2008 Woodie Awards
Shenanigans: Al Gore brings peace?
Alex Garlick
Issue date: 10/18/07 Section: Opinions
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Have you heard the news? Al Gore won the Nobel Prize. Al Gore, who couldn't even win the general election when he got the most votes, somehow won the most prestigious award in the world for peace. First, he turns a PowerPoint presentation into an Academy Award-winning film, then he travels the countryside in his Toyota Prius, trumpeting a prognostication of doom for the environment and now he's a Nobel Laureate. If I had to pick an Academy Award winner to win the Nobel Peace Prize, I probably would have gone with Angelina Jolie for her efforts to save the children in developing countries, one adoption at a time.
Anyways, what has Al done for world peace? According to the Nobel Prize Committee, it was given to Al and the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change "for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change." I agree with what the committee has said, but before we go congratulating Gore, is anyone going to ask "what has he done for peace?"
The Norwegian Member of Parliament who nominated Gore said, "climate change can lead to enormous flows of refugees on a scale the world has never seen before." Due to the unpredictable nature of climate change, that is a very speculative reason for an award that is traditionally given for retrospective action. What if climate change brings rainfall to water-starved arid regions?
Does Al deserve commendation for being Press Secretary for Mother Earth? Sure. Why doesn't Time Magazine name him Man of the Year? Maybe we could get him and Bono to combine forces and do a duet on the evil of Global Warming in Africa. I'm sure he'd be in line for a Grammy for his smooth baritone? I would even be willing to throw him the Democratic Nomination and see how he does in the General Election against Mitt, John or Rudy next fall.
But the Nobel Peace Prize?
In 1964, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. won the Nobel Peace Prize for his role as a peaceful activist in the American Civil Rights movement.
Anyways, what has Al done for world peace? According to the Nobel Prize Committee, it was given to Al and the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change "for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change." I agree with what the committee has said, but before we go congratulating Gore, is anyone going to ask "what has he done for peace?"
The Norwegian Member of Parliament who nominated Gore said, "climate change can lead to enormous flows of refugees on a scale the world has never seen before." Due to the unpredictable nature of climate change, that is a very speculative reason for an award that is traditionally given for retrospective action. What if climate change brings rainfall to water-starved arid regions?
Does Al deserve commendation for being Press Secretary for Mother Earth? Sure. Why doesn't Time Magazine name him Man of the Year? Maybe we could get him and Bono to combine forces and do a duet on the evil of Global Warming in Africa. I'm sure he'd be in line for a Grammy for his smooth baritone? I would even be willing to throw him the Democratic Nomination and see how he does in the General Election against Mitt, John or Rudy next fall.
But the Nobel Peace Prize?
In 1964, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. won the Nobel Peace Prize for his role as a peaceful activist in the American Civil Rights movement.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Paul Brown
posted 10/19/07 @ 12:42 PM EST
I'm sure a Political Science major knows the reason why Al Gore won the popular vote but did not win the election is because of a little thing called the Electoral College. (Continued…)
David Haglund '06
posted 10/30/07 @ 6:17 PM EST
I'm not sure questioning Gore's selection automatically ranks one as being a dishonourable "conservative", as Paul Brown suggests. Personally I agree with the author here - the award was a political game more than a genuinely merited recompense. (Continued…)
gottamechanicomin
gottamecanicomin
posted 11/02/07 @ 12:43 AM EST
Al Gore deserves the recognition of being a "Great American" for all that he does, and has done as an American.
A reward as great as a Nobel Peace Prize may find some individuals questioning the "worth" of Gore's efforts on "Global Warming Awareness". (Continued…)
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