I think that it’s absolutely tragic the information Chinese citizens are given about the events that occur in Tibet. Huiman Gan’s sarcastic remark regarding the Dalai Lama’s winning of the Nobel Prize is a demonstration of how far the Chinese government is willing to go to discredit a community leader that doesn’t toe the party line.

Everyone’s opinion is valued here in America, and I understand the desire for a united China, but I cannot in good conscience let her statement go without a response. The Dalai Lama is a peaceful person and has consistently spoken out against using violence to promote the independence of Tibet. In fact, he even supports allowing Tibet to become a semi-autonomous region that has an elected government, but is still subject to the Chinese government. He has been a champion for peace, and only wants Tibet to be represented by its people, and not the communist government of China.

Until a healthy dialogue, free of propaganda, is undertaken, I fear Tibet will remain a contested region for a long time.

Victor Leichner,
Saginaw Senior

According to nobelprize.org, they give the reason for Obama winning the Nobel Prize in Peace: “For his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.”

Nobel himself wrote that the prize should be given to someone who has “done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” There are many who are deserving of this prize and President Obama is one of them.

Obama spoke out against going to war in Iraq while still being a senator.

This war has cost billions of dollars that the American taxpayer will never see again, and tens of thousands of Iraqi and American lives.

Obama has spoken out against torture, is in favor of gay rights, is for the reduction of nuclear weapons and is for an increased role for the US in combating global warming.

These are issues that he has used his political power and clout to deal with.

Are these issues finished? No.

Many have said that it’s “premature” to recognize Obama for these efforts.

However, many Nobel Peace Prize winners hadn’t finished their work by the time they won their prize: Gorbachev in 1990 even though the USSR was still a totalitarian state, Aung San Suu Kyi in 1991 even though Myanmar is still under military rule, Jody Williams in 1997 even though there are still land mines out there, and Kofi Annan in 2001 even though the world doesn’t seem more peaceful now than it was in 2001.

The list goes on.

The Peace Prize has historically been given to leaders who have overcome racist and segregated societies, such as Archbishop Desmund Tutu of South Africa or Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Something profound happened in this nation on Nov. 4th.: We elected our first African American president.

That’s significant coming from a country that was founded on the genocide of Native Americans, the
enslavement of African Americans, and whose federal and state governments enacted racist, segregationist policies until a few decades ago. And while de jure segregation ended during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, de facto racism continues to this very day.

I suggest that CM Life takes its editorial talking points from a multitude of reputable sources from now on instead of whatever the cable media talking point is for the week.

Matt Bridgewater
Warren graduate student

There are more deserving people in the world of the award that, in previous years, was bestowed upon Mother Theresa, former President Jimmy Carter and Desmond Tutu.

The prize was given to Obama “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.” Feb. 1 was the deadline for consideration of the Nobel Peace Prize, less than two weeks after his Jan. 20 inauguration. He accomplished nothing in the that brief amount of time to earn him the prize. Obama was given the award on the basis that he is capable of doing great things, despite not having time to accomplish anything.

There are many other people who are far more qualified and worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize. For example, Wei Jingsheng has been fighting more than a decade for human rights and criticizing communism in China. Mordechai Vanunu exposed Iran’s nuclear program, potentially stopping the building of weapons of mass destruction.

President Obama should not have accepted the prize. He was every bit as shocked as everyone else when he won the award. Despite accepting the award with humility, Obama knows he does not deserve it.

If anything, accepting the award puts a lot of pressure on Obama. There are a few global issues he must face, including the war in Afghanistan and Iran’s nuclear activity, where the outcomes are uncertain. There are other issues, such as the genocide in Darfur, that Obama has yet to address. If he fails to live up to the world’s expectations, his winning of the Nobel Peace Prize will seem even worse.

On the college front

Obama was the candidate of choice for most college students during the 2008 presidential election. He spoke directly to young adults, calling upon them to seek education and contribute to their country. Students should be critical of their president on what he can do for them, not what he can do for the rest of the world. Despite gaining so much international praise, there is still much to do within our own borders. The national unemployment rate is at a record high, with Michigan’s own at more than 15 percent. Obama’s health care plan still needs to be thoroughly discussed.

There is much hope that Obama comes close to his goal of creating better relations around the world for America. There is little doubt that he won’t try his best.

Praise should be given for someone’s actions, not their intentions, especially in matters of peace.