By: Heidi Moseley, THL ContributorSNL just eviscerated “Our Dear Leader” President Obama last Saturday saying that he has accomplished nothing in his first 10 months. "When you look at my record," his impersonator, Fred Armisen said, "it's very clear what I've done so far -- and that is nothing,”
Yet now the Nobel Peace Prize is given to a man who has not kept any of his campaign promises -from closing Gitmo, to not hiring lobbyists, to posting bills online so we can read them before they are signed. Why is the Nobel Peace Prize going to Obama?
Let me answer a question with a question. What do we know about the Nobel Peace Prize or Alfred Nobel? Alfred Nobel, born in 1833, was a Swedish chemist and engineer. He was an armaments manufacturer and the inventor of dynamite.
After an obituary was written prematurely about him denouncing his invention of dynamite, he decided to change his legacy. His fortune that he had made over his lifetime was left to the establishment of prizes for physical science, chemistry, medical science, literary work and international fraternity (or peace).
The International Fraternity Prize is given to someone who works toward “the suppression or reduction of standing armies, or in the establishment or furtherance of peace congresses.” The only other sitting American presidents who have received this were Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson.
Roosevelt received his in 1906 for his efforts to see peace between Japan and Russia. Roosevelt was also a Progressive and a Republican (John McCain’s favorite president, too!) Wilson, another Progressive who was also a racist eugenicist and imprisoned American citizens, received his Nobel Peace Prize in 1919 for his work to establish the League of Nations.
Obama has spent the first months of his presidency apologizing for America’s past wrongs. He is still fighting two wars overseas and turning his own country against itself. He has said he will meet with ruthless dictators and has a policy of appeasement.
He wants to see a world without nuclear weapons or at least an America without its nuclear arsenal. Most will recognize that none of these things will lead to peace.
But since the nomination process ended just a couple weeks into Obama’s term, I guess this is a prize for intent not for accomplishment. Once again Obama is praised for just showing up and voting present.
And now your moment of Zen:
The TIME Obama Shrine
The Newsweek Obama Shrine
