45 years ago today Martin Luther King Jr. became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. 45年前の今日は、マーティン・ルーサー・キング・ジュニア牧師が史上最年少の35歳でノーベル平和賞受賞者に選ばれた日だ。
I think Alfred Nobel would know what I mean when I say that I accept this award in the spirit of a curator of some precious heirloom which he holds in trust for its true owners - all those to whom beauty is truth and truth beauty - and in whose eyes the beauty of genuine brotherhood and peace is more precious than diamonds or silver or gold. - Martin Luther King, Jr., Extract from the Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, Oslo, December 10, 1964
アルフレッド・ノーベルならきっと分かってくださる。至宝をまつる宝殿の一キュレーター（学芸員）の精神に則り、この賞をお受けすると言うとき、私がそこにどんな意味を込めているのか。氏が護る宝殿の本当の持ち主、それは ―美が真であり、真が美である― ということが分かるすべての人々です。彼らの目には、嘘偽りのない友愛と平和の美しさこそがダイヤモンド、銀、金よりもかけがえのない価値を持って映えるのです。- キング牧師、1964年12月10日ノーベル平和賞受賞挨拶より
Now people around the world say it's too soon to award the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize to President Barack Obama. Sure, he hasn't accomplished anything yet and Obama himself is well aware of it.
But read carefully what Alfred Nobel said in his will. He said, the prize should be awarded to the person who has done the most for peace "during the preceding year."
What Obama has done last year? He won the presidential election, putting an end to the long sorrow after Dr. King's assassination and brought back some hope.
Remember how Dr. King opened his "I have a dream" speech? He said, "Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation." Now people are busy telling we are yet to see what Obama can do in four years. But he is not like any other US presidents.
As they had to choose Dr. King in 1964, not 1969, they had to choose Obama this year. The exhibition From King to Obama opened at the Nobel Peace Center on 25 September.
時は変わって2009年。世界では、バラク・オバマ大統領のノーベル平和賞受賞は早過ぎるという非難が、かまびすしい。
「大統領になったばかりで、まだなんも実績がないではないか」というのはその通り。「任期中、妙な真似できぬよう猫に鈴つけたのね」という意見もなるほどねーとは思うが、でも、考えてみたらおかしな話よね。当のアルフレッド・ノーベルは遺言で「前の年、最大の功績を残した人に授与するものとする」と定めているのだから。
去年オバマは何をしたのか？ オバマは大統領選に勝った。勝って、史上最年少のノーベル平和賞受賞者を凶弾に失った悲しい記憶に終止符を打ち、希望らしきものを取り返してくれた。
キング牧師は「私には夢がある」の冒頭、「今から100年前、ある偉大なアメリカ人、今の我々にも多大な影響を及ぼした人物（註：背後のリンカーン）が奴隷解放宣言に調印しました」と歴史を俯瞰し、100年前の約束がまだ果たされていないと語った。それを今の人たちは「4年の任期が終わってみないとオバマの実績は分からない」なんてこと言う。
キング牧師が69年の受賞では遅すぎたように、オバマの受賞は今年でなくては意味がないんだと、思うよ？ ノーベル平和センターでは特別展「From King to Obama」が9月25日開幕した。
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キング牧師がノーベル平和賞を受賞。 : あの日あの時
"What Obama has done last year? He won the presidential election, putting an end to the long sorrow after Dr. King's assassination and brought back some hope."
ReplyDeleteI thought that was an interesting evaluation, to connect MLK to Obama in terms of the Nobel prize, and also in the context of the prize's terms, concerning 'what the winner has accomplished in the preceding year.' However I differ in opinion.
While it's true that last year, Obama won the election -- and it was quite momentous -- ultimately, he was voted into the position of presidency. Surely simply achieving office isn't worthy of a Nobel prize. And if it is, I think that the price should go to the one responsible for the action: that is, to the American people, who voted him into office in the first place, or to the political organizations, and parties and news groups that promoted him along the way!
Well said, Casey. Absolutely. They all deserve the Prize, and that was beautiful.
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