Making the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize political is wrong

[RestoreGore]

http://nobelprize.org/nobelfoundation/statutes.html#par9

Above are the statutes governing the awarding of Nobel Prizes. And there is nothing political about any of it. Nobel Prizes awarded are dedicated to the spirit of the work for which the nominee was nominated. In the case then of the Nobel Peace Prize, work which forwards the goal of working towards a peaceful world which is not in any sense only political is the goal of its being awarded.

And in the case of it this year, Al Gore has been nominated for his remarkable work on the environment and in seeking to bring about a moral consciousness of a planetray crisis that has now befallen us hard, chiefly by our own hand. And in doing so he is fostering an awareness and a call to action on the part of the global community on a moral level which will hopefully spill into those others areas such as economic, social, and political worldwide that will lead to peace.

Many cannot see the corrolation between the environment and peace, and I don't understand why. In places where people have sustainable practices, access to clean water, and circumstances that lead to prosperity and economic opportunity because of it people thrive. Without a sustainable planet we don't have that and therefore we have war. War for economic superiority, military superiority, political superiority, and war over resources like water. One needs only to now read of the tensions between countries now that Arctic melting has opened the Northwest Passage to understand the corrolation between peace and the environment.

Therefore, in light of the planetary crisis we now face and in light of the scientists' reports this week that claim we may be much more dangerously close to the tipping point than we thought we knew, this makes the environment and the global climate crisis the one cause that the global community must work on to not only see sustainability in our future, but the peace that can come from it.

And that is not political, but ultimately a moral awareness that leads to all else.

And it is in that spirit that I hope to see Al Gore and Sheila Watt-Cloutier share this award for the work they have both done and continue to do to bring about that moral awareness and change on all levels. For me, Al Gore far exceeds a president now, he is a global ambassador for sustainability and a main player in bringing about a global movement that can spark a seachange that will last for generations, if we but take up the mantle. Receiving this honor would most certainly then help in bringing that global movement about faster and be a clear validation not only of his environmental work, but a validation that personal action does work and is needed on a much larger scale now.

That is why when I see this prestigious award that is awarded based on the merits of the work done demeaned by the media and other groups in this country to just being a political symbol for their own agendas it disgusts me. It makes me realize as well that Mr. Gore was correct in his writing in The Assault On Reason. People don't want reason, they want hype and to be stimulated on the emotional side of their brains. They don't see the potential for this regardless of address that can transcend the boundaries of our moral imaginations. All they see is a political campaign which I think demeans the spirit of this award.

I surely do hope Mr. Gore receives this award, and I hope so because he deserves it as I am sure all those nominated do. I also hope that should he receive it that he use it to pursue what needs to be done to pull this world from the brink, though I do believe we are closer to it than we were last year. However, to make this political to pressure him in any way to me is wrong, and I surely hope all the media political hype surrounding Mr. Gore and this award has not ruined his chances of receiving it.

[RestoreGore]

1. This is what it's all about

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2012442

[Faygo Kid]

2. Working for peace is inherently political, and I hope Al wins it. The Earth is in crisis.

For political reasons, sure, but for non-political, as well.

The Earth is in crisis, let's not forget that. And Al Gore has sounded the alarm for all of humankind. Thanks for the post.

Here's a list of Nobel Peace Prize winners; only 1973 made absolutely no sense. Take a look at this list and the years the awards were received. Of course they were political - that's the point.
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/

[RestoreGore]

3. Sure, to ultimately bring about political change

But not to use it to push someone into something they have stated many times they are not interested in at this moment. The awarding of this prize to Al Gore is being made to look as if it is contingent on his running for office... as if it has no worth for him otherwise, and that to me is wrong. For as we have seen, those who received it in many instances didn't have to run for office to effect change, and were actually more powerful without it.

[bobbolink]

4. You're so right--thank you for bringing this to the fore.

I wasn't thinking of it in this way, and you got me to thinking about it.

I appreciate it!

:applause:

[RestoreGore]

10. Thanks

[mmonk]

5. It's why he isn't running for office at the moment.

If he does afterward, then more power to him but he shouldn't be criticized at present. Detractors would have a field day and muddy his message and work.

[bobbolink]

6. Good point. Politicians have much to consider in their decisons.

Well, politicians with integrity.

:hi:

[mmonk]

8. And also the "scientific activist" in him.

:hi:

[RestoreGore]

11. I agree, he is a smart man who has the capacity to do as he pleases now

And to use this award as he sees fit, which I am sure he will do that without any prodding should he receive it.

[TomClash]

7. It should be given posthumously to Ghandi

Surely if it can be given to De Klerk, Arafat, Peres, Begin, Kissinger and Le Duc Tho, Ghandi should receive it.

Otherwise, I'm not sure there is an obvious choice.

[RestoreGore]

9. Well, I do think it should be given to Ghandi

They should change their rules regarding posthumous awards.

[Johonny]

13. I don't

dead people tend not to care about getting awards.

[RestoreGore]

20. Sorry, edited to add should "have" been given to Gandhi

Point taken. ;-). However, I think a posthumous award could go to the organization of the person if there is one.

[blogslut]

14. off topic

But I read the page on the Nobel site yesterday that spoke of Gandhi. Apparently, they decided not to award the prize at all for the year he was nominated: 1 - because of the no posthumous awards rule & 2- because he had no will or organization that could receive the prize money. Instead, they decided that there was no living person worthy of the award that year.

link: http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/articles/gandhi/

[RestoreGore]

17. So was that actually their way of giving it to him without giving it to him?

Sounds that way.

[blogslut]

21. Sounds that way to me as well

It's an interesting read, nonetheless.

[RestoreGore]

23. Yes, it is

[RestoreGore]

12. Take the "draft Gore" ad for example:

Nothing but soundbites. And what is it with the old picture? Are they embarrased of him as he looks now? Or are they simply living in the past?

And their ad and letter are an insult to him in my view. They speak as if he has not risen to the challenge already and simply because he has no intention of running that he doesn't love his country. To me they are simply people he turned down already in 2004 looking for their fifteen minutes of fame by riding on his. And BTW, who are these people anyway? Mr. Gore has risen to the challenge and actually surpassed it, and has stated many times already that he believes his talents and experience are best served as he is doing now... in the spirit of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Spending 65,000 dollars on an ad in a newspaper is just wasteful and playing totally into the media. That money could have gone to his organization The Alliance for Climate Protection to actually help this planet now. How sad so many think this good man's work worthless unless he gets into a mudlslinging match with Hillary Clinton to assuage their lust for political blood. American politics. Nothing but sludge. And a great example of why I hope the committee will now not feel that giving this award to Mr. Gore would be too politically contentious and a distraction from the work he was nominated for in the first place.

[Pastiche423]

15. I can not wait to read your reaction

when Al Gore enters and wins the presidency. It will be worth having to read your constant negativism.

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[RestoreGore]

22. you are the one who is negative by not supporting him simply because he isn't doing what you want

And he now knows it.

[LSK]

18. for the life of me, I cannot figure you out

Why do you take such offense to people wanting Gore to be President? Is it so unacceptable that people see a man as good as Al Gore and want him to lead our Country? Is it not understandable that many people have not gotten over the 2000 election and believe he should be leading us now (does your own username hint at that)?

Also, there is a very good chance that the Dems will control a filibuster proof 60 Seat majority in 2009. What could be more powerful to fight global warming than Al Gore as President and a completely controlled Democratic Congress? Nothing at all.

I have beat heads with you on this before. I just do not understand you one bit.

Having said all of that, I 99.999% convinced that Gore is not running and have hitched my wagon to Edwards.

I just do not understand your passion against people who want Al Gore to be President.

[RestoreGore]

19. It isn't your place to "figure me out"

And the climate crisis is WAY BEYOND what we thought it was regarding its effect on this planet now. I don't see those placing ads and begging as doing anything that helps gets that urgent message out. I think supporters of the man should be united in supporting his organizations and in doing something NOW to turn the tide. But that isn't happening, and I have every right to criticize it. I also happen to respect the man and after my experiences know he is a man of his word. If he says he has ho plans he has no plans. And he hasn't any plans because what he is doing now so far surpasses a political campaign and it is URGENT to me that his plan to bring this message out unfettered by beltway BS on a global scale be allowed to bear fruit. I then see those groups who only wish to divert him from that as people whose motives I now find suspect especially regarding the system they don't seem to want to change for all of their begging of him. He does not deserve to have to go back to the same system that kicked him to the curb before and be mired in the same stonewalling and partisan political bickering that has done nothing but take us to the crucial and urgent point we are now. I just thought more who claimed to support him would understand what he has been saying all of these months. I guess I was wrong.

[Raksha]

24. It may not be my place to figure you out (I stopped trying to do that

a long time ago), but it is my place to tell you to go to hell because I'm sick and tired of your constant negativity. I also want you to know that I DID NOT read this post I'm replying to and that I don't intend to read it either. I really don't give a crap what you have to say any more about how the Gore supporters (of whom I am one) are somehow sabotaging his message and mission. YOU are the one who is sabotaging it because you never fail to insult and antagonize the people who want him to run for President.

[RestoreGore]

25. As Harry Truman stated: " If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen"

You don't corner the market here on supporting him or anyone else, or how that support is expressed, or other opinions that are allowed whether you like it or not. The idea that everyone has to automatically support your lark or otherwise they aren't worthy Gore supporters is arrogance to the extreme. If you don't like the criticism you can avail yourself of the options you have to not see it, because in my estimation all these groups have done is place an unwarranted amount of political speculation on his sincere work that in MY opinion has demeaned the seriousness and focus of it.

And gee, how nice to tell someone to go to hell, but par for the course for a certain group of Gore supporters here who think they are superior. And FYI, supporting his work for this planet IS POSITIVE. Supporting his organizations IS POSITIVE. Working to be that change, talking to people, and taking action to hopefully mitigate the worst of this crisis IN TIME IS POSITIVE. Unlike pushing him into the mire created by a system with NO vision that those who constantly whine and beg HIM to fix seem totally unmotivated to really changing themselves if it requites them leaving their modems. So you can take your insults and guilt trip and well, you know, because it's just so hypocritical.