College Democrats of America | Hilary Carpenter's Blog: My Al Gore Problem

My Al Gore Problem

By Hilary Carpenter - Oct 16th, 2007 at 8:48 pm EDT

Also listed in: Dems Against Death

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I'm not among the ranks of Democrats jumping for joy that Al Gore was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. I like his movie. It isn't the best documentary I've ever seen, but it is thought-provoking, and certainly praise-worthy. I'm glad it won an Academy Award. If there were a Nobel Peace Prize for environmentalism, I'd be all for him.

I have two problems with the award. First, Al Gore was a significant force behind the Clinton administration's unprecedented expansion of the federal death penalty. State-sponsored execution is not peaceful. Killing people is not peaceful. Supporting a punishment that is racist, classist and arbitrary is not peaceful.

Second, call me corny, but I have always thought of the Nobel Peace Prize as an award for an individual (or group) that has made a significant sacrifice -- of fortune, of political career, of safety -- to promote peace. I don't see Mr. Gore as among those ranks. He's profited handsomely, in reputation and wealth, from his books and film. He's yukked it up with Leo DiCaprio on the world's most glamorous stage. I don't really call that a sacrifice.

Reader Comments

Environmental Disaster means worldwide anarchy...

By Karen Davis Oct 16th 2007 at 10:27 pm EDT

Think about it this way. Because there is no water, no food, and only a nest of ants to eat, you and your neighbor are fighting for the food. maybe a quarter of a cup of water for your whole family to drink. You and your spouse are fighting for just a drop.

*******************

Al decided to warn of a serious danger in our world instead of tucking himself away in a posh office lobbying for some big corporation on his name recognition in Washington. He may not have seen the sacrifice. Democrats should. The Nobel committee did. You may not like his involvement with the Clintons. That's your right. But to disparage what he did with his past, is disingenuous. He did make a documentary about it and IS DOING the right thing to keep talking about environmental Disaster. We are still a VERY endangered species (yes, Us!) if we don't get environmental controls worldwide.

End the Poisonous Greed of World Corporations!

Re: Environmental Disaster means worldwide anarchy...

By Hilary Carpenter Oct 17th 2007 at 2:17 pm EDT

Karen: I posted this blog knowing people would disagree with me. I think it's important that we acknowledge and respect that Democrats are not a homogenous group that agree 100% on everything. How boring that would be. Having said that, I feel compelled to address a few of your points.

First, I never implied that Mr. Gore didn't do the right thing in making the documentary. In fact, I stated quite the opposite. All you have to do is read my post again, and you'll see that I make that clear at the very beginning.

Second, I'm not sure which of my comments was disparaging, but I was simply stating facts about Al Gore's past. As people familiar with my blogs know, I have a very strong and particular viewpoint about capital punishment, based on very specific and objective reasons. Mr. Gore and I are worlds apart on that issue. He expressed his support for the expansion of the state's right to kill people through his work as vice-president. I am expressing my opposition here. That is not disingenuous. It's expressing opinions, and it's quite American.

I will repeat it here: I did not criticize Mr. Gore's work or his books or his movie. I criticized the Nobel committee's decision to award a peace prize to someone who supports the death penalty.

I understand where you believe Mr. Gore made a sacrifice. I disagree with you on this.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and thanks for reading!

What could be more "peaceful".........

By Cato Meador Oct 16th 2007 at 11:22 pm EDT

.....than keeping the planet from consuming itself from the inside by working to keep the planet where it flourishes with items of substenance, so that food won't cause the biggest war in the history of the world.

And I regret that you have such hard feelings against President Clinton....were Reagan, Bush I and Bush II better for you?

I am thinking, probably not. Being a fan of or being in agreement with President Clinton does not automatically make someone a Hillary supporter. But I personally embrace the eight years of near normalcy....even with Lewinski....that we had in the 1990's. In my adult life, it is the only time that government ever gave me an even break!

But then again.....that's just me.........

Re: What could be more "peaceful".........

By Hilary Carpenter Oct 17th 2007 at 5:24 pm EDT

Hi, Cato Meador! Thanks for sharing. For the record, I obviously think the Clinton years were better than the Republican years. But that doesn't mean I agree with him 100% on everything. And it certainly doesn't mean anyone should imply that I am a right wing sympathizer just because I disagree with Al Gore getting the Nobel Peace Prize.

Also, I understand the connection between global warming and peace. That wasn't the point of my post at all. If you reread it, I think you'll understand that.

Thanks for reading!

Re: you should wiki Al

By Hilary Carpenter Oct 17th 2007 at 5:20 pm EDT

Well, Wiki will only get you so far. Al Gore supported the expansion of the federal death penalty and was not ashamed of it. He even posted it on his campaign web site at Link. You can find information at Link.

Also, you can Google his name and the death penalty for even more information.

As to your second point, I guess we just disagree on whether profiting matters. That's cool.

Thanks for sharing, and thanks for reading!