even talk about it forget awarding!This will definitely raise questions about the sanctity of the highest award. Like I can ask why did gandhiji not get a peace award?

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  33. Thanks for your comments Sujata. Nobel Peace Prize is not given to anyone posthumously. (They made an exception in the case of Dag Hammarskjold).
    The last date for receipt of nomination is February 1. India got independence on August 15, 1947. Mahatma Gandhi died on January 30, 1948.

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  34. Thank you for the information regarding Mathematicians not getting Nobel prizes. So funny!

    How did Obama get the idea to apply for Nobel prize?

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