Nobel outrage unwarranted

By Tatiana Sanchez

For the past couple of days, my ears have been ringing with the relentless banter of upset citizens who feel disappointed and even outraged at the fact that Obama has won the highly coveted Nobel Peace Prize. I get it: Obama has only been in office for a good nine months, which is too little time to make any significant changes in this damaged country. And according to CNN, he was nominated for this prize just 12 days after his inauguration.

While many have reason to be upset, I will graciously go out on a limb to play devil's advocate and state that as a man who changed the history and tradition of this country, Obama merits such a distinct and defining award.

The committee that awarded Obama with the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize did it in honor of his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." The Nobel committee went on to say, "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."

Obama changed the face of this nation; he brought hope to countless Americans who had abandoned all faith in this country.

He inspired celebrities, children and adults alike to make a difference in their communities and to strive for excellence, even in the face of adversity. Obama has become a symbol of hope and strength, of humility and poise, and of inspiration. He has graced this country with a reason to be better, a reason to unify and to change our future.

But aside from being a catalyst for change, Obama, as the committee suggests, has improved international affairs and has become increasingly popular overseas. According to CNN, a recent Pew Research Center survey found that more than 75 percent of respondents in Britain, Germany, France and Spain are on board with Obama's foreign policy.

And while many may find this statistic to be trivial, the importance of strengthening diplomacy is crucial. During a time when the United States still has a presence in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay, forming a strong front with other countries will prove essential to the progress of our country. And Obama is doing just that.

Egberto Willies, who calls himself an iReporter, argues that "to move a country like the United States -- in the eyes of all countries around the world -- from being perceived as one of the most belligerent Americas ever to one that decides it wants to work with the rest of the world -- that is the real definition of a path towards peace."

While Obama has yet to accomplish many of the goals he set for this country during his campaign, he continues to be an exemplary individual that inspires us to be better and to do things we never thought possible.

He deserves the Nobel Peace Prize just as much as Mahatma Gandhi or Theodore Roosevelt did, not because he has accomplished great things for this country, but because he's given Americans hope for a better future and a better life.

Tatiana Sanchez is a senior English major and the opinion editor for The Santa Clara.