A quick scan of the Nobel Peace Prize criteria and standards immediately appears to disqualify our current president from consideration for this award. Replacing “defense” with “war” doesn’t help, but the long list of international offenses grows more lengthy by the day, contributing to Trump’s disqualification.
While internal affairs of the nation are not overtly within the scope of the Nobel committee, it’s hard for us to see how they could possibly consider awarding the peace prize to a man at war with his countrymen, his predecessors in office, any and all competing political parties, “blue” cities and states, with any but the most regressive policies antithetical to science, health, environment and with knowledge, itself. Extreme racial prejudice and religious intolerance also don’t help. Nor can the implications of the horrid Epstein saga.
And while we’re at it, is it not time to suggest that the International Olympics Committee reconsider awarding the 2034 Winter Olympic Games to Salt Lake City? The Games were awarded to the nation, not just to Utah. Like the rest of MAGA America, Utah is sliding precipitously downhill into a cavern of hell from which we may not escape for generations. Paris set such lofty values in 2024, embracing beauty, tolerance, international diversity and other cultural pinnacles that we may not see again.
The Nobel committee and IOC should look elsewhere.
Ivan Weber, Salt Lake City
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