In light of the recent disclosure that President Obama was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize just 12 days after taking office and was initially opposed from the majority of the Committee (here), there is some interest on who was stepped over for the honor. The most striking “loser” in the competition was Dr. Sima Samar, an amazingly brave Afghan woman who has risked her life to fight for the rights of women and girls in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Dr. Samar is the chairwomen of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission and was the first Hazara woman to obtain a medical degree from Kabul University, back in 1982. She has had to repeatedly flee for her life but has insisted on returning time and time again to treat the poor and fight for women’s rights — in an area with feminists are routinely killed or sprayed with acid by extremists.
Most incredibly, she stood against the extremism of Sharia law and criticized the use of such religious courts in the country. Her opposition to religious radicals led to her being forced out as Deputy President and later Minister of Women’s Affairs in the interim government of Hamid Karzai. She has even campaigned against the compelled use of the burka and sought to organize and educate women in Taliban-controlled areas.
For civil libertarians, the comparison of Samar and Obama could not be more striking. Where Obama has repeatedly refused to fight for principle and yielded to politics (in areas like torture, privacy, and detainee rights), Samar has refused to yield on principle — even at the risk of her own life. While Obama was in office less than two weeks before his nomination, Samar has spent a lifetime fighting for oppressed women in Afghanistan.
For her story and others passed over for the award, click here.
Don’t fret women.I hear Obama is willing to share his Nobel Prize with Olympia Snow.
Chazzbo
I forgot to add – Thank you Jonathan Turley for bringing attention to Dr Samar. I had not heard of her before reading your excellent blog.
I get sicker and sicker as time goes on with the actions of the Obama administration. We had such high hopes that he would reverse Bush policies. Of course we were projecting our fantasies and frustrations onto him. There were a few teases when he took office. But, he has proved himself to be a Republican Lite politician. Dr Samar is amazing and she fully deserves the prize. I am even more sickened by the fact she was passed over for Obama. Speaking of Afghanistan, haven’t the Dept of State or Defense read “Three Cups of Tea?” The way to effect change there is to educate girls and empower women. Not military, not use of force, simple humanitarian building and maintenance of schools, roads, and bridges.
I am planning to not vote in the next few election cycles. We need more than two political parties, and we need a democratic socialist party, that would uphold the Bill of Rights and Constitution, in our country.
Why so much hatred for President Obama?
He did not fall off of the turnip truck on Jan 20.
Do you people honestly not realix=ze the insult that would result had the President said, on no, I don’t want your stinking prize.
Just quit your whinning and move on to some other criticism. Whinning is so low class.
Obama should give the $1.4 mil prize money to ACORN.
this looks shopped. I can tell from the pixels and seeing quite a few shops in my time.
hyperbole, yeah that is a good one. I was accused by a judge of doing that. I thanked her. I was really proud, until I went home and looked up the definition. Yes, before computers, they did have books. That’s another chapter by the way.
Ay,
Thank-you, you really did make me laugh; but I think you may be reading my words with more snark and hyperbole than was intended. Of course I still admire Professor Turley that goes without question; and you too AY, although tonight you have not succeeded at annoyance. Please don’t try again, save yourself for tomorrow.
P.S. Why must you so often bring nal into things; it is like “Hi nal, so good to have finally met my inferiority complex!”
Just because he gets first crack at all of our organs; that is no reason to be jealous!
P.P.S Again I’m just kidding. Sleep well and sweet dreams.
CEJ,
I don’t get it; Professor Turley is usually so gracious it almost seems like he is trolling his own blog (3xtoday)!
So why can’t he stop by and see how his people are? It has gotten mucky and not ducky when he has been doing what makes him what he is.
So if he wants to be a troll here, why not? I could not think of a brighter troll. Well, yes I can. nal, now nal is my favorite protagonist. But hey, he corrects the professor and I guess the trolling professor likes it, so why not.
He has given nal the tramp stamp of approval, by lauding him. So maybe you are correct he is trolling.
Good advice, thank-you CCD!
CEJ:
Darn polarizing isn’t it? Buckle up and keep the joy & gratitude on tap!
Bob, Esq. “I’m sensing a strong anti-Obama vibe.”
I don’t get it; Professor Turley is usually so gracious it almost seems like he is trolling his own blog (3xtoday)!
I’m with gyges and rcampbell on this one. There are a lot of things for which President Obama may be criticized; but because five or three or two Norwegians love him isn’t one of them!
I’m repeating myself from another thread but I still predict that the phrase “He won a Nobel prize, but….” will become as trite as “We put a man on the moon, but…”
This lady sounds like a very much deserving person to have received the damn thing to start with. Why not?
President Obama convinced the majority of American voters that he could bring change and reform to our national government thus improving our lives and our futures. Obviously, he also impressed a great many foreigners with his message. We know what he promised is possible. If he overestimated his own abilities to fulfill that promise, he will slip off the world’s stage a failed man undeserving of any reward. If he succeeds, the accolades will live long after he has passed on. His actions will determine his fate while in either case we will look for a new leader.
I’m sensing a strong anti-Obama vibe.