Posted by John Gray Wallace
on 10/12/2009, 8:14 am
70.162.22.105
Gandhi undoubtedly desereved it. Dr. King undoubtedly deserved it. Mandela, too, as well as Bishop Desmond Tutu, undoubtedly deserved it. Not sure ALL of these gentlemen won it---know Mandela and King did.
President Obama, to his credit, does not seem to have sought it. But, it came his way. Deserved? Probably not yet. All the others named above had a lifetime body of work on the world stage to their credit before this award came their way---if it did, at all.
Possibly, some time later on, after the President has accumulated some accomplishments on his resume`, such an award would be ---and MAY be---well-deserved. But not yet. Not now.
This award coming his way now, under existing circumstances, turns the award into a mere popularity contest. And while there is nothing inherently wrong with being popular, it is not always a sign of greatness. Many very terrible men, and women, have been popular---for a season. Some wildly popular. Beethoven, we recall, initially dedicated his Third Symphony, the "Eroica`", to the "hero" who claimed to be the embodiment of the French Revolution and its slogan of "Liberty, Equality and Fraternity" for all men---but who later proved to be just another despot; Napoleon. Later Beethoven erased the dedication, although, alas, the symphony remains best known as the "Eroica`".
The President, however, struck the right note of humility when he accepted the award as "a call to action" to mobilise people to attain some of the nobler aspirations of his administration. Perhaps this serves as a clue to a character nobler than his critics credit him with having. And, perhaps, just perhaps, augurs well for his---and our---future.
Gary; shut up. I don't even want to hear it.
John
Message Thread:
« Back to thread