35
votes
Anger in Sweden as Nobel Prize organizers invite Russia and Belarus to the award ceremonies – several lawmakers say they will boycott this year's ceremonies
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- Title
- Nobel body reverses invitation policy. Russia, Belarus, Iran and far-right leader are welcome
- Published
- Sep 1 2023
- Word count
- 384 words
Looks like they’ve gone back on that idea. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/09/02/nobel-ceremony-russia-belarus-invite-criticism/
Didn't take very long. Boggles the mind that they tried to do this.
I don't know. I think in their purest form, things like Science and the Olympics should transcend politics.
I also think what's happening in Ukraine is abhorrent, so is it really just "politics?"
I just wish I knew whether these acts of exclusion that we keep seeing are the right path. I wish I knew whether excluding nations with whom we don't agree from various parts of our global society pushes them further away from becoming good actors, helps teach them a lesson, or has no impact at all.
I will say this, I think that keeping various Eastern nations as "frenemies" rather than just enemies has somewhat prevented them from becoming more dangerous. If we do cut out Russia, China, Et al. completely, we may very well see them band together to form a pretty worrisome alliance. They seem to be working toward it somewhat now.
Intrgrating Russia was the EUs plan for a long while, but Putin still decided to attack other countries multiple times. Is it then a good thing to go back to it, showing him that he can just continue?
We also know that he loves to use famous athletes and scientist for propaganda. If you give a nobel prize to a russian, and the next day he is talking to the troops about how Russia will win because they have the smartest people, can you really say that the science is pure and trancend politics?
One of New Zealand's proudest cultural moments was protesting apartheid South Africa during sports. Some things are bad enough that nothing transcends them.
I don’t know if there is a way to turn autocratic nations into good actors, but limiting their development so they are less dangerous is probably an achievable goal. Certainly we shouldn’t be investing in their industries, trading with them, or helping them in their atrocities no matter how indirectly.
Countries can compete and have very different interests on the word stage and still be relatively friendly towards each other. But when a country invades their neighbors, simulate bombing runs against your cities and murder people in your country then its time stop pretending to be friendly.
"Whom we don't agree"? Those are some serious euphemisms you've got there. Your narrative seems like something out of the Russian propaganda playbook and I feel the need to push back on that. The way I see it, this specific case has nothing to do with pushing those we don't agree with away. Don't you think it is more about pushing away those who attack peaceful countries, intentionally bomb civilians, and kidnap children without even trying to hide it while threatening the rest of the world with nukes?
You're right about my phrasing. And upon reflection, I find myself thinking of my comment as it would relate to Nazi Germany. The idea of working with them is absurd and appeasement didn't work.
I suppose my fear, as I mentioned, is that the bad guys get together and form a modern day Axis alliance. But you're right and I would probably make a different comment now after more thought.