"here is a penny for your thoughts" "I wasn't thinking anything, keep your penny"
"happy birthday, hope you like this sweater" "I have cramps and the sweater is ugly"
Accept what is given graciously with grace and keep your opinions to yourself. Obama was a shocking win, but at the same time, he has done a lot just being HIM to ease the planetary hate tension. Is that worthy of the prize? Does it matter? It is a gift, it has no intrinsic value, and he cannot "keep" it anyways, if I understand it, anything he gains like this as President becomes part of the collective property of the nation. At least in most nations that is how it works. I am very willing to bet the committee knows this too, so in it's way, the prize isn't for Obama alone, but for the Nation. Now, really, it is up to the American People to live up to the honour.
@*Dolore 6 days 16 hours ago "I don't know, but it was certainly my first thought: "I definitely hope he gives it back." Because of the fact that the Nobel Peace Price committee is Norwegian, it makes me feel embarrassed being Norwegian. Honestly. I bet Obama's first thought was "silly Norwegians".. "
1.4 mill is not a lot of money to family's of wealth commerce, or office.
its always the way it is when a sitting person in political office receives gifts. They cannot keep them because they are not private citizens, but representatives of the population. Otherwise it could appear to be graft.
Interesting article. Maybe the best course is to refuse it, has been done before by leaders. There is a "law" link [link] there, but legalese is a head cruncher to read and I have read too much copyright law the last 4 years to really want to get into all the ins and outs however it does say in its round about way that you don't get to keep it. Yes, in my 40 years of life experience, it is very common for leaders to give and receive gifts, from other leaders as well as from foundations, charities, and organizations. In fact there are entire books dedicated to the topic of what leader got what as a gift, some of the gifts historically have been quite significant. Today, it is equally common, in nations such as the USA, Canada and Britain etc, that there are value limits on these gifts with processes for refusing or returning them, and that those gifts accepted by leaders are not the ' personal' property of the recipient, but of the nation (city, state, province, territory etc) that person represents.
Personally, I would never nominate or granted such an award to any world leader while they lived. I think that a good century of history and reflection is needed to really understand that persons actual impacts and contributions, for good or bad. I agree, silly Norwegians. But I do not outrightly believe in 'spitting in the eye', which to me refusing a gift is (though for leaders I can accept there to be rules, our Prime Minister had to return a gift this year because it's value was deemed too high though I just shook my head over the non-sense). So, yes, I am marginally conflicted of opinion, but still of opinion.
The gift was given not to a person but a sitting leader; sitting leaders don't get to keep such things. The Nobel committee being an educated (if somewhat silly) committee most surly knows this.
I don't know, but it was certainly my first thought: "I definitely hope he gives it back." Because of the fact that the Nobel Peace Price committee is Norwegian, it makes me feel embarrassed being Norwegian. Honestly. I bet Obama's first thought was "silly Norwegians"..
I'm not sure he should have gotten it in the first place, but I really don't think giving it back would be such a good thing ... I can see the headlines now. "Obama Not Committed to Peace, Returns Nobel Prize"
Sta.sh
Devious Comments
"no, I am ugly"
"here is a penny for your thoughts"
"I wasn't thinking anything, keep your penny"
"happy birthday, hope you like this sweater"
"I have cramps and the sweater is ugly"
Accept what is given graciously with grace and keep your opinions to yourself. Obama was a shocking win, but at the same time, he has done a lot just being HIM to ease the planetary hate tension. Is that worthy of the prize? Does it matter? It is a gift, it has no intrinsic value, and he cannot "keep" it anyways, if I understand it, anything he gains like this as President becomes part of the collective property of the nation. At least in most nations that is how it works. I am very willing to bet the committee knows this too, so in it's way, the prize isn't for Obama alone, but for the Nation. Now, really, it is up to the American People to live up to the honour.
@*Dolore 6 days 16 hours ago
"I don't know, but it was certainly my first thought: "I definitely hope he gives it back." Because of the fact that the Nobel Peace Price committee is Norwegian, it makes me feel embarrassed being Norwegian. Honestly. I bet Obama's first thought was "silly Norwegians"..
1.4 million dollars + a gold medal.
anything he gains like this as President becomes part of the collective property of the nation
That's news to me! Source?
At least in most nations that is how it works.
Again, that's news to me! Source?
I am very willing to bet the committee knows this too, so in it's way, the prize isn't for Obama alone, but for the Nation.
Getting even better!
"Now, really, it is up to the American People to live up to the honour."
And the grand finale.
[link]
Interesting article. Maybe the best course is to refuse it, has been done before by leaders. There is a "law" link [link] there, but legalese is a head cruncher to read and I have read too much copyright law the last 4 years to really want to get into all the ins and outs however it does say in its round about way that you don't get to keep it. Yes, in my 40 years of life experience, it is very common for leaders to give and receive gifts, from other leaders as well as from foundations, charities, and organizations. In fact there are entire books dedicated to the topic of what leader got what as a gift, some of the gifts historically have been quite significant. Today, it is equally common, in nations such as the USA, Canada and Britain etc, that there are value limits on these gifts with processes for refusing or returning them, and that those gifts accepted by leaders are not the ' personal' property of the recipient, but of the nation (city, state, province, territory etc) that person represents.
The gift was given not to a person but a sitting leader; sitting leaders don't get to keep such things. The Nobel committee being an educated (if somewhat silly) committee most surly knows this.
I think he should not have accepted it at the moment.