European Union wins Nobel Peace Prize

**Rockntractor** · 10-12-2012, 07:43 PM

European Union wins Nobel Peace Prize despite year of anti-austerity protests
Despite a year marred by violent protests against austerity and the looming prospect of an acrimonious break up, the European Union was controversially awarded the Nobel peace prize for fostering stability and unity.
The shock decision by the Norwegian prize jury was greeted with disbelief and derision, but also with some relief by supporters of the European project.

Reminding the world of the EU's role in preventing conflict on the continent over the last 60 years, the committee's citation praised the union's "advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights".

"The work of the EU represents the 'fraternity of nations'," it said, referring to its expansion to 27 members.

However, the citation acknowledged how problems with the euro have ravaged southern European economies and plunged Europe into its worst recession for 80 years.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...-protests.html
Stupid is as stupid does.

JB · 10-12-2012, 08:14 PM

Everyone knows they jumped the shark with this prize when they gave it to Barry.

Apparently they had to lower the bar beyond just rewarding zero accomplishments.

**Elspeth** · 10-12-2012, 08:15 PM

Exactly! The most ironic prize given this year, methinks. Of course there was that literature Nobel for the Communist party official:

Mo Yan of China wins Nobel Prize in literature and prompts debate

**Hawkgirl** · 10-12-2012, 08:17 PM

Getting the Nobel Peace prize is now equivalent to finding a plastic toy at the bottom of a cracker jack box.

**Elspeth** · 10-12-2012, 09:32 PM

The EU is not a “Person”: Granting the Nobel Prize to the European Union is in Violation of Alfred Nobel’s Will

"This year’s Nobel Peace Prize was granted to the European Union (EU) for its relentless contribution to “the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe.”

While the EU’s contribution to peace is debatable, the key issue is whether a union of nation states, which constitutes a political, economic, monetary and fiscal entity is an “eligible candidate” for the Peace Prize, in accordance with the mandate of the Norwegian Committee.

The Olympic Games are “granted” to countries. But the Nobel Peace Prize cannot under any stretch of the imagination be granted to a nation-state, let alone a union of nation states.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has a responsibility to ascertain “the eligibility of candidates” in accordance with the Will of Alfred Bernhard Nobel (Paris, 27 November, 1895).

“The whole of my remaining realizable estate shall be dealt with in the following way: the capital, invested in safe securities by my executors, shall constitute a fund, the interest on which shall be annually distributed in the form of prizes to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit to mankind…. The said interest shall be divided into five equal parts, which shall be apportioned as follows: one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery or invention within the field of physics; one part to the person who shall have made the most important chemical discovery or improvement; one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery within the domain of physiology or medicine; one part to the person who shall have produced in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction; and one part to the person who shall have 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. …

[F]or champions of peace [the prize will be awarded] by a committee of five persons to be elected by the Norwegian Storting. It is my express wish that in awarding the prizes no consideration whatever shall be given to the nationality of the candidates, but that the most worthy shall receive the prize, whether he be a Scandinavian or not.

Will of Alfred Bernhard Nobel, November 27, 1895, emphasis added

The conditions set out in Alfred Nobel’s Will have been twisted upside down. Nobel’s Will is crystal clear. The five prizes are to be granted to “persons”. (See complete list of laureates)

Since its inception, however, several of the prizes have been granted to both “persons” and organizations/institutions to which they are affiliated as in the case of Henry Dunand (Red Cross) or Mohamed ElBaradei, UN International Atomic Energy Organization (IAEA). In other cases, the prize was granted as to “organizations” consisting of a collective of persons (e.g. UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)

The granting of the Nobel Prize to the European Union, which is a political entity, a union of nation states, is visibly in blatant violation of Alfred Nobel’s Will....."