Shalom (part I)
Posted by Greg Heeres on October 12, 2009
This past week U.S. President Barack Hussein Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. For many around the world, this was a total surprise. Even the popular media spent numerous hours talking about it and printed endless columns attempting to figure out how this could be awarded to a sitting U.S. President who has been in the White House a total of 8.5 months.
I was curious too and researched to understand the criteria for the Nobel Peace Prize. Here is what I found: The Nobel Peace Prize may be awarded to persons or organizations that are in the process of or have successfully created peace or resolved conflict.
The nomination deadline of the 2009 award was February 1, 2009 (Obama was in office for less than two full weeks).
There have been over 100 Nobels awarded. Here are a few recipients of the award that caught my attention:
- American Red Cross
- Albert Schweitzer
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Henry A. Kissinger
- Amnesty International
- Mohamed Anwar Al-Sadat
- Mother Teresa
- Desmond Mpilo Tutu
- The 14th Dalia Lama
- Nelson Mandela
There have been a few persons omitted from that list and unfortunately have never won the Nobel Peace Prize. Here are a few who caught my attention:
- Eleanor Roosevelt
- Václav Havel
- Liu Xiaobo
- Abdul Sattar Edhi
- Irena Sendler
- Pope John Paul II
- Dorothy Day
- Mahatma Gandhi
From Alfred Nobel’s wishes, the Prize has been awarded to past people and organizations who have actually completed an effort for international goodwill, activated for peaceful outcomes, brokered reconciliation, and successfully struggled for human rights. The prize is a symbol of peace results. It is a global peace prize not a political or public relations prize.
I am not saying Barack Hussein Obama isn’t capable of these accomplishments. I am saying that he should accomplish something before being awarded.
Our world does indeed need better teamwork, Shalom (Hebrew for peace), cross cultural goodwill and improvements in human rights. Obama can be a part of global relations and results. I will keep praying to God and hoping for our world.
(Next week: Shalom – Part II)
