FACTS
Black Lives Matter (BLM) has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize by a Norwegian parliament member for its role in “raising global awareness and consciousness about racial injustice.” Petter Eide, of the country’s Socialist Left Party, nominated the movement for its ability to “mobilize people from all groups of society…in a way which has been different from their predecessors.”
LEFT
Film director Rosanna Arquette called the news “inspiring…so well deserved” and tweeted that BLM is “A movement for justice.” However, racial justice activist and Google engineer Mekke Okereke argued, “Nominating ‘Black Lives Matter’ for the Nobel Peace Prize is as silly as nominating ‘The entire state of Kansas,’ or ‘the whole industry of cabinet making.’ The movement was started by 3 Black women. Nominate *them*. Alicia Garza. Patrisse Cullors. Opal Tometi.” DemCast USA Executive Director Nick Knudsen tweeted, “In the midst of a health pandemic and an epidemic of white nationalist hatred, a movement swelled, uniting people across the country & globe around the cause of racial justice. [BLM] has been transformative.”
Black Lives Matter was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.
— Vivian (@VivianMpls) January 29, 2021
Deserved. pic.twitter.com/LX9nFZvSrL
RIGHT
The Right believes the nomination is “utterly ridiculous.” Laura Italiano, a journalist and editor with The New York Post, noted that the nomination is “a pitch that lauds the movement’s fight against racial injustice but takes little note of the decidedly non-peaceful violence and property damage that has been committed in its name.” Conservative commentator and author Katie Pavlich sarcastically noted, “Most expensive and devastating riots in American history but sure, Nobel Peace Prize seems appropriate.” Conservative blog Hot Air wrote, “So dumb its true: BLM Nominated For Nobel Peace Prize.” Beth Baumann, Assistant Editor at Townhall, called it “one of the most ironic things to happen this year (and we’re only a little less than a month into the new year). Riots broke out across the nation…Businesses were burned down and livelihoods were destroyed.”
Show Comments