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Two Very Different Peace Prizes; Two Very Different Acceptance Speeches

Submitted by scribbler on Mon, 12/21/2009 - 1:46pm

Recently John invited me to join your group, so this is my first diary. Since I live in a different state, my entries will have national or worldwide issues as subjects.

When Obama was given the Nobel Peace Prize, like many others I was stunned and mystified. When he delivered his acceptance speech trying to justify escalation and expansion of war, I was not only stunned but ashamed.

In contrast there was awarded an earlier, real prize earned over a long lifetime by a noted journalist who has devoted his entire career to peace with justice: John Pilger was awarded the City of Sydney, Australia Peace Prize. John's acceptance speech is in keeping with his reputation and shows the honesty of the committee in awarding him their prize.

Here is the link to the only video I have found on the net. Don't be thrown off by the title which may have been used to get it broadcast in America.

http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&client=firefox-a&channel=s&rls...

WOW! that looks like a mess. If it doesn't fly, just Google: video, John Pilger Sydney Peace Prize.

As I'm sure many of you already know, John Pilger has his own website: www.johnpilger.com which gives info on his many films made over his long career. He has never wavered or tolerated censorship.

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#1 Awesome speech

Submitted by Tjadendevries on Mon, 12/21/2009 - 7:11pm.

This is along the lines of what the Nobel "Peace" Prize winner should have said

Here's a link to the text of the speech that I found at your link scribbler

I like how he talks about the silence and things done in our name, like the murder of people in wedding parties. And how he plainly says that their Prime Minister lied to his people. And this:

    During the first world war, the British prime minister David Lloyd George confided to the editor of the Manchester Guardian: “If people really knew [the truth], the war would be stopped tomorrow. But of course they don’t know and they can’t know.”

Really great post, thanks scribbler

#2 Thanks, John

Submitted by scribbler on Mon, 12/21/2009 - 8:21pm.

Thanks, John, for posting the video and giving the link to the text of John Pilger's speech. There is so much in it to take to heart.

As he spoke of Australia's Aboriginal people and the treatment of them, it is so much like our treatment of our own native American Indians and their still tragic plight that my heart breaks.

As he spoke of the 'Illusion' being what matters, I recall that during the 1980's there was a magazine titled, Illusion and another titled The Image. Obama was born 1961, just hitting 20's in the 1980's - seems he bought into that idea Big Time. With pretty words delivered with style he crafted the Illusion of hope, transparency, change and return to the rule of law. His actions since January 20, '09 have stripped away any illusions I had when I voted for him.

I had problems watching this clip here when using Internet Explorer, but sound and picture were perfect using Firefox.