An unlikely Nobel Peace Prize nominee

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the nomination of Julian Assange for the Nobel Peace Prize, exploring the implications of such a nomination and comparing it to previous winners, particularly Barack Obama. Participants express varying opinions on whether Assange deserves the award, the significance of the nomination, and the broader context of peace and justice in relation to the prize.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that Julian Assange deserves the Nobel Peace Prize more than Barack Obama, citing his role in revealing injustices.
  • Others argue that the nomination of Assange is questionable, as many individuals risk their lives for peace and justice, making his candidacy seem less valid.
  • A participant mentions that the nomination process is secretive, and one nomination does not equate to serious consideration for the prize.
  • There is a discussion about the irony of WikiLeaks being nominated for a peace prize while undermining the credibility of a previous winner, Obama.
  • Some participants express skepticism about the Nobel Peace Prize's recent selections, suggesting it has become a "joke" in recent years.
  • Concerns are raised about the rationale for awarding a prize to someone whose actions may undermine diplomacy.
  • Participants reflect on the impact of Obama's speeches and actions in the context of global movements for change, questioning how much influence he had on events like the protests in Egypt.
  • There is a call for deeper analysis of both Obama’s and Assange’s contributions to peace and justice, with contrasting views on their legacies.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of opinions about the merits of Assange's nomination, with no clear consensus on whether he deserves the prize. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the implications of his actions and the criteria for deserving the Nobel Peace Prize.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note the lack of clarity in the nomination process and the subjective nature of what constitutes deserving actions for the Nobel Peace Prize. There are also references to the political context surrounding the nominations and the historical significance of past winners.

waht
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I'm going to leave you to guess who that might be.

So do you think he deserves to win?
 
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I know Hitler was a Peace prize nominee once. I find that very unlikely...
 
It's Wikileaks, or as you may be alluding to, Julian Assange...
 
what said:
So do you think he deserves to win?
Sure, why not ?
assange-zuckerberg1.jpg
 
Kevin_Axion said:
It's Wikileaks, or as you may be alluding to, Julian Assange...
Some nutty Norwegian politician submitted wikileaks. What a crock. But they say the prize has been a joke the last few years. Obama got it last year for no reason.

Here is some information on the 2011 Nominations. The list is secret, unless the nominator announces they threw someone's name in.

http://www.prio.no/About/PeacePrize/PRIO-Directors-Speculations-2011/
 
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I think Julian Assange deserves it more then anyone else I can think of, surely more then Obama.
 
Kevin_Axion said:
I think Julian Assange deserves it more then anyone else I can think of, surely more then Obama.
What, for putting up a website? There are people nominated that have risked their lives to make changes. Let's hope the prize this year isn't another joke and a slap in the face of the people that actually did something.

BTW, wikileaks doesn't appear to be considered an actual contender. One person out of thousands tossing their name in means nothing.
 
Kevin_Axion said:
I think Julian Assange deserves it more then anyone else I can think of, surely more then Obama.

That's a strong statement - why?
 
It's funny though how it will turn out. WikiLeaks is nominiated for a Nobel peace prize for essentially undermining the previous winner of the same prize.
 
  • #10
what said:
It's funny though how it will turn out. WikiLeaks is nominiated for a Nobel peace prize for essentially undermining the previous winner of the same prize.
:smile:
 
  • #11
what said:
It's funny though how it will turn out. WikiLeaks is nominiated for a Nobel peace prize for essentially undermining the previous winner of the same prize.

Haha! I was just about to say the same thing! I think the person whom will win the Nobel Peace Prize is someone who has persevered to express a cause and change and has been relentless against the injustices of others. In that respect both Obama and Julian Assange encompass these qualities and both deserve to be nominated. I'm sure there are many that are just as deserving as Julian Assange but with all of the Media and controversy it just makes his case more appealing not that ti should make him any better.
 
  • #12
The only thing I would consider unlikely now is if it was awarded to someone who deserved it. What are the odds of that?
 
  • #13
Kevin_Axion said:
Haha! I was just about to say the same thing! I think the person whom will win the Nobel Peace Prize is someone who has persevered to express a cause and change and has been relentless against the injustices of others. In that respect both Obama and Julian Assange encompass these qualities and both deserve to be nominated.
You do know that Obama won last year?
 
  • #15
Evo said:
You do know that Obama won last year?

Yea sorry, that come out wrong. What I meant was that they both shared those characteristics therefore Obama's Nobel Peace Prize was justified to some extent, and so his Assange's nomination.
 
  • #16
Evo said:
Obama got it last year for no reason.
For the records, Liu Xiabao was awarded the prize last year.
 
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  • #17
humanino said:
For the records, Liu Xiabao was awarded the prize last year.
You're absolutely right! I'm still re-living when Obama got it.
 
  • #18
I miss-spelled his name. It should read : Liu Xiaobo :redface:
I would be interested to find out how last year's peace prize was received in China :devil:
 
  • #19
humanino said:
I miss-spelled his name. It should read : Liu Xiaobo :redface:
I would be interested to find out how last year's peace prize was received in China :devil:

China responded by creating the "Confucius Prize."
 
  • #20
what said:
China responded by creating the "Confucius Prize."
I meant the people. But yes, the government answer was indeed interesting !
 
  • #21
Kevin_Axion said:
I think the person whom will win the Nobel Peace Prize is someone who has persevered to express a cause and change and has been relentless against the injustices of others. In that respect both Obama and Julian Assange encompass these qualities and both deserve to be nominated.
Could you please explain in more detail why you think that description applies to either of them?
 
  • #22
In Egypt at the moment there are probably tens of thousands of common people all more deserving of a Peace Nobel than Assange, and risking considerably more.
 
  • #23
mheslep said:
In Egypt at the moment there are probably tens of thousands of common people all more deserving of a Peace Nobel than Assange, and risking considerably more.

In the context of Egypt, I have to wonder how many people were motivated by either the speech by Obama or leaked information of Assange - to take to the streets?
 
  • #24
It would be interesting to hear the rationale for awarding a prize to someone who had undermining diplomacy as a major goal. You'd think the Peace Prize Committee would prefer diplomacy to other interactions between nations.
 
  • #25
Vanadium 50 said:
It would be interesting to hear the rationale for awarding a prize to someone who had undermining diplomacy as a major goal. You'd think the Peace Prize Committee would prefer diplomacy to other interactions between nations.

 
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  • #27
WhoWee said:
In the context of Egypt, I have to wonder how many people were motivated by [...] the speech by Obama [...] to take to the streets?
I was actually wondering about that, but I thought I would not post it here because some may feel this is too much attributing to him. I am sure Vanadium knows that history is made by tens or hundreds of thousands of individuals, while history books remember only a few leaders. The reason I was thinking about this is rather in terms of Obama's prize as an incentive to pursue the 180 degrees shift in US foreign policy in the middle east (one of the possible interpretations of the prize), which the current administration has certainly not always sustained, but at least did recently in the direct address to Mubarak.
 
  • #28
russ_watters said:
Could you please explain in more detail why you think that description applies to either of them?

One can argue that Obama's endeavour to become president encompassed the qualities that deserves a Nobel Peace Prize Nomination. His ability to persevere against racial boundaries and unite people of all cultures in races not just nationally but globally was appalling. His speeches were powerful and he was able to achieve something that many people have waited their lives to see, and also where many have failed. Many can say he did nothing but Obama changed the course of history, he made the U.S a different place and had built hope in a society that had become torn apart over the 8 previous years. He provided a new threshold to surpass for his successors and made the U.S a more profitable, united and patriotic democracy. Yes, one can generalize his accomplishments to just becoming president but if you look deeper there was a lot more involved.

As for Julian Assange it's difficult to convince one that his actions are for "Peace". He may seem like the one destroying the established order but what he is actually doing is giving humanity what they want, Knowledge. Many people would care less about what their government is doing but it is critical to understand their actions and true intentions. Julian Assange revealed to world the extent of injustices occurring for the sake of humanity rather then to create chaos. He pulled people out of sea of naivety and showed them how deeply they were drowning in lies and corruption. Of course one is quickly convinced of the fact that he is anti-diplomatic but he has shaped elections and people's perspective of their leaders and government. That is not anti-diplomatic or treason, that is the truth and that is being honest and a civil servant for the common good of humanity and the individual.
 
  • #29
Kevin_Axion said:
One can argue that Obama's endeavour to become president encompassed the qualities that deserves a Nobel Peace Prize Nomination. His ability to persevere against racial boundaries and unite people of all cultures in races not just nationally but globally was appalling. His speeches were powerful and he was able to achieve something that many people have waited their lives to see, and also where many have failed. Many can say he did nothing but Obama changed the course of history, he made the U.S a different place and had built hope in a society that had become torn apart over the 8 previous years. He provided a new threshold to surpass for his successors and made the U.S a more profitable, united and patriotic democracy. Yes, one can generalize his accomplishments to just becoming president but if you look deeper there was a lot more involved.

Well, he did unite the Tea Party against his policies - I'll give you that.
 
  • #30
WhoWee said:
Well, he did unite the Tea Party against his policies - I'll give you that.

Haha! You're right, others may feel differently but maybe that's just U.S politics or democracy in general.
 

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