Two prizes were awarded today. Bush won the booby prize. Carter won the the real one.
If there is an award the opposite of the Nobel Peace Prize it would be that handed to George W. Bush, his entire administration, the Supreme Court, and every member of the two houses of Congress who voted for war in the last twenty-four hours.
If there is an award for stupidity, greed, selfish careerism and evil, both intended and consequent, it was announced by the Nobel Committee today.
A simple statement honoring a man of peace is usually made in Oslo on these occasions. This time there was also a condemnation of those who make work for the peacemakers.
As an American, I hang my head in shame this morning, but the extraordinary timing of this honor for Jimmy Carter gives me some hope for the world as a whole. If we survive as a nation, or even if only the idea of America survives, it will be because of people like the good man from Georgia.