[The following is a transcript of remarks by King Harald V of Norway, delivered during his visit to Chicago on Saturday, December 10, 2011, at the invitation of Chicago World Can't Wait. The day marked both the global celebration of International Human Rights Day, as well as the second anniversary of the day on which the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize was presented to Barack Obama in Oslo, Norway. Read the full account of the International Human Rights Day 2011 protest in Chicago.]
Obama Nobel Prize - REVOKED! |
Our award to Barack Obama was filled with hope:
"Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future. His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population."
And in speaking of values and attitudes, we pointed especially to:
- Using "Dialogue and negotiations [as the] preferred instruments for resolving even the most difficult international conflicts."
- "strengthening international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."
- "Democracy and human rights [are to be strengthened.]"
December 10, 2010, in Chicago in front of Obama Re-election HQ: "King Harald" regretfully revokes Barack Obama's Nobel Peace Prize (Photo courtesy FJJ) |
Now with the deepest regret I must note the recipient's actions:
- failure to close Guantanamo
- expansion of indefinite detention at Bagram and other detention centers throughout Afghanistan
- assassinations, including assassinations of U.S. citizens, among other violations of due process
- virtually unlimited use of drone technology and drone warfare to remove the last vestiges of democratic involvement in the implementation of foreign affairs and conduct of war
- widening of the war of terror into Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia
- arrogation of war power to himself in the NATO attack on Libya
- threats of war against Iran
- Dialogue and negotiations have been abandoned in favor of pre-emptive attack
- Diplomacy and cooperation have been discarded, as the United States resorts again and again to its weaponry
- Democracy and human rights are nowhere in sight as the United States fills a bigger and bigger pipeline with detainees and prisoners
Barack Obama's Nobel Peace Prize - stamped "REVOKED" (Photo courtesy FJJ) |
NOW THEREFORE, by the power vested in me, and on account of the actions on the part of the recipient today described, as well as others, I hereby declare the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize award to Barack H. Obama officially revoked.
Let this unprecedented action, taken only with the most profound regret, stand as an example to ALL who abandon the values and attitudes of PEACEMAKING under the allure of POWER and VIOLENCE.
Thank you.
"REVOKED" |
Related posts
A number of Nobel Peace Prize laureates and laureate organizations have agreed to come to Chicago April 23-25 for the 12th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates. Some people believe that the Nobel Peace Prize laureates should decline the invitation to come to Chicago, to prevent the leaders of the City of Chicago from using them to legitimize the NATO summit.
(See A Nobel Laureate Message for Chicago? )
Mairead Maguire, Nobel Peace Prize winner from Ireland, has declined the invitation to come to Chicago, saying "I cannot ... in good conscience, be part of a Partnership with the US State Government (NATO)."
(See Nobels in Chicago: Mairead Maguire Declines to Play Along )
(See The Path to Peace: Why Not the Manning Way?)
By now, everyone knows about the New York Times article describing Barack Obama's personal administration of drone killing around the world. What few people are willing to face up to is that Obama 2012 partisans actually see this as a way to get a lot of Americans to like Obama: "This is the candidate; you MUST support him!"
(See Being a Team Player for "Mr. Forceful": Obama and the Dems )
Should we expect a breakthrough on nuclear disarmament from Obama before he leaves office in January, 2017?
(See Countdown to U.S. Nuclear Disarmament (With or Without the Politicians) )
No comments:
Post a Comment