A Noble Attempt

It’s been fascinating to watch the reaction today to the announcement that Barack Obama has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. There is a considerable amount of shock, which is understandable, especially since Obama has only been in office for nine months and his legacy has barely been sketched, let alone carved into monument. The view that this prize might be a tad pre-mature is reasonable, but the more base reactions of the American public might also give more credence as to why he actually got the award.

He survived a fairly vicious presidential campaign with his dignity intact. He maintained a level of civilized behavior despite personal attacks and a barrage of misinformation. He has since withstood ridiculous accusations that he is not an American citizen, is a socialist, and been compared to Hitler and the master criminal, The Joker. Louder and louder screams from some factions of our nation have yelled, essentially from day one of his Presidency, that he will destroy our country and should be impeached. I would assume that some of these concerns are sincere, while others are based on blind ignorance or even worse, racism.

Throughout all these attacks, he has remained calm, dignified and respectful to others. I don’t know if I would have done that. If someone calls me a liar in the capital of our country in front of the entire nation (at least those who cared enough to watch the speech), I think I wouldn’t have been very quick to accept his weak, forced apology. Obama did and tried to put the outburst behind him.

What I’m trying to say, and probably not very well (not that it matters, because those who hate him will continue hating him, even if they don’t know why), is that Obama just might have gotten the Nobel Peace Prize for not quitting his job already or slapping someone in the face.

Most of us who work are protected by various legalities. If I go to work and my co-workers or bosses give me too hard a time, I can go to Human Resources or hire a lawyer. I can fight back against working in a “hostile” work environment. The President of the United States doesn’t really have anywhere to go! He’s been called names, threatened and disrespected. There was a teenager recently who started a Facebook survey to ask whether someone should kill the President! I don’t know about you, but if I were Obama, I’d have been on the phone to some secret CIA group right away and that kid would have disappeared off the face of the earth. But that might be why I will never receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

Seriously though, it’s pretty sad how much hate there is in this country right now. There is no consideration that the world outside our borders might be looking upon us in a new, more hopeful light right now. There is no thought that this prize might not be for just Obama alone, but for the powerful democracy that elected him. They recognize this, even if we do not.

Despite our childish arguing and posturing, our stubborn grandstanding and belligerent bellowing, the world is looking at us for the first time in a long time as a nation capable of great things. One hundred and fifty-five years ago…barely four generations…we were fighting amongst ourselves to abolish slavery. Fifty years ago we were still segregated…and this year we inaugurated our first black President. I don’t care if you don’t like him or his politics, that’s pretty amazing.


I know it’s hard to see past our own front doors and porches. It’s almost impossible to see past our own cities, towns and states. Imagining the expansiveness of the world, and the diversity of thought it contains, usually escapes us all. Today, we received a wake-up call from the world. They are watching. They are waiting for us to live up to our promise and potential…and unlike many of us…they think we can do it.