King... Tutu... Mandela... and Now Obama
President Barack Obama Awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize
Exactly one week prior to President Obama receiving the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize he was criticized for taking a trip to Copenhagen, Denmark in hopes to assist in bringing the 2016 Olympics to Chicago. It was a bid that turned out to be a defeat not just for Chicago but for America, but hey, you have a Nobel Peace Prize to add to your list of achievements... not a bad October so far, Mr. President.
Not even one year into his reign as president, Mr. Obama has been seen and heard throughout the world in various forums. Perhaps the most interesting thing about winning the Nobel Peace Prize for President Obama is that as CNN reports Obama was not selected for his accomplishments but for his vision and inspiring hope. Having Mr. Obama as president has done more than give African-Americans hope, it has given the world hope... hope that things can change. If you remember his campaign slogan, it comprised of three simple words... "yes we can."
In a world where it's not always safe for children to go to school, for working parents to have adequate healthcare, for different races and ethnicities to get along in the same environment... we need hope, we need a vision of a better future. It was that hope that caused Dr. Martin Luther King to stand up for what he believed in decades ago and caused a race to begin the road to freedom. There was a vision for freedom, and more importantly, there was corresponding action.
This isn't just about a medal of honor, but a vision worth fighting for. People and organizations who have won the Nobel Peace Prize have done something worth fighting for, living for, and dying for. The average person will never win a prize as prestigious as the Nobel Peace Prize, but the average person can ignite change in a community, in a block, in a house. What are you hoping for? What do you envision?
Sources:
All Nobel Peace Prize Laureates
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/
Obama awarded 2009 Nobel Peace Prize
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/10/09/nobel.peace.prize/index.html
Obama unique among presidential Nobel winners
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/09/us.nobel.presidents/index.html
Published by Tim Searles
I am currently involved in web development, consulting, and freelance writing. I also love music, art, having fun, and life. View profile
The Reasonable Barack ObamaThis is an editorial piece about why I think Barack Obama is so popular as a presidential candidate. 
President Obama Chastizes Wall Street Bankers for Accepting $18 Billion...President Obama calls the $18 billion in Wall Street bankers' bonuses "shameful."- Barack Obama Addresses Newton, Iowa, Crowd on December 30Barack Obama (D, IL)spoke to a crowd of would-be caucus-goers in Newton, Iowa at the Newton Senior High School on December 30th, and obliquely rebutted some of the charges being aimed at him by other front-runners in...
Barack Obama: Fired Up and Ready to GoBarack Obama, introduced by former Four Star General "Tony" McPeak, rallies potential Iowa caucus-goers on December 28 in Davenport, Iowa.- Is is True that Barack Obama Only Has 143 Days of Senate Experience?An unchallenged claim circulating the internet states Sen. Obama only has 143 days of Senate experience. Based on a variety of sources, this vague claim appears to be an incorrect statement prepared by a Republican s...
- President Obama Wins the Nobel Peace Prize
- President Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize: Surprize Win
- President Barack Obama Awarded 2009 Nobel Peace Prize
- President Barack Obama Wins Prestigious Nobel Peace Prize
- Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize -- Why?!
- Obama Nobel Peace Prize Stuns Almost Everyone
- President Obama Wins Noble Peace Prize for His "Efforts, Not Results"
5 Comments
Post a CommentHope is great, especially if it leads to positive change with or without awards.
Let's keep hope alive, cause there are a lot of hope killers out there!
Nice take on the award; to paraphrase, hope is the intangible that springs eternal. Or as John Irving said, Hope floats.
Excellent, thought provoking article. Well done.
I like this, particularly the last bit.
"The average person will never win a prize as prestigious as the Nobel Peace Prize, but the average person can ignite change in a community, in a block, in a house."
This is very true and something, in my opinion, that is usually overlooked. People go through their lives day in and day out, perhaps doing what is right, but only to receive credit for it. Very rarely do you see someone do something great JUST to do something great, not wanting recognition for it.
I also like how you tied these men together WITHOUT pointing out the fact they are also all Black. I must say I'm rather jealous that I didn't think of this and include it in my article. You bring up some very important facts and ideals. Very well written! Keep up the good work.