Obama, the Nobel Prize and Lutefisk

There has been a lot of discussion and controversy about the Nobel Peace Prize Committee awarding the 2010 prize to Barack Obama. Questions abound such as, "What has he done? Is it just because he is not George Bush? Is it because he is a person of color? The committee, comprised of people like Thorbjoem Jagland, Aagot Valle, Kaci Kullman Five and Inger Marie Ttterhorn answered that is was for the promise he offers.

I admit I was a bit shocked. Though I don't keep much mind of the committee's movements (or the spelling of their names), I was completely surprised. It was a bit over the top. Like a Simpson's episode. Next I imagine the Vatican will be looking for miracles so they can offer sainthood.

The question of whether he deserves it, is interesting. The award was voted on February 1, a short time after his inauguration. In a sense the guy won it for campaign promises, which seems like a sticky wicket to pin your hopes on, let alone your prize and 1.4 million dollars. If you belief his work deserves it, or the promise, then it might be best to give it to his supporters, or the people who paved the way, the Republicans who nominated a candidate like McCain, or for that matter the voters. I'm not expecting my twenty cent share to show up in the mail soon.

Now, let's be honest, the Nobel Committee can give the award to whomever they want. Ever since Alfred Nobel set the thing up in order to assuage his guilt about creating dynamite the committee has not always been visionary. Le Duc Tho. Theodore Roosevelt. Henry Kissinger. Henry Kissinger? Like giving the prize to Judas for killing Jesus.

I imagine they sat around in discussion.

"How about Angelina Jolie?"
"NO, not yet.
"The Simpson's. Since everyone watches them they have not time to fight.
"Hmmmm"

Maybe Thorbjoem picked up a magazine cover or covers and there was Obama.
"Let's get this over. Let's give it to him" "Now we can go get lutefisk"
(actually they don't like lutefisk that much in Norway but it sounds good)

Thorbjoem, Aagot, Kaci,Inger and whomever can pick anyone they desire. It's their money. It's their award. It's their choice.

That being said, they might actually want to be visionary. Instead of acting like a high school prom committee, and making a choice within their disconnected group in Norway, they might go out and go speak to people in the middle of conflicts. Both sides. Who do they see making changes? Who brings promise? Hope? Like the All-Star Game, let the public vote. Talk to the people. People in pain. People who are suffering. People who are watching their loved ones die or kill. Don't take away their hope by taking away their voices.

If they are really visionary, Thorbjoem, Aagot, Kaci, Inger and the other judge, then they could use all the Nobel money to acquire dynamite and destroy it. If they own the patent, maybe they stop the production. For this effort, they could award themselves the 2011 Prize, buy up more weapons, destroy them and in doing so model. Set the standard and then go home and eat all the lutefisk they want. Which in my case is none.