Barack OBama Just Won the Nobel Peace Prize.

[shadowkat]

Feeling a tad better this morning. Going out in a bit, to get a new bag, gift for my aunt, and whatever else is needed before taking off bright and early to catch the ferry to Jersey, then off to the Poconos. I will be damned if these allergies get in my way. Assuming of course they are allergies. If it talks like an allery (itchy throat), walks like an allery (conjested), and sees like an allergy (watery eyes) - methinks it is an allergy. Taking antihistestimines which are sort of working. I can't take anything really strong like Benadryle (it has an ingredient that interacts really badly with my tremor meds as well as the fact that it has gluten as additive) or psuedphedrine (a metaphetamine which gives me anxiety attacks and also interacts badly with my tremor meds).

Momster called to tell me who won the Nobel Peace Prize.


Momster: Barack OBama just won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Me: Uh. Why?
Momster: Because of his ability to reach out and make peace with both muslim and non-muslim countries around the world.
ME (thinking); Well actually he did have a hard sell. He came after Bush, who managed within six months of taking office to piss off every country in the world including the one's that consider the US an allie. (with the possible exception of Great Britain). Then after 9/11 did it again, with his whole arrogant jingoistic you're either with us or against us spiel. I mean the people from other countries on my live journal correspondence list literally wrote: Thank you, America - when we elected OBama and were shocked. They didn't believe we'd do it. And still remained skeptical after the fact. OBama's ability to attain some accord and get many countries to talk with us again in the space of less than a year is actually notable.
Momster: yes, the commentary is that awarding OBama the prize is in some respects a way of kicking the Bush Administration.
Me: So who awards this prize?
Momster: Sweden. [ETA - according to the comments, Momster was wrong. It is Norway. I'm assuming she got her info from CNN or the newspaper, so they were probably wrong too. Stupid journalists. We live in the info age, but...it's mostly unreliable information.]
Me: Sweden? Okay, I guess that makes sense.
Momster: Interestingly enough only two other "sitting" US presidents have received it - they are Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson.[ETC: sitting president means presidents who got it while in the office of US president or while they were actually president, not after they left the office.] Regan didn't get it for all his nuclear arms treaties, Carter was the only one of the three leaders during famous middle east camp david talks who didn't. The conversatives are already claiming Sweden gave it to him because he's a socialist and so are they. [Considering it was Norway - this may not work or it may. Are the Norwegians socialist too?]
Me: sigh. You know if Barack Obama is a socialist, so I am. Go socialism. Captialism is so overrated. So is libertarianism for that matter.

[ETA:I apparently kept putting O'Bama instead of Obama, I have no idea why. My guess is that in my head I'm thinking O-Bama, or Oh Bama. And am spelling it accordingly. This is why the whole phonetical or hooked on phonics learning to read method just about killed me in school.]

Comments

[hazel75.livejournal.com]

And I hope I'm not coming off as antagonistic. This is all a matter of opinion, in this case the Nobel committee's opinion. I'm sure that Obama will figure out a worthy use for the prize money.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Not at all. Appreciate the information.

Al Gore won it last year - for his work regarding the Environment.

I truly have no idea why they gave it to O'Bama this year. It took me by surprise and from his speech, just now, that I heard on the news, it apparently took O'Bama by surprise.

[ponygirl2000.livejournal.com]

I think he won it for making it ok to like stuff from the US again. I'm going to go out on a limb but I think a lot of Americans underestimate how much the rest of the world hated Bush/Cheney. Obama seems like the guy who rode in and rescued you from fascism.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Here's the thing...or rather what I've been privey to in private discussions with other Americans of various political views, family and otherwise:

1. category one American: The Americans who hated Bush/Cheney and agreed with the world on this point, did not underestimate it and to a degree applauded the Peace Prize. (my mother is in that category as am I, and we agree with you.) These Americans feared Bush, feared how the world viewed Bush, and saw Bush as fascist.

2. (subset of category one, who hated Bush/Cheney but don't understand why Obama got the prize) - Several Americans don't understand why someone would give a sitting President a Peace Prize - when there are two wars still in progress, two wars they don't agree with and think should have ended yesterday. Since Obama has not ended any of these wars - how has he furthered peace? Shouldn't we give it to someone who has done something major in this regard? (In response to their criticism - which is admittedly valid, this is my aunts critique and I had troubles answering it - the Norwegians stated they'd given it to Mikhal Gorbechev (sp?) prior to his peace initiatives in Soviet Union because he was in the process of doing something. My aunts retort - okay, so isn't that like giving an Oscar to someone just because you think they will create a great movie?)

3. the Americans who think the world is nuts, and loved Bush/Cheney. Yes, there are quite a few. And who think Obama is the anti-christ or worse. They are terrified of Obama. They believe we are in even more danger now. And they loved Palin and McCain. I know a couple. I work with them. And there are a few in my own family. Heck, my mother lives near many of them and has learned to keep her mouth shut at dinner parties. (The group is outraged about the Obama selection.)

We are quarrelsome and contrary bunch, aren't we? Amazing that we get anything done. ;-)