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This year's shrewd and daring award of the Nobel Prize for Peace is not a celebration but an expression of hope. It was given to our President not at the end of his term, but at the beginning. More than a personal honor for one man, it is a recognition of the American people's choice of a peace candidate to succeed President Bush, and a celebration of the strides we have all taken in overcoming a legacy of racism.
The most powerful thing that we can do with this moment is to amplify it, to echo loudly that President Obama has a mandate for peace, and that the American people will stand behind his bold moves to end hostilities in the Middle East.
This is our moment. Our angry demonstrations for peace have been neutered with police intimidation and muted by the shameful failure of the press to afford us requisite coverage. But a congratulatory outburst need not trigger this kind of backlash. We can celebrate this award with Obama, knowing full well that it is for us as much as for him, and in doing so we can build the scaffolding that supports Obama to do the right thing.
This is a call for a massive march on Washington under the banner, "Our President -- Nobel Laureate for Peace -- 2009". Brigades to visit city halls around the country. Silent candlelight vigils echoing the call for peace. Millions of congratulatory phone calls and faxes to the White House. Visits to Congressmen and Senators. Now is the time.
