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Well, hot damn and hallelujah! Woke up this morning to the news that Barack Obama has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Thought, “Wow, that’s a really excellent thing!” High-fived myself. Jaunty-walked, whistling all the way, to the kitchen to fetch a cup of fresh-brewed java.
Brought the coffee to my office, where I began reading online news and mostly lefty blogs, eager to join the celebration that was no doubt in full swing.
Not so fast, Sunshine.
“I thought the story was from The Onion,” I read.
“Too soon for this,” I read.
“He hasn’t done enough,” I read.
“He doesn’t deserve this. There’s war in Iraq and Afghanistan,” I read.
“Pretty words, no substance,” I read.
“The Nobel Committee must have an affirmative action quota,” I read.
My head crashed onto the keyboard and a little moan escaped my lips. OMG. How could I have been so wrong? It’s not a good thing, the President of the United States receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. I have allowed myself to be sucked in by my own jejeune thinking, my own sophomoric opinion, my own gut-felt reaction rather than that of perpetual Obama detractors on the fringes (right and left), who seem to be saying:
“Do not for one minute acknowledge or celebrate that this is a visible sign that the global community has paused in its arms crossed, backs-to-the-U.S., mad as hell at us mode.”
“Do not give light to the possibility that Obama is systematically rebuilding goodwill and trust squandered by Bush/Cheney.”
“Do not for one minute believe that civility and the politics of engagement are effective. It’s all a smoke screen for . . . well, we don’t know exactly, but it’s got Obama writ large all over it. Hunh.”
“Above all, do not be sucked into acknowledging that Obama has accomplished something.”
Okay, okay. It’s not good at all, then, this Nobel thingie. What was I thinking?! Must have been the coffee. Yeah, that’s it. The coffee.
(Cross posted on http://www.clotheslineblog.com)
9 Comments
So, if one comments on one’s own post, does that constitute blog-whoring?
I have something else to say.
Intentionally or not, the Nobel Committee has done what the U.S. Congress has failed to do, i.e., “totally rebuke Bush’s policy and legacy.” I think the award is much more than that, but this will do nicely for starters.
Great job Barbara, just because some don’t read or comment is not against you. Some only like to express themselves on cirtain issues.
Many in the Country do actually think, but they are few and far between.
Thanks. Good to know there’s some solidarity around all of this! Many think, but few speak. Many speak, but few think. *g*
Like you,Barbara, I was gob-smacked by what I read. And that was before
I checked out the wingnutz. Seemed like folks were tripping all over themselves to be the first to rip the shine right off that prize.
I’m quite disappointed in many of the Seminal posts criticizing the Award, and President Obama.
Progressives they are not, in seeking to diminish an incredible acknowledgement of what our President is into.
Sure, there are holes, big ones. But to stink it up over a Nobel?
That’s just unpatriotic and spiteful.
These are the people who could spoil strawberry shortcake and ice cream.
Thank you for your post.
Well, it’s 24 hours later. And I still need to use the back door to register my pride in my country, as manifested by the best hopes and efforts of our president. It seems so strange and no small amount sad that there is no place in progressive land to celebrate this without smack-down. And it’s the smack-down that’s hard to digest. Differences of opinion are the hallmark of this nation and of this often wonderful blog. But the mean-spirited smack-downs (not so much of me, you, us, but of, oh, pretty much everything lately) are hard for me to understand.
Disclaimer: Oh, yes, barbara can snark with the best of them. But it occurs to me I might need to consider reining that in. We are becoming the very thing we abhor.
My Minneapolis newspaper had about a one-third above the fold article about the Nobel with a smallish photo of Obama. What is the matter with us? Really. What is the matter with us? Just askin’.
I had the same reaction, barbara. So happy and proud, then blown away by all of the negative words….
Well, see, I think we’re the norm. At least, I’d like to believe that. And we’re being shouted down by the ab-norm. Not just here, but everywhere. This is right out of the Republican noise machine playbook. And I expect progressives would be horrified to be likened unto that. But it is what it is.
And I thought Limbaugh’s words about comparing them to the Taliban and Hamas was inciting them. He’s looking for violence, and I don’t understand how this is legal.