The 2010 Nobel peace prize was awarded toa top Chinese dissident and human rights advocate who is currently employed as a prisoner. China's economy is so powerful these days that even prisoners may earn millions of bucks during the first year of their 11-year tenure. Last year, the Nobel prize to Barack Obama offended the sensible part of the Western public.Liu Xiaobo (CN),
This year, the award will offend the Chinese communist officials - and some of their incredible Western soulmates, too. ;-)
Some of these incredible people among the journalists in Oslo have already shown their values! Meanwhile, an Indian journalist complained that the committee didn't pick an Indian yogi who fights against climate change by his exercises in the world's largest democracy. :-)) Didn't they already give the prize to one nutcase and crook defined by the very same criteria in 2007?
Well, I surely think that the transition from an American liberal kitsch to a Chinese fight for essential values is an improvement.
The award is not unexpected. The dissident was a top candidate. He was also supported by Václav Havel as well as some current Czech politicians. Given a special role that a top dissident plays in a country where 1/6 of the world population lives and that still doesn't respect many human rights, it's an award that I can endorse.
Much of the Chinese dissident movement is inspired by the Czechoslovak dissent. For example, in 2008, Liu Xiaobo masterminded Charter 08 whose name can't hide that it is just a Chinese version of Czechoslovak Charter 77.
Once again, one sensible choice is far from enough to rehabilitate the credibility of the Nobel peace prize in my eyes.
