I can't help but to weigh in on this. In the wake of the criticism of President Obama winning this award from both the U.S. right and left, perhaps we all need to take a big step back with a deep breath. This is hardly meant to diminish other very worthy candidates for this year's peace prize; however, I think, while surprising, the award make sense. It makes sense for two reasons: words matter; and we need hope to change.
Let's start with the fact that words matter. What happens when someone calls you a liar, a racist, a terrorist? Yeah, those words hurt. Recall that 8 years ago, we had a President and Administration that set up the "axis of evil." We officially designated Iraq, Iran, and North Korea as countries that export and support terrorists and so we were no longer talking to them. That was helpful (I do hope you detect sarcasm in that statement).
Further, we took a policy that U.S. interests are the only interests that mattered in the world and so for foreign policy purposes, we would go it alone. That's right, the cowboy was back in town. This was personified by John Bolton who was our enthusiastic representative as ambassador to the United Nations.
Can you imagine what this policy would look like if you were trying to impart it to young children - "Johnny, the only games we play are the ones you want sweetheart. It doesn't matter what your friends would like to do." We pulled out of the climate change agreement negotiated in Kyoto as a result of this stance and took many other positions on the world stage. Another helpful foreign policy direction brought to you by the 43rd President of the United States.
Suffice it to say that these words POISONED the international atmosphere and impaired our ability to speak with, negotiate, or discuss policy problems with anyone but friends, such as they were. This position left us very isolated and with little influence in the world. Enter U.S. President number 44 and he says we're going to talk to you. Wow! No more axis of evil? No more my way or the high way? I don't know if we can appreciate enough what openings this brought to the international community. Iran actually told us they had enough nuclear material for a missile (not that they stopped developing weapons, but they SPOKE to us, an important condition for NEGOTIATING - you can't negotiate if you're not talking!); we have a warmer relationship with Cuba; things are warming up with Russia . . . this is a new day on the international front and we in the United States probably can't appreciate this enough because we're mired in health care. Words matter.
Did someone mention health care? Ah yes, which brings me to my second point - hope matters. Remember how pollyanna people thought this was during the campaign - all lofty words, no action, hope, schmope! No one changes things from a hopeless position. Let me repeat that - you cannot change things if you are hopeless. You have to hope that things will be better so you take the actions needed to make it happen. Health care is a doozy because of all of the entrenched interests - we all know them well. You have to be hopeful to take on the insurance companies, the doctors, the hospitals, the pharmaceutical companies, and the list goes on. The opposition hopes that we'll become hopeless and let the issue die. We can't become hopeless if change in health care is going to happen. This applies to many other issues as well - if GLBTQ people are to attain rights in the states and across the country, there is no place for hopelessness.
If we hope for change in an issue as daunting as cleaning up our environment, there is no place for hopelessness. If, to tackle the issue raised by Time Magazine this week, women are to improve the way sexism impacts their daily lives, there is no place for hopelessness.There are many who would like convince us that exhortations such as "hope" are empty words. To them, and to all of the discouraged, I say that words matter. And hope is as important a word as any of them! Congratulations President Barack Hussein Obama - I'll read your winning the Nobel as the first step in worldwide change and remain hopeful with you!
