Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

Where’s the JOY?

By

The Nobel price is among the most prestigious awards humanity gives. It is a great honor. It should trump ANY sporting event. It should be reported as the honor it is. We should allow ourselves to accept the sincere appreciation and gratitude that this award conveys. There will be plenty of time for introspection and analysis.

Today’s Washington Post offers an example of what today’s Globe could have and should have been.

We act bound and determined to turn every victory into defeat, every triumph into setback. We are Americans; this was a win for America. We are Democrats; this was a win for Democrats. We opposed the arrogance and incompetence of the prior administration; this was a clear “thank you” for removing it from power.

We now control the Congress, the Senate, the Presidency, and reflect the views of the majority of the American public. This is a joyous occasion. We should ACT like it.

Please share widely!
fb-share-icon
Tweet
0

Comments

  1. from January 20th to February 20th, 2009, that support the claim he “strengthen[ed] international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples” in the magnitude to earn a Nobel Prize.  

    <

    p>Where’s the Joy?  The joy has been mired in tons and tons of confusion.  

    • Here is all I, together with every American, need:

      for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples

      <

      p>

      <

      p>The only confusion I see is in your priorities about what is good and bad for America.

      • that occured between Jan. 20th and Feb. 20th.  

        <

        p>I think a good way for Game 3 of the ALDS would be to call it in the top of the first inning, while the score is 0-0 and just say the Sox win.  

        <

        p>Unless, of course, you hate America.  

        • The rest of the world, most Americans, and most Democrats understand exactly why President Obama won this award.

          <

          p>Your relentless negativism suggests that you do as well.

            • I prefer to tell you that

              • The Nelson Mandela Foundation is right: “We trust that this award will strengthen his commitment, as the leader of the most powerful nation in the world, to continue promoting peace and the eradication of poverty.”
              • Desmond Tutu is right: “What wonderful recognition of someone who has already made such an impact on our planet with regards to the Muslim world, nuclear disarmament, climate change and, to some extent, the Middle East. He has reached out to the Arab world, including Iran, and North Korea”
              • Kofi Annan is right: “It was an unexpected but inspired choice. In an increasingly challenging and volatile world, President Obama has given a sense of hope and optimism to millions around the world.”
              • Martti Ahtisaari (2008 winner) is right: “We do not yet have a peace in the Middle East … this time it was very clear that they wanted to encourage Obama to move on these issues. This is a clear encouragement to do something on this issue; I wish him good luck.”

              <

              p>Even the phrasing of your comment is negative. Is it so difficult to acknowledge even this win for all of us?

              <

              p>Where’s the JOY, Joe?

        • list of achievements that occured (six) between Jan. 20th and Feb. 20th.

          <

          p>I don’t know where you come by the arbitrary time range.  Is pretty clear the committee was looking more broadly at Obama’s work.  The committee specifically identified Obama’s work as a Senator passing legislation on nuclear weapons and there’s no reason to believe the committee stopped taking note of his work after February.

          <

          p>He engaged the Muslim world with a speech in Cairo that apparently has greater effect than you would recognize, he re-started the Israeli/Palestinian peace process after years of non-engagement and one-sided support by Bush, he established a new foreign policy strategy of diplomatic engagement as opposed to preemptive war and he managed to recruit China and Russia into the coalition exerting pressure on Iran to forgo its military nuclear ambitions.  

          <

          p>NewsHour video

    • It neglects possible consideration of pre-Presidential activities, factors arising between nomination and the actual decision to award, and the asperations which everybody admits comes into play.  This is as much America’s prize as his and it acknowledges that we are turning away from the unilateralism and frankly sometime warmongering of the previous years.

  2. “Stirringly patriotic”? “Ringing endorsement”? Seriously?

    <

    p>Since when is it the media’s job to spread “joy”? The function of the media is to spread truth, to spread skepticism if need be. I love the juxtaposition of this article with “Obama assembles war council.” I love that the critics of the president are acknowledged, even when the president wins a Nobel Prize.

    <

    p>It would be great if we could see this skepticism more where it really mattered (questioning administration claims about Iran that are generally taken as fact, etc.) But I have no problem with seeing it here.

  3. Winning that prize just went from “not a big deal” to “a joke”. Politics invades everything.

  4. The corpo-fascist one in which the state owns you from cradle to grave.

    <

    p>You favor de-population as a means to secure control for the few global elite at the top of the food chain.  Bill Holdren.

    <

    p>You favor SWAT teams raiding Organic farmers in Ohio.

    <

    p>And all this from a guy who spent hours raving about the evils of Bush.  Just think about the contempt I have now.
    Go ahead and get your swine flu shot.

    <

    p>

Archives