Obama and the Nobel Peace Prize....It's a good thing.

Over the weekend a big topic of conversations I've had, watched on television, overheard or read, has been Obama and his recent Nobel Peace Prize (NPP). Either folks are ecstatic and proud, or dumbfounded and critical. Some are even a bit of both- as strange as that may seem.

I got the news early that Friday morning while walking around the Mountain Park track with my kids, via text from my adopted sister, Marisa. I will admit that I thought she was joking around, and texted her back with "Huh? Why?" She responded with "Because he is the ish." (Note: The "ish" is a nice way of not typing out the s-h-you-know-what word.) She also texted that "the board in Switzerland voted and that he exemplified the need to encourage world peace." As I read that, I said. "OK...so he got it for the world peace he is about to encourage? Interesting.

Now, I love me some Barack Obama. But, I was having a hard time with this...at that moment. I mean, when you think of the NPP, you think of MLK Jr...especially if you are African-American. And we all know what HE did to earn it. Could I put my main man Barry in the same category as MLK Jr.? Not really...at that moment.

The kids and I headed home, had breakfast, and got on with our day (they were out of school). I sat down and gave it some thought...trying to figure out why, out of all of the qualified nominees, was our President Obama chosen? I thought about what he meant to me, my family, and America. I thought about the effect he's had on repairing and strengthening our country, and how he has given us a "makeover". He's slowly helping us to regain credibility. He and his administration have shown his fellow world leaders that America is becoming united again, and that he is willing to do what it takes to continue nurturing that unity. America is no longer the laughing stock it once was. With all of this comes power, but also a sense of calm...and peace. As the Leader of the Free World, Obama has set the tone for peace now, and in the future. I went online and read the Norwegian Nobel Committee's statement expressing their reasons for the choice made...and posted some of the comments below:

"The Nobel committee recognized Obama's efforts at dialogue to solve complex global problems, including working toward a world free of nuclear weapons. "Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future," the committee said. Thorbjorn Jagland (Nobel Committee chariman) said the decision was "unanimous" and came with ease." (from cnn.com/europe)

That's it. I was convinced, and extremely proud. I loved it that even he was shocked, and he even questioned his qualifications for this prestigious honor. But you know, I wouldn't have expected anything else from such a great, humble man.

His critics are having a field day, of course. Right, left, you name it. You'd think that Obama paid someone under the table to score the award, with some of the comments being made. One online report joked that Obama should get the NPP for Chemistry because "he's just got great chemistry"...ha ha. But, as many of us have known before and since January 20, 2009, the road was going to be a quite bumpy...and the "haters" are going to grasp onto anything they can to put Obama in a bad light.

Of course, few can put words together more eloquently than Barack himself, so I will end this by posting his response to becoming a Nobel laureate...and the the 3rd sitting U.S. President in history to receive such an honor.

This morning, Michelle and I awoke to some surprising and humbling news. At 6 a.m., we received word that I'd been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009.

To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize -- men and women who've inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace.

But I also know that throughout history the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes.

That is why I've said that I will accept this award as a call to action, a call for all nations and all peoples to confront the common challenges of the 21st century. These challenges won't all be met during my presidency, or even my lifetime. But I know these challenges can be met so long as it's recognized that they will not be met by one person or one nation alone.

This award -- and the call to action that comes with it -- does not belong simply to me or my administration; it belongs to all people around the world who have fought for justice and for peace. And most of all, it belongs to you, the men and women of America, who have dared to hope and have worked so hard to make our world a little better.

So today we humbly recommit to the important work that we've begun together. I'm grateful that you've stood with me thus far, and I'm honored to continue our vital work in the years to come.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

'Nuff said. Obama is the ish. How can you NOT be proud to be an American right now??