Imagine watching a great Oscar winning film like Slumdog Millionaire. Fantastic. Every Oscar awarded was well deserved. Now imagine that Slumdog was at the beginning of its production, but had not yet been fully made, let alone completed. Instead of the Oscars being awarded after the film was released, they were given in advance, in the expectation that the film would be superb. Such a scenario seems implausible - wrong even. There would probably be uproar, as people would say that the Oscars should only be given to the finished product.
Of course, such a scenario is inconceivable - if not impossible. Yet the Nobel Prize judges have taken precisely this course of action. They have given the coveted Nobel Peace Prize to President Obama, in the expectation, that he will do great things, rather than because he has actually done them. This seems to me to be entirely wrong.
Of course I understand (despite disagreeing with some of his policies) - and feel - the romantic attachment to President Obama. His achievement in reaching the White House was truly historic. The aspirational 'Yes we can' motto', can be felt by millions of people all over the world. Yet, there must be a difference between admiring and idolising. Perhaps President Obama will achieve great things in the future. He may even bring peace to the Middle East. But to give him the Nobel Award now, is too early, and too presumptuous.
Nelson Mandela, won the Nobel Peace Prize, because of the great things he had done, not because of great things he hoped to do - and that is the difference. The Nobel Prize should always be about achievement, not expectation. President Obama should respectfully decline the award and ask the Nobel Committee, to judge him on results.
In my view, the President should have the courage of his convictions, return the prize to the Committee, saying that 'now is not the time'. The respect he would earn from such an action would be enormous. How much better to have been offered but to decline, than to accept, always wondering whether it had been truly deserved.
P.S. You may be interested in THIS article from The Times, by Malcolm Rifkind MP.
P.P.S. Just seen this excellent piece from distinguished Guardian journalist, Michael White. Well worth a read.
Of course, such a scenario is inconceivable - if not impossible. Yet the Nobel Prize judges have taken precisely this course of action. They have given the coveted Nobel Peace Prize to President Obama, in the expectation, that he will do great things, rather than because he has actually done them. This seems to me to be entirely wrong.
Of course I understand (despite disagreeing with some of his policies) - and feel - the romantic attachment to President Obama. His achievement in reaching the White House was truly historic. The aspirational 'Yes we can' motto', can be felt by millions of people all over the world. Yet, there must be a difference between admiring and idolising. Perhaps President Obama will achieve great things in the future. He may even bring peace to the Middle East. But to give him the Nobel Award now, is too early, and too presumptuous.
Nelson Mandela, won the Nobel Peace Prize, because of the great things he had done, not because of great things he hoped to do - and that is the difference. The Nobel Prize should always be about achievement, not expectation. President Obama should respectfully decline the award and ask the Nobel Committee, to judge him on results.
In my view, the President should have the courage of his convictions, return the prize to the Committee, saying that 'now is not the time'. The respect he would earn from such an action would be enormous. How much better to have been offered but to decline, than to accept, always wondering whether it had been truly deserved.
P.S. You may be interested in THIS article from The Times, by Malcolm Rifkind MP.
P.P.S. Just seen this excellent piece from distinguished Guardian journalist, Michael White. Well worth a read.
By Rob Halfon ~ Working hard for Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon & Sheering. http//roberthalfon.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment