Joel and Ethan Coen have been awarded the Dan David Prize and are slotted to receive in May 15th in Tel Aviv, Israel.  I'm sure you know all about the "Dan David Prize," but I'm feeling totally out of my element so I thought I share what I learned...

Three prizes of US$ 1 million each are annually awarded for achievements having an outstanding scientific, technological, cultural or social impact on our world. Each year fields are chosen within the three Time Dimensions - Past, Present and Future.
http://www.dandavidprize.org/

So this sounds pretty prestigious.  The other winners for 2011 are Marc Feldman, Cynthia Kenyon, and Gary Ruvkun.  You know....if the Nihilists won, then their special lady's dream of "getting million dollar" would finall come true.  Sorry, I'm rambling here, but I think the Coens definitely deserve the prize.  They have achieved a social and cultural impact not just with The Big Lebowski, but with their the whole bulk of their series.  Some don't exactly agree with the givers of the award.

BRICUP stands for the British Committee for the Universities of Palestine.  Palestine is the country who lost land when the Allies created Israel after World War II.  Needless to say, I hope you're aware of the constant struggle between these two people groups to occupy the same land.  This group is urging the Coen Brothers to not accept this award as a protest to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Here's an excerpt from their letter.  You can read the letter in its entirety here - http://www.alternativenews.org/english/index.php/topics/economy-of-the-occupation/3399-coen-brothers-dont-accept-dan-david-prize

Your much-celebrated presence will adorn a colonial settler state still vigorously engaged in the business of dispossessing and driving out the indigenous inhabitants, who are the Palestinians. Of course the United States itself is built on the bones and demolished civilizations of its own indigenous inhabitants, but for the Palestinians the struggle is real and present – an every day battle to hang on to land, houses, livelihoods, hopes and ambitions.

So what do you think?  I know a few Palestinians, and a couple Israelis.  All I can tell is that it's a two-sided problem.  Does this mean the Coen Brothers shouldn't accept the award?  Is this a moral issue?  I need some opinions.

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