Russian President Vladimir Putin was named as Time magazine's "Person of the Year" this week for achieving apparent stability in Russia even at the cost of freedom and democracy for its people.The Telegraph (UK) reports that: The award, often made to stoke controversy and supposed to be a recognition of influence rather than an honour, was given to the Russian president because he had reshaped a country that had "fallen off our mental map", according to Richard Stengel, Time's managing editor.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/12/20/wputin120.xml
Previous winners include Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin. After Ayatollah Khomeini won the award in 1979, thousands of readers cancelled their subscriptions.
We have blogged here about Putin. Some have praised him. And on the other side, to quote Garrett, "Fear the Putin."
For fun posting here over the holidays, nominate your choice for Political Warrior Person of the Year.
My 2007 nominee is...Bono... the winner of this year's Liberty Medal from the National Constitution Museum, the co-founder of the One Campaign and founder of DATA (Debt, Aids, Trade, Africa), Product Red...and in his spare time, the lead singer of The Greatest Band of Social Conscience, U2. Bono has led the lobby on both sides of the Congressional aisle in the U.S. and both sides of the Atlantic Ocean (the EU) to keep world poverty on the legislative agenda. Unlike infamous corrupt lobbyists like Jack Abramoff, Bono is proof that special interests can truly be for the greater good.
In 2006, Bono said this upon launching Product Red:
"Over the past year, almost 2 million (it's now 2.4 million) Americans have joined ONE, in churches and chatrooms. . .on soccer pitches and movie sets. . .at NASCAR races and rock concerts. By 2008, we’re aiming to have 5 million members – that’s more than the National Rifle Association. Just think for a moment of what that kind of political firepower could achieve for the poorest of the poor. . ."
For more on Wolak's Person of the Year, read here:
http://www.u2france.com/spip.php?article11551
Ok Political Warriors, post your nominees here. We'll vote on the Political Warrior Person of the Year on Jan. 7
10 comments:
I need to think about whom I would put as the Person of the Year, but before that, I would like to make a comment about Bono. This might be because I am not as engaged in current events and figures than others, but, I didn't know there was this person called Bono with such great ambition and effort to bring aid to Africa. Although I understand why people like Paul Theroux and William Easterly think that outside aid can't entirely bring change to Africa, I believe what Bono is doing is very significant and important. America is different from other countries in general. America symbolizes more freedom, more spirit, more prosperity, and more opportunity, even if they're slightly magnified by the image of the nation. We do have responsibilities to pour out aid to those unable to develop and unleash their potential due to complex issues binding them. First, prosperous nations around the world have to raise them up to a certain level so they can begin their own anti-poverty approach.
Bono really inspires me because his philosophy applies to the cause of this club called LEAP Waubonsie, which I am starting in 2nd semester. Waubonsie students' collective effort to help out students in South Africa is a small scale scenario of Bono and his people's effort. I want his inspiration to be alive within Waubonsie students (or all teenagers), too. So...I better think about some dramatic person who can match this awesome guy!
Whoever that Polish woman was who saved 2300 lives during the Holocaust definitely should be nominated. The Tribune profiled her about a month ago. She kept information on all the people she saved in a glass jar buried under an apple tree in her yard. The Nazis actually tried to break her, but she never revealed where the 2300 went. She was up for a Nobel Peace Prize, but the Nobel Committee apparently prefers loud environmentalists to proven heroes-under-fire. If I find this woman's name, I'll post it on the blog, so stay tuned.
Okay, update on my nominee. Her name is Irena Sendler. She was a Polish Catholic who saved 2500 Jewish Children from the Warsaw ghetto. I don't care that she didn't do anything exciting this year, she saved 2500 children! She was up for a Nobel Prize this year, but I guess the Nobel Committee doesn't care about people who put their lives on the line to save thousands of children and prefers instead to award whiny tree-huggers for yelling about an issue that is still being researched. Thanks a lot for wiping out my memory, Al Gore!
Most Influential:
1. Nicolas Sarkozy - After having to deal with the dismal Chirac for over a decade Sarkozy seems to be revitalizing France; if his economic reforms are successful the rest of Europe will likely find them contagious and he has reshaped the balance of power when it comes to dealing with Iran and Darfur.
2. Putin - He has assured a smooth succession but its wrong to think that he has saved Russia's economy.
3. Gen. Petraeus - His successful policies in Iraq may yet re-frame debate about the war and U.S. foreign policy in general.
4. Bush - Still calling the shots. Only he could have derailed the Bali conference and, alas, only he could have restarted the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. If he would have done what was necessary at Annapolis he would have been number one.
5. Recap Tayyip Erdogan - As leader of the Islamist Justice and Development Party he is helping to set an important precedent; that Islamic political parties can lead governments effectively. If anyone can get turkey into the EU its him.
Honorable Mention: Iftikhar Chaudhry - The Chief Justice of Pakistan's Supreme Court threw a monkey wrench into Musharraf's plan to continue his authoritarian rule. Whether or not Osama Bin Laden can be brought to justice will depend mostly on what happens next in Pakistan.
Good Riddance: Jerry Falwell was an incredibly effective political organizer but he was also a bigot who reduced 9/11 to the fault of gays, abortionists (a term that only people like Falwell would ever even use), and secularists. He will not be missed.
i can't think of anyone that stands out. locally, naperville councilman richard ferstinau perhaps. in the council meeting that i went to on dec 18, one of the motions was to censure, or officially reprimand, him. the people of naperville overwhelmingly pled in testimony of past experiences where richard had helped them work through issues or even just listened to what they had to say. from what the citizens had to say, he sounds like a guy that truly and honestly (redundant) cares about the well-being for a community. however, the other councilmen decided to ignore the overwhelming voice of the people and ended up censuring him based on an addition to the council rules amended in september. apparently, council members can't say anything to oppose other council members or even say anything that might offend somebody's feelings. so because of his strong desire to make a difference and take action to actually do so, ferstenau is my local person of the year. idk about national or global. i need some time to think that over.
I'd go with the Green Revoution, even though it is not a person.
I believe that Angelina Jolie should be Time's Person of the Year. During the past year, she used her popularity to bring attention and raise money for people in poverty-stroken countries. In addition to promoting humanitarian causes throughout the would, through the UNHCR see has worked to help refugees from Africa to Russia. From having her daughter in Namibia to building a home in the midst of New Orleans wreckage, Angelina Jolie has truly used her fame and fortune to do good.
~Jenny
I have two personal picks: Nicolas Sarcozy and PM Gordon Brown. The reason I would choose Sarcozy is because he is the first conservative to become the president of France, a traditionally liberal country. It could show a new change in the politics of Europe, and brings a new era in US-France relations. The other choice, PM Gordon Brown, I chose because he is no longer part of a great US-Britain alliance. In his speech to the US Congress, he said ""In the 21st century, strength should be measured on what we can build together ... we need to demonstrate by our deeds, words and our actions that we are internationalist, not isolationist, multilateralist, not unilateralist, active and not passive, and driven by core values, consistently applied, not special interests." signaling the end of the tight alliance and pairing between the United States and the UK, which is absolutely huge not only for the US but for Britain, and of course, the rest of the world. Other than that, I think any of the other people everyone suggested would be great choices.
This is a hard one for me to choose, Time does have a point about Russia being more stable than it has in the past so Putin does make sense. Also, it's mentioned that award is less for honor and more for influence, which applies to when it was given to men such as Hitler and Stalin. I do agree with Bono and his work in Africa, as well as Jenny's nomination of Angelina Jolie who has also done good. On that side though there are just so many people out there doing good who aren't famous at all. If anybody ever reads People magazine every issue has a "Heros Among Us" section that's really uplifting to read about "ordinary" people who are out there making some sort of difference in their community, state, nation, or even the world. Also, peple with influence on the environmentalist issues now. I know some people have critized them but they support a really good cause. If we can't save the land we're living on then how are we supposed to survive into further generations? Especially with the latest weather which today had me turning on air condtioning for my ride home...in January.
There are people who do so much in this world that it's hard to pick just one person to be a "Person of the Year"
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