Patterico's Pontifications

11/21/2005

Nominate Patterico for a Nobel Peace Prize

Filed under: Crime,Morons,Nobel Peace Prize — Patterico @ 2:00 pm



If you are a professor, judge, or legislator, then I want to hear from you. I want you to nominate Patterico for a Nobel Peace Prize.

I’m dead serious about this.

I’m not asking because I think I somehow deserve it. I just want to mock the idea that being nominated is some great distinction. For example, I keep reading that murderer Stanley “Tookie” Williams was nominated for one, as if this is somehow relevant to whether he should be executed.

It’s not — because anyone can be nominated.

As Eugene Volokh explains, being nominated is really no big deal:

Any social science, history, philosophy, law, and theology professor, judge, or legislator in any country (plus a few others) can nominate anyone for a Nobel Peace Prize (past nominees, just in 1901-1951, included Hitler, Stalin, and Molotov).

Not to mention that murderer Yasser Arafat actually won one.

Nothing would demonstrate how utterly meaningless such a nomination truly is like nominating someone completely undeserving of it — like me.

After all, when someone suggests that it’s a great distinction to be nominated, it’s a pretty effective rebuttal to be able to say: “So what? Even Hitler has been nominated!”

But it would be an even better rebuttal if I could respond by saying: “So what? They’ll nominate literally anyone. Hell, even I’ve been nominated!”

Wouldn’t that be great?

So let’s get it done.

I know that there are professors, judges, and legislators who read this blog. I’ve heard from some of you myself. If one of you is interested in nominating me, please contact me at patterico -AT- patterico -DOT- com.

P.S. But what will the application say? Well, if I were really trying to get it, you’d have to make some claim that would really impress the committee. You could say, for example, that I have killed more people than Tookie Williams and Yasser Arafat put together. But since I haven’t really killed anyone, you could simply note that fact, and argue that I am therefore even more “peaceful” than Arafat.

UPDATE: More on my campaign in this post.

67 Responses to “Nominate Patterico for a Nobel Peace Prize”

  1. I’m a professor, but I doubt they’d seriously consider a peace prize nomination by a lowly Assistant Professor of Biomedical Sciences….

    I’m with you, though. What a great way to show what a sham this award has become.

    caltechgirl (fbed6f)

  2. Hell if Jimmy Carter can win one, why not you! A vote yes!

    JATO (f45cba)

  3. I remember during the Schiavo matter that one of the pro-feeding experts was lauded as having been nominated for a Nobel prize–and that exact point was made by those who wanted to kill Terri.

    It was an accurae criticism then and now.

    See Dubya (d2a16e)

  4. I don’t think I knew it was this easy until today.

    Patterico (948bb2)

  5. Sure, but who did you cheat, shoot or kill to deserve the honor?

    Pat Patterson (5b3946)

  6. C’mon, Patterico, with all those murders you’ve prosecuted you must have killed somebody. And if you haven’t, maybe someone will nominate you for showing such amazing restraint.

    Xrlq (e2795d)

  7. Don’t stay up nights.

    Neil J. Lehto (26d34e)

  8. Putting this under morons and crime makes sense.

    Neil J. Lehto (26d34e)

  9. I thought you said noble pizza pies.

    RJN (c3a4a3)

  10. Want one in chemistry too? Let me research the requirements.

    Al (00c56b)

  11. Nothing would demonstrate how utterly meaningless such a nomination truly is like nominating someone completely undeserving of it — like me.

    Don’t sell yourself short. You are more deserving of it than many who have gotten it. What have you done? Encouraged public discourse that upholds the importance of intellectual honesty and integrity. (It cannot be expected that any group that honors Arafat as a peacemaker has any understanding of intellectual honesty and integrity, so don’t plan on paying off your mortgage with the winnings.:)

    MD in Philly (798da1)

  12. Until they let bloggers make nominations, the Nobel don’t mean squat!

    Attila (Pillage Idiot) (471b7c)

  13. If Tookie Williams can get nominated, then you should be a slamdunk. You have my vote.

    Craig Hancock (0f4830)

  14. The heck with Hitler; they may not know who he was. You can really annoy them by pointing out that George W Bush was nominated.

    Kevin Murphy (6a7945)

  15. Patterico, you need the right friends in the right places … Tookie had Ed Asner. Asner would tell every camera he saw that he felt Tookie deserved the award; he is such a fine writer and poet don’t you know.

    The concept that gets lost in the mix of all this Tookie the redeemed is that this punishment is for what he did in the past — reformation or not — he must pay for what he did. Not the least of which was creating the greatest scourge to befall our country, the gang. He and every one like him should be put down. Even if they did in fact win the Nobel Prize.

    MOG (1aaf45)

  16. Pat:

    Would you really want to be in the same company with Yassir Arafat and Mohammed el Baradai? Some of us might cease referring to you as “our esteemed host” were such to occur.

    Dana R. Pico (3e4784)

  17. […] I am disappointed that no reader has yet volunteered to nominate me for the Nobel Peace Prize. What’s the holdup? I haven’t committed enough murders? […]

    Patterico’s Pontifications » No Nobel Peace Prize Nomination Yet (421107)

  18. Odds, Ends (updated)

    1. Thanks so much to Greg Hill for the original Cape Fear, Heavy Metal, and Escape from Alcatraz. I've turned into a big Robert Mitchum fan, have always been a Clint fan, and can't for the life of my think how anyone wouldn't get excited…

    protein wisdom (c0db44)

  19. Patterico, you’re too pro-America to be in contention for a Nobel prize 😉

    Sister Toldjah (8f1279)

  20. It would help a great deal if you could criticize the Bush Administration, since the voters are only impressed by folks who do that. What’s that? You don’t want to win, you just want to be nominated? Aim lower!

    Brainster (30f254)

  21. If we want to ridicule Nobel nominations then nominate people who are are already ridiculous and undeserving, whose names evoke laughter and contempt, such as: Paris Hilton, Carrot Top, Michael Jackson, OJ Simpson, etc.

    Willy (12a9bb)

  22. Why Not Patterico?

    Considering some of the slimeballs who have gotten it, why not indeed?

    Dean's World (f03b36)

  23. Blogger for nobel peace prize

    Echoing an idea we had last week, Patterico has called for a social science, history, philosophy, law, and theology professor, judge, or legislator to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize.

    Tinkerty Tonk (59ce3a)

  24. […] Patterico makes a good case as well, Nominate Patterico for a Nobel Peace Prize. If you are a professor, judge, or legislator, then I want to hear from you. I want you to nominate Patterico for a Nobel Peace Prize. […]

    FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog » Nobel Peace Prize Watch: Nominate Patterico (baa0b4)

  25. I’m not asking because I think I somehow deserve it.

    Deserve it? Like that even matters.

    Red Loser (39da38)

  26. Help out a blogger with a reasonable request

    Help out Patterico. All he wants is to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

    Being nominated isn’t a big deal, as there are no requirements to get nominated.

    Patterico has been shining the light of truth on a corrupt California institution, b…

    Generic Confusion (59ce3a)

  27. Finally: A Tookie Store for Conservatives

    Just in time for the holidays:
    Tookie Store
    Here are some samples of the shirts, buttons and other products. Images go to lines of products with that phrase:

    Fry Tookie . Now

    Nuke Tookie . Now

    Save Tookie Win Prizes

    aaron (47f4fe)

  28. I find it absolutly disgusting that people here are mocking what Williams has done. First of all keep in mind that Tookie was convicted by a jury who only saw a gang member, thus looking through the circumstancial evidence, which was the only kind presented. Also it is low to automatically assume that what he is trying to do is just get in a position to gain clemency. He is saving the youth of today from joining gangs like the crips. Lets not forget the momentary truce he brought between the bloods and the crips. I for one will not nominate Patterico as Patterico is simply a reporter exploiting the misfortunes of a man about to be killed, fighting for his life.

    DJ Willis (57218c)

  29. Patterico is simply a reporter exploiting the misfortunes of a man about to be killed, fighting for his life.

    But DJ Willis, you just don’t understand…

    Some killing is permissible. Such as all killing done by the state. And let’s not say “killing.” Let’s say “creating a deterence to kill” instead, because that makes so much more sense. Think about it: what better way to uphold the sanctity of life than by eliminating it at will?

    Tom (15e81e)

  30. First of all keep in mind that Tookie was convicted by a jury who only saw a gang member . . .

    Really, DJ Willis? I heard the prosecutor on the radio tonight saying that there was no evidence at trial regarding Tookie’s gang membership. Do you have evidence otherwise? Or were you just making a faulty assumption?

    Patterico (806687)

  31. It was no mystery that during the trial the jury knew of his gang membership. The people called to the stand stated that he had a relation to a gang. Also the bullets at the scene did not match the gun he was carrying. Also Tom I hope you were being sarcastic. There is no “nice” way of saying it. The death penalty is governmentally sponsored killings. What message does that send to other countries, when we are the so-called for runners of morality and humanity.

    DJ (bd9cb9)

  32. Also the bullets at the scene did not match the gun he was carrying.

    Actually they did:

    “At trial, a firearms expert testified that the expended twelve-gauge shotgun shell that
    was recovered by investigators at the Brookhaven Motel, trial exhibit 9E, was fired from
    Williams’ shotgun, trial exhibit 8, to the exclusion of all other firearms. (TT 1522-1523).”

    Scott (57c0cc)

  33. It was no mystery that during the trial the jury knew of his gang membership. The people called to the stand stated that he had a relation to a gang.

    Granting for argument’s sake that the jury was aware by one means or another that Tookie founded the Crips, juries (in the American justice system at least) need to be made aware of all info relevant to the case on which they are rendering a verdict.

    For example in a case where the victim was killed by multiple contusions and the pool of suspects has been narrowed down to just two people, it is helpful for the jury to know that one is a karate teacher while the other has a heart disorder that causes him to pass out upon attempting any activity more strenuous than tying his shoelaces.

    So yeah, if the jury was aware that Tookie had criminal affiliations, I’d consider that relevant – this is just the counterpoint of the defense offering up examples of good deeds on the part of the defendant; both sides do what they can to provide relevant background on the defendant, witnesses, claimant etc in order to give the jury the best possible perspective.

    Scott (57c0cc)

  34. The juries are not supposed to know other information about the suspects history. The fact that they knew he was a gang founder could have corrupted the jury pool (who was all white) [no it wasn’t — Patterico] and persueded the vote either way. In a perfect world I would agree with Scott, but the truth is that humans have emotions and cannot block them out even during a trial.

    DJ (d78f69)

  35. the person sitting on death row known as Tookie has exhausted all his appeals. He needs to die and the sooner the better. He hasn’t changed his stripes, he has camoflagued them with a few so-called childrens books. He would be just as dangerous now as he was then, if he were still on the strets. A comutted sentence should not be an option.

    pegleg (d6f550)

  36. You all sit here and criticize him while not knowing the circumstances of being a black man in the worst parts of the US. Its not even prooved that he ineed did kill the vics. DNA evidence has been denied in this case. Why? Look at all of the facts he is not getting a fair process.

    DJ Willis (3907f2)

  37. wow. You know what? Tookie Williams has formorly been a murderer, yes, but he has also written children’s books with anti-hate messages within them and spoken to gang leafders about how bad gangs are. i think he should be spared on December 13, 2005 and i am glad he was nominated.

    elsia ghuh (ccc45b)

  38. Does anybody know how many copies of his books were sold? Did any become a best seller? Would I be able to go to my local bookstore tommorrow and buy a copy of one of his books?

    pegleg (d6f550)

  39. Let me comment from Pluto (that is with a little
    detachment). I believe, some things considered,
    the Guv should grant Tookie, clemency. Why?
    Because grace trumps justice. Hey, as far as I
    know I, like the creator of this blog, have never
    killed another human being. But, my sentence,
    like every other human being alive today, is
    death by Time. Time, I submit is a form of God
    that He uses to discipline ALL of us fallen souls.
    And I assert, it is only by the Grace of the
    Supreme Being that any of us bozos in this stinkin’ old world are allowed to come here to
    imitate Him, thinking, “hey I’m innocent, I’m
    cool, I’m so much better than Tookie (whoops,
    my detachment is slipping), I’m the lord of all I survey, let’s see, I’m righteous (hey I’ve never
    killed anybody), and on and on and on. If the
    State of California executes Tookie, it will just
    be some more, so typical, an eye for an eye and the
    message of truth and grace will again, again so
    typically, be shown to be an inferior motivator
    to that of the “justice crowd.” (Sorry for losing
    my detachment in the course of this missive).

    Eric W. Crosley Lansing, MI (97050d)

  40. You’re right, Eric, your reasoning does come from Pluto. While we’re at it, what say we really do the Christian thing, abolish prisons, and simply admonish all convicts to “go and sin no more?”

    Xrlq (6c76c4)

  41. Pat, Am I mistaken, or is Glenn Reynolds a law prof? He might just go along with you, HEH

    MfgEngr (c39aeb)

  42. xrlq if you are to post feel free to do so, but please have some reasoning behind your comments. If you are going to make a statement such as “why dont we do the christian thing and abolish prison, and have convicts go and do no more harm” If you knew anything about the christian faith you would know that God expects people to do harm. He has his own punishments for the convicts you speak of. The bible does not speak out againts prisons, in fact life in prison is a far worse fate than the death penalty. Other than the fact that the “eye for an eye” is taken out of context so many times. What about “an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.”

    DJ Willis (ee0089)

  43. I believe xrlq was being sarcastic, and not seriously suggesting we do what he said, for none of us have the moral authority or commanding presence to make such a statement and have it be meaningful. Nor are any of us going to pay the penalty of death ourselves that is justly deserved by those who we let go free.

    He is saving the youth of today from joining gangs like the crips.

    Is he really? It is one thing to write books that say don’t be bad, it’s another thing to cooperate with officials to put behind bars those who are doing bad right now and may even be doing violence to the store where his books are sold. If everyone reading this blog thought there was ample evidence that he was innocent or that he was remorseful and doing all that he could to minimize the hell that he has fostered we would all be more “supportive”. (Though even in support, some would say that the sentence needs to be carried out, just as it was for Ms. Tucker in Texas).

    MD in Philly (b3202e)

  44. xrlq if you are to post feel free to do so

    Why thank you! That’s very generous of you, seeing as this isn’t your friggin’ blog to begin with. I hereby grant you permission to post here, as well.

    but please have some reasoning behind your comments. If you are going to make a statement such as “why dont we do the christian thing and abolish prison, and have convicts go and do no more harm”

    … then what? It looks like you started a sentence and then left it unfinished. Assuming you meant something bad, well, let’s just say that Eric is the one that started us down this “grace trumps justice” nonsense, not me.

    If you knew anything about the christian [sic] faith you would know that God expects people to do harm.

    I know plenty about the Christian faith, thank you very much. Just because I don’t share it, does not mean I don’t know anything about it. Though in this case I was being sarcastic, as I don’t really believe that a proper understanding of the Bible requires believers to be criminal-loving boobs like Eric; only his own twisted brand of it does.

    The bible does not speak out againts prisons,

    It doesn’t speak about against capital punishment, either, which was my point. Some Xians do, however, like to point to John 8:3-11 as alleged proof that it condemns capital punishment. But if it does, it also condemns all other forms of punishment, as Jesus did not just commute the adultress’s death sentence; she told him to “go and sin no more.”

    in fact life in prison is a far worse fate than the death penalty.

    If by “fact” you mean “opinion,” and by “far worse” you mean “far more palatable to death penalty opponents,” then I suppose you’re right.

    Xrlq (428dfd)

  45. Tookies record stands for its self how would you feel if it was your family he killed in cold blood? I do not agree with the death penalty as it is used in this country for the simple fact that it is used differently from state to state in this nation.
    Tookie was convicted with over wellming evidence he has never said he was sorry for what he did the only thing he has really done is write a couple of self serving books most of them abought the terrible conditions he has to live with while in prison never once thinking abought the prisons he himself created for the family’s of his victims.
    The one thing I don’t know for sure is did the family’s of his victims benifit from his movie and book’s or is this just another attempt by tookie to grab headlines and create controversy to save his life?

    Emanon (014d49)

  46. Im not against the death penalty, in fact i support it in most instances, but the work that Williams has done, and can do, should allow him to have his life. If I had a choice between life in prison and death Id take death.

    DJ Willis (104726)

  47. What work has Tookie done that warrants allowing him to live after murdering four innoncent people and co-founding a gang that has murdered thousands more? He’s never even admitted to those murders, let alone told the authorities what he knows about the gang he foisted upon society. He has planned a jail break which, if executed according to plan, would have resulted in several more murders of innocent people along the way. So praytell, what good things do you think he has done, aside from allowing Barbara Cottman Becnel to use his name on her insipid children’s books?

    Xrlq (428dfd)

  48. If I had a choice between life in prison and death Id take death.

    Maybe you would, but murderers almost never do, and they’re the ones whose opinions matter on this issue. If they thought life imprisonment were the more serious punishment, you’d see a lot fewer appeals by death row inmates who know the “best” possible outcome is life without parole, and far more appeals by inmates under life sentences, asking judges to “reduce” their sentences to death.

    Xrlq (428dfd)

  49. First of all Williams knows nothing about the crips, any information he has, is very old information since hes been in the can for awhile. Second the inmates opinions are not the ones that matter, apparently the only opinion that metters is the judge. Not all of the families of the vics want him dead, so killing him isnt justice for all. Last how has Williams harmed anybody in here enough to the point where people who have never met him, or dont know the full story rush to kill him asap?

    DJ Willis (76184b)

  50. So how is your nomination going? If you get nominated for a Nobel does that open up opportunities for you to be nominated for an Oscar, or an Academy, or who knows maybe an MTV or VH1 award?

    Dave
    http://www.davescorner.org

    Dave (d9dc6b)

  51. If Novel knows what we have done with his Prize, he would be pretty mad.
    If the Novel Prize is not given to Tookie, we can give him the JD Powers and Associates… it would be a sign… JD Powewrs have been given to most companies that are as of today “OUT OF BUSINESS”

    I.Young (7394b5)

  52. Tookie Clemented! Tookie Clemented!

    See it here.

    machsplanck (118b44)

  53. I think Jay Leno said it best,”You can nominate a ham sandwich for a Nobel Peace Prize.”

    This punk is going to meet his Maker!

    Dirty Harry (7b9434)

  54. he is gonna die!!! The govenator isn’t going to save him. Jesse Jackson is trying to stir up the black population to riot. [Over-the-top comment zapped. — The Mgmt.]

    pegleg (d6f550)

  55. Cripes, in the name of Larry the Cable Guy: GIT R DONE! What the heck took so long with this guy? Some of us down South here believe everything should be deep fried, including our criminals. It’s quick, it’s easy…like hair in a can! None of this wimpy “lethal injection” stuff. What is California thinking? Seriously, sticking a needle in a gansta’s arm? I bet he already had more holes in it than a voodoo doll. *sigh* Oh, the good ole days of flogging. Do I smell chicken? California, get your act together and do what the rest of us do: nuke a burrito, turn off your lights and fry his “Tookass!”

    Trish (bbf7c3)

  56. I am flabbergasted!!! Those misguided people who demonstrated against this execution are now wanting to hold a memorial service ‘fit for a statesman’ for dead ol’Tookie. That dead piece of meat was a multi-murderer not any sort of person to be celebrated.

    pegleg (d6f550)

  57. pegleg shut the hell up please. The mans dead, let people who cared for him grieve. Why should people who had no connection to the murders suffer? I thought that this board was for intelligent debate, not people who take cheap shots at dead people, but the last four posts have been posted by jackasses.

    DJ Willis (7ced7e)

  58. you’re on that list as #4, DJ. It really does take one to know one, doesn’t it…

    pegleg (d6f550)

  59. Two comments…
    Kill him, beat him! Burn him! and hang him until he breaths his last breath and is dead dead dead!

    Second, lets make sure we all say Merry Christmas when we greet someone this year. I think its really important we keep the spirit of Christ in Christmas!
    God Bless you all and especially George Bush a fine example of Christianity in action.

    BushLover (8ea405)

  60. Pegleg were you asking a question? Because they tend to have a question mark at the end of the question. And the list was dirty harry, pegleg, trish, and back to pegleg.

    DJ (d78f69)

  61. DJ
    you are obviously someone who doesn’t have much of a life. You get on internet forums and try to pick fights because you know you can’t be easily hunted down and stomped into a mud puddle. It would be nice if there was an “ignore” feature on this site. You wouls make my ignore list in a hot second.

    pegleg (d6f550)

  62. Haha close, but no. I get on forums to give my opinion, which may or may not be shared by others. Im also not very afraid of anyone not man enough to use his actual name, and than threatin me.

    dj (d78f69)

  63. The Nobel Stupidity Prize

    The peace the Nobel Committee values is the peace of the prison or the slave pen.

    Common Sense Political Thought (819604)

  64. i NOMINATE YOU NIGGA

    JILL KILL (0fda86)

  65. Breaking News: Al Gore nominated for Nobel Peace Prize!…

    My good friend Patterico (OK, I’ve never actually met him, but nowadays, people can become good friends on the internet), had a series on nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize. Pat was trying to get himself nominated, to prove how worthless the…

    Common Sense Political Thought (819604)

  66. Hello! Good Site! Thanks you! yiskgtdbvlvfl

    gpbbisqasu (ba19e6)

  67. […] I mentioned this a while back in connection with the Tookie Williams thing. I even hit up a blogger who is a law professor but he took the process too seriously. Then I hit up another blogger who is a professor. He agreed in principle, but never followed through and then became a leftist blogger and a little bit of an asshole. […]

    Patterico’s Pontifications » Calling All Professors: Patterico Needs to Be Nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize (e4ab32)


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