Patriotism and Peace: Unlikely Partners

What does the controversy over President Obama being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize tell us about patriotism in our country today?

The Republican National Committee attributed the award to the president’s “star power,” and claim that he took it away from those who’ve made real progress toward peace and human rights. Other opponents have sided with the Taliban and Hamas in claiming that President Obama doesn’t deserve the award.

SNL joked that he won it for not being Bush. One conservative commentator noted that “God has a sense of humor,” suggesting the award is a joke on God’s part. The most offensive comment comes from RedState.com, claiming that the prize reflects “an affirmative action quota.”

Rush Limbaugh accused the president of emasculating the America and claims that the “elites” of the world are rooting for a “weakened, neutered U.S.”

Is this what passes for patriotism today?

The president himself accepted the award as a call to action, a “call for all nations and all peoples to confront the common challenges of the 21st century.” This statement, reflective of his intent to promote an agenda of peace and justice, is offensive to some Americans.

A year ago, the World Council of Churches sponsored an international conference among 300 religious leaders from around the world. What these leaders confirmed is that religious traditions the world over value dialogue and respect as avenues for peace and reconciliation—and for finding solutions to global problems like poverty, injustice, and war.

This is exactly what President Obama has attempted to do—inject the values of dialogue, respect, and collaboration into his administration—the values most crucial for moving us toward solutions. But promoting peace is now considered emasculating and weakening our nation. It’s downright unpatriotic.