Did You Know...

**Written by Doug Powers

The Chinese government isn’t too happy with the Nobel Peace Prize recipient this year:

Since Liu Xiaobo’s selection, China has vilified the 54-year-old democracy advocate, called the choice an effort by the West to contain its rise, disparaged his supporters as “clowns,” and launched a campaign to persuade countries not to attend Friday’s ceremony in Oslo. The government is also preventing Liu — who is serving an 11-year sentence for co-authoring a bold appeal for political reforms in the Communist country — and his family members from attending.

To retaliate against the unfairness, the country that is holding the Nobel Peace Prize winner in prison decided to offer their own peace prize — I’m calling it the “Golden Mao”:

Amid the flurry of action came a commentary published on Nov. 17 in a Communist Party-approved tabloid that suggested China create its own award the “Confucius Peace Prize” — to counter the choice of Liu.

Three weeks later, The Associated Press has learned, China is doing just that.
[...]
The first honoree is Lien Chan, Taiwan’s former vice president and the honorary chairman of its Nationalist Party, for having “built a bridge of peace between the mainland and Taiwan.”

Who were the other nominees for the Golden Mao (also affectionately referred to as the “Zedonger”)? Think “Nobel” any other year:

billionaire Bill Gates, former South African President Nelson Mandela, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and the Panchen Lama, the second-highest figure in Tibetan Buddhism.

While China regularly disparages the Dalai Lama, the religion’s spiritual leader, the current Panchen Lama is a 20-year-old who was hand-picked by Beijing.

Somewhere out there, Al Gore is staring at his phone wondering why he didn’t get a phone call from Beijing this week.

**Written by Doug Powers

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