# Hawking, Desmond Tutu, Harvey Milk get Presidential Medals of Freedom **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 12, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawking-desmond-tutu-harvey-milk-get-presidential-medals-of-freedom/506209 "2009-08-12T19:43:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawking-desmond-tutu-harvey-milk-get-presidential-medals-of-freedom/506209/1 "2009-08-12T19:43:14Z")
The presidential medals of freedom are being given out right now. I don’t follow this ceremony every year, but I was surprised I hadn’t heard any of these people were getting the honor. It’s a really cool list. [The most famous recipients this year are Stephen Hawking, Ted Kennedy, Jack Kemp, Sandra Day O’Connor, Harvey Milk, Billie Jean King, Desmond Tutu, and Sidney Poitier.](http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/President-Obama-Names-Medal-of-Freedom-Recipients/) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawking-desmond-tutu-harvey-milk-get-presidential-medals-of-freedom/506209/2 "2009-08-12T19:58:07Z")
Maybe it’s mean of me to call this mundane and pointless, since I sure wouldn’t feel that way if _I_ was getting one. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawking-desmond-tutu-harvey-milk-get-presidential-medals-of-freedom/506209/3 "2009-08-13T03:27:13Z")
Looks like a good crew. Desmond Tutu was my college commencement speaker in 1987 - practically a living saint, IMHO. I’m glad my country is honoring him and the others. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawking-desmond-tutu-harvey-milk-get-presidential-medals-of-freedom/506209/4 "2009-08-13T03:55:48Z")
What an awesome list of recipients! Kudos to Obama for choosing them! ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawking-desmond-tutu-harvey-milk-get-presidential-medals-of-freedom/506209/5 "2009-08-13T04:36:06Z")
Is Sidney Portier the only person to be a British knight and also get the Presidential Medal of Freedom, or are there others? ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawking-desmond-tutu-harvey-milk-get-presidential-medals-of-freedom/506209/6 "2009-08-13T04:39:38Z")
So does this medal even have any meaning? What is the significance of these choices? Obama thinks they are mad cool or what? I’m just unsure what theoretical physics has to do with freedom. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawking-desmond-tutu-harvey-milk-get-presidential-medals-of-freedom/506209/7 "2009-08-13T05:07:50Z")
Wiki states: It is designed to recognize individuals who have made “an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.” It is open ended from the sounds of things. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawking-desmond-tutu-harvey-milk-get-presidential-medals-of-freedom/506209/8 "2009-08-13T05:36:06Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Is Sidney Portier the only person to be a British knight and also get the Presidential Medal of Freedom, or are there others? [No.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Hawking) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawking-desmond-tutu-harvey-milk-get-presidential-medals-of-freedom/506209/9 "2009-08-13T06:01:14Z")
Also? Questions like these are why I always go to work tired. 😛 > [@Zsofia](#): > > Is Sidney Portier the only person to be a British knight and also get the Presidential Medal of Freedom, or are there others? So far, using wiki, I’ve come up with the following names who were both knighted and PMF winners (there may be more, but I’m done looking now): Hugh O’Flaherty Bob Hope Simon Wiesenthal Norman Schwartzkopf and Colin Powell were not knighted but were made honorary knights of the Order of Bath. Margaret Thatcher wasn’t knighted but she was made a baroness and is in the Order of the Garter. Lots of people (including Mandela and Mother Teresa, for example, both of whom seem to have received a bauble from every nation on the planet) received the Order of Merit in the UK but I neither know nor care where the OM is on the precedence list just now. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawking-desmond-tutu-harvey-milk-get-presidential-medals-of-freedom/506209/10 "2009-08-13T12:39:53Z")
> [@chique](#): > > Norman Schwartzkopf and Colin Powell were not knighted but were made honorary knights of the Order of Bath. > > Margaret Thatcher wasn’t knighted but she was made a baroness and is in the Order of the Garter. > > . Does this mean that they are entitled to be on the Royal Dole of money payout or is it honorary? ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawking-desmond-tutu-harvey-milk-get-presidential-medals-of-freedom/506209/11 "2009-08-13T13:31:33Z")
When Obama put Hawking’s medal on, you could see Hawking making a superhuman effort and - just briefly and just barely - smiling. 😃 Great moment. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawking-desmond-tutu-harvey-milk-get-presidential-medals-of-freedom/506209/12 "2009-08-13T14:25:37Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > When Obama put Hawking’s medal on, you could see Hawking making a superhuman effort and - just briefly and just barely - smiling. 😃 Great moment. He was probably just happy he doesn’t have to stand in front of one Obama’s death panels. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawking-desmond-tutu-harvey-milk-get-presidential-medals-of-freedom/506209/13 "2009-08-13T14:38:59Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > He was probably just happy he doesn’t have to stand in front of one Obama’s death panels. Wouldn’t it be great if Hawking ran over Sara Palin? Yes, I know she wasn’t there, just amuse me, people. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawking-desmond-tutu-harvey-milk-get-presidential-medals-of-freedom/506209/14 "2009-08-13T14:46:54Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > It is open ended from the sounds of things. It’s very open-ended from what I can tell. I’m surprised the choice of Harvey Milk hasn’t stirred more controversy, but maybe the people who would get upset about that are too busy being angry about other issues these days. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawking-desmond-tutu-harvey-milk-get-presidential-medals-of-freedom/506209/15 "2009-08-13T14:50:09Z")
Another article, with pictures: [News, Politics, Sports, Mail & Latest Headlines - AOL.com](http://news.aol.com/article/obama-awards-medal-of-freedom-to-joseph/614009) ISTR Rudy Giuliani and Norman Schwartzkopf were both knighted and given the PMF, but I could be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawking-desmond-tutu-harvey-milk-get-presidential-medals-of-freedom/506209/16 "2009-08-13T15:43:23Z")
Lech Walesa is another knighted recipient of the Medal of Freedom. In his case, he received the medal first in 1989 and was then knighted in 1991. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawking-desmond-tutu-harvey-milk-get-presidential-medals-of-freedom/506209/17 "2009-08-13T16:38:14Z")
> [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > Does this mean that they are entitled to be on the Royal Dole of money payout or is it honorary? Naw, the Civil List (wiki it) is actually pretty small. > [@chique](#): > > Lots of people (including Mandela and Mother Teresa, for example, both of whom seem to have received a bauble from every nation on the planet) received the Order of Merit in the UK but I neither know nor care where the OM is on the precedence list just now. So a little more (well-caffienated!) wiki-ing tells me that all of those Orders (Garter, Bath, Merit) rank above a piddly little knighthood so…uhh…[knock yourselves out](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Presidential_Medal_of_Freedom_recipients). ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawking-desmond-tutu-harvey-milk-get-presidential-medals-of-freedom/506209/18 "2009-08-13T21:14:45Z")
> [@chique](#): > > [No.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Hawking) 😉 Wait a minute. From the Wikipedia link, it shows Professor Hawking as a Companion of Honor and a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, both of which are British honors, but neither of which ranks as a knighthood. (If the were, he would be known as “Sir Stephen”). ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawking-desmond-tutu-harvey-milk-get-presidential-medals-of-freedom/506209/19 "2009-08-14T15:16:55Z")
> [@Billdo](#): > > Wait a minute. From the Wikipedia link, it shows Professor Hawking as a Companion of Honor and a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, both of which are British honors, but neither of which ranks as a knighthood. (If the were, he would be known as “Sir Stephen”). _shrug_ It was late, I was tired, I skipped a line. Sue me. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawking-desmond-tutu-harvey-milk-get-presidential-medals-of-freedom/506209/20 "2009-08-14T17:39:52Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > So does this medal even have any meaning? What is the significance of these choices? Obama thinks they are mad cool or what? You hit it on the head. And it’s not just Mr Obama, it’s whatever president is in power, whoever _ **HE** _ thinks is cool. This award is like the Grammys, it’s nice to win one but it has little effect on one’s career.