From hope to change
My first thought when I learned that US President Barack Obama is the 2009 laureate for the Nobel Peace Prize, was that this must be a joke. My second thought was that maybe, hopefully he will deserve the prize some day. However, at best, this prize comes two years early. The man has hardly accomplished anything!
Of course, I am not the only one thinking along these lines. Obama himself reportedly stated that he is humbled and surprised, and that he doesn’t (yet) deserve the prize. Global campaigning organization Avaaz wholeheartedly agrees with him on this point. On its web site, the organization states that while Obama deserves praise for his compelling vision, he has yet to show that he is able and willing to turn hope into real and lasting change. The world needs to see some real action on his part if history is to judge that this prize is deserved.Only by following through with courageous, transformative action for peace can Obama fulfill his promise.
Go to avaaz.org and urge Obama to fullfilll his promise of change: to deliver nuclear disarmament and a climate deal, support peace and development in Afghanistan, and broker a fair and lasting peace in the Middle East.
Photo: Marc Nozel, CC A 2.0
Sungame 
The single decision to scrap Bush’s plan for a missile defense shield in Europe was enough for him to earn the award. Outlawing torture, ordering the closing of Gitmo, his speech to the Muslim world, getting the G-8 to fork over money to impoverished countries, improving relations with Russia; he’s already accomplished more for peace in nine months than most Presidents have in their lifetime.
LikeLike
I do of course agree that Obama is showing great promise, and that he could well be the best US president in a long, long time. Promise, however, just isn’t enough. Obama needs to deliver some results before I can say that he really deserves the Nobel Peace Prize.
Yes, during his first nine months in office, Obama has made and presented some great plans, both for the US and for the world. Now, however, it is time for some action. Why not tell him what we expect from him?
For more on my expectations, see these blog entries:
– Let there be change!
– Those who don’t know history
– 100 days
– A whole different ballgame
LikeLike