Nobel prizes are not, of course, a precise measurement of achievement, but they are a rough indicator of sorts since they are only awarded for genuine contributions to humanity and not to obscurantist bigots.[/QUOTE] Do you mean they are supposed to only be awarded for genuine contributions ? Many people were surprised when Obama was awarded one before he made any meaningful contribution to humanity . In fact, we are still waiting although I believe he holds the record for using the word " change" more than anyone else ever in an election campaign.
The contributions can be past, present, or future (viz. Mandela, Aun Sang Suu Kyi). Obama by being elected the first black POTUS, against the odds and contrary to expectations, had already made a genuine major contribution.
I`m not trying to be petty but I believe he is mixed race as opposed to black. I have not checked on the internet but I seem to remember hearing he is half white . If I am reading your above post correctly you say he won the award based on his (half) colour. Is that half racist ? Not you, I mean those that voted for him. I find it a bit odd that it is possible to win for future contributions, is the award taken back if expectations are not met ? Robert Mugabe was widely lauded when he first came to power, imagine if he had won one ?
Clearly, a European would be more at home in Israel than an Arab country in most respects. But that doesn't mean they are right. People were living in that country before it was gifted to the Israelis. I can see that those people would be upset about what had happened - understandably. It is not fair to brand them as "terrorists" and indeed, lest we forget, the Israelis used terrorism against the British forces to get their own way back in the day, as Palestine was a British Protectorate. You can only move on if you try to come to some accommodation with your "enemy" - just as happened at the end of WWII with the Germans and Japanese. Israel, rather like the two sides in NI, has no wish to reach any accommodation as such.
Or the muslim world hasn't progressed from educating people (read reciting) just from the Quran? Oooh a little bit of politics :wink:
Only up to a point. Dawkins' argument could be illustrated by any one of several great academic institutions and Trinity just happens to be the top of this particular list. Oxford and Cambridge colleges do not specialise exclusively in particular subject areas, and you can study more or less any subject as a member of any college (omitting theology). The question is, what prevents any muslim country from setting up universities dedicated to open-minded enquiry and research like those in Europe, North America, Japan, etc? And everyone knows the answer.
So is it possible within a western democracy to peacefully co-exist with such people and what happens if they become the majority ? Whether that conjures up an image of Israel, the UK or anywhere else is entirely up to you.
There is a strange but universal convention that mixed-race people who are half white and half black are considered to be 'black' for most purposes; it would make just as much sense to call them 'white', but somehow that never happens. As I implied already, Nelson Mandela and Aun San Suu Kyi were awarded Nobel peace prizes not so much for actual solid achievements prior to the awards but rather for their iconic bravery, sacrifice, commitment, and likely future achievements. I do not think it was even slightly racist to award Mandela a Nobel as a black man facing the apartheid regime. Certainly it would be possible for expectations to be disappointed, but they rarely are. In the case of prizes for science, it seems they are always for actual past achievements.
Arent they talking Nobel for that young Afghan girl who was shot and came here to recuperate. Sad and desperate as that is, and she seems incredibly eloquent in a couple of speeches I've seen, not sure being shot is ample contribution when you think of some of the work that goes on around the African regions in attempting to make peace and save lives
I believe the Afghan girl in question had been active in campaigning to allow women and girls in Afghanistan to receive education. She is quite young and was shot in the face for her troubles. As a symbol, and as a brave individual, she is as deserving as anyone I've heard of.
I think it very unlikely that Obama will ever merit his Nobel Prize for peace. American presidents are largely just puppets when it comes to trying to reign in the CIA and the Pentagon and the NSA. These organisations are far more powerful than the presidency and will do pretty much whatever they like. Foreign policy in the US is remarkably constant, no matter who is in power. i generally entails running the entire world. Obama wanted to shut down Guantanamo. 6 or 7 years on and progress (and likely progress) is approximately nil.
There are mixed reports on her campaign, and I'm sure there are many others who were less fortunate and died rather than being saved. Butits a tough one, as if as mostly reported she is incredibly brave in speaking out.
Can I just point out - whilst we are talking about comparisons - that the county of Yorkshire won more gold medals at the London Olympics than the entire country of Australia ? I love statistics !
