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1999
Entries
ALEXANDER
GRAHAM BELL
Kevin Rothstein, NYC: His invention, the telephone, did
more to change the world than anything or anybody. Churchill is
history, but the Internet will live.
THE
AMERICAN G.I.
Kristin Dizon, Seattle: It's too hard to choose any one
person, but the American GI is tied to not only the major conflicts
of the century such as WWII and Vietnam, which shaped us psychically,
but also the post-war economic and baby boom.
WALT
DISNEY
Brandon
Moglen, Redondo Beach, CA: No one has gone further in business,
entertainment, or cryogenics.
Rachel
Verghese,
Dallas: The Pied Piper who drives millions around the world to
stare at the antics of a rodent and his pals.
ALBERT
EINSTEIN
Harry Bruinius, NYC: In a century defined by its technological
and scientific advancements, he has done more than any other person
to change the way we understand our selves and our universe.
Ben Court,
NYC: Because he profoundly influenced science.
Blair Craddock,
NYC: The overriding issue of the century, outstripping everything
else -- the thing that makes it absolutely different from all
other centuries -- is that now we understand the atom, and are
faced with the challenge of managing not to destroy ourselves
even though we're quite easily able.
Tony Dela
Cruz, Arlington Heights. IL: Because human history in the
20th century turned on Einstein's discovery of the power of atomic
energy.
Jon Dube,
Seattle: His role in the development of the bomb, which has had
more world impact than anything else this century.
Deepti
Hajela, NYC: He embodies the scientific advances that have made this century
what it was.
Puneet
Lamba, Toronto: Einstein's theories were crucial to the development
of the nuclear technology, the world's preoccupation with which
has perhaps consumed more global resources than any other single
pursuit. The choice of Einstein will appease both Europeans and
Americans.
Adam Marlin,
Washington: His deeds would have been much harder to replicate
by another human.
Joe Pascal,
Islandia, NY: Gave rise to societal advancement and destruction
simultaneously.
Sathyan
Pillai, Memphis: Albert Einstein was the greatest sage, science's
poetic soul and the genius who changed the course of the universe.
Kevin Singer,
Jersey City: This has been a "scientific" century, and his work
has influenced everything from politics to popular culture.
HENRY
FORD
Famin Ahmed, Germantown, PA: The invention of the automobile
has revolutionized our lives in this century. Its impact is felt
today all over the globe, from the poorest to the richest. It
has changed our lifestyles, our society, and the state of the
environment. Nothing else--not even the space program--has had
such a tremendous impact.
Ron Feemster,
NYC: As the United States enters the promise and uncertainty of
an entrepreneurial information age, Time looks back on one of
the giants of the Industrial Age, a man whose vision and manufacturing
ingenuity transformed every aspect daily life around the world.
(Even shopping...)
Sonji Jacobs,
Miami: The invention of the car changed the world like nothing
else this century: its bridges gepographic distances and transforms
societies.
Reeta Sinha,
Los Altos, CA: The automobile has impacted people, their lives,
their world, in so many different ways--and it continues to do
so.
SIGMUND
FREUD
Roopa Unnikrishnan, NYC: Though discredited, he influenced
most of the western world's models of analysis, and helped make
psychology a household pastime--from pop-psyche to ubiquitous
psycho-therapy.
MOHANDAS
GANDHI
Geeta Citygirl, NY: Since the US is really hyped on anything
from India -- fashion, philosophy, yoga...Gandhi?
Abhijit
Dasgupta, New Delhi: See his influence on Mandela, King and
end of colonialism everywhere.
Christine
Dinsmore, Woodstock, NY: He shaped the philosophies of the
most respected and influential nonviolent activists worldwide
and offered alternatives to this century's violence.
Angela
Dodson, NYC: Because his example of nonviolent, passive resistance
influenced others on the list (King, Mandela, Rosa Parks, etc)
and cumulatively led to more revolutionary change on more continents
than other thinkers of our time.
Stephanie
Hamilton, San Francisco: Because Time is USA-centric and would
want to pick MLK, but they have to acknowledge that Gandhi made
MLK possible.
Sameera
Khan, Mumbai: His idea of non-violence as a potent weapon
for suppressed people raising their voices has not been limited
to India and influenced even others like Martin Luther King (America),
Nelson Mandela (South Africa) and Aung Sang Sui ki (Burma).
Paritosh
Mehta, Toronto: He was a true visionary-His leadership and
actions inspired millions,and brought about social change.
Kishan
Putta, Boston: Showed the oppressed of the world that they
could fight back without violence; impetus for colonialism's/imperialism's
global demise.
Aparna
Surendran, NYC: It has to be Gandhi because his teachings
not only inspired a nation but also inspired some of the world's
most beloved, peace-loving figures who changed the status quo:
Nelson Mandela and the late Martin Luther King.
BILL
GATES
Patricia Murray,
Valencia, Spain: Because he has opened the "gates" to the information
highway of the next century.
Gregory
Roth,
NYC: He personifies the fusion of two key 20th century ideals:
first, Gates personifies the triumph of corporate capitalism over
all other forms of organizational design, including government.
Second, Gates personifies the most important invention and trend
of the century, the computer-based diffusion of information, which
has tranformed how people interact both interpersonally and commercially.
(An honorable second choice would be Bruce Lee.)
MICHAEL
GORBACHEV (Time's Man of the Decade for the 1990s)
Tomas Kellner, NYC: Though he might be running in tandem
with Ronald Regan, Gorbachev it is!
ADOLF
HITLER
Ed Corey,
NYC: In a century of mass murder, he is the standard; he also
made Time's cover as often as anyone.
Gaurang
Desai, Fremont, CA: Because, a non white can't win the contest
and it will be difficult to give it to an American as it would
appear to be partisan; he after all did have tremendous impact
(even though it was negative).
Ari
Fishkind, NYC: He had the biggest impact on the century's
global dynamics and caused history's most infamous crimes against
humanity.
Abhijit Ghosh,
Baltimore: His ideals and visions has forever changed the face of
hatred and will never be forgotten.
Tom Groppe,
NYC: Indirectly or directly responsible for atomic and computer
revolutions. Life spanned from end of empires to dawn of Superpowers.
David Hechler,
Larchmont, NY: Adolph Hitler redefined evil and changed forever
the way we view the world he left us and each other.
Kourosh
Karimkhany,
NYC: I can't think of any other non-religious figure in history
who caused so much death, so much social upheaval, so much technological
and economic change. Granted, he was an evil figure undeserving
of lionizing, but Western civilization's defining moment was uniting
to defeat the bastard.
Javed Khan,
Coto de Caza, CA: Just stop and think for a moment what the world
would be like today (scientific inventions & all the rest) if
Hitler hadn't lived in this century.
Saeeda
Rehman, Karachi: He changed the world with his ideas.
Cindy Skalsky,
West Hollywood, CA: World War II brought advanced weapons technology,
shaping the geopolitical, social and moral questions for the remainder
of the century.
Romy Verghese,
NYC: His legacy affects views on genocide and relationships
between nations, such as the Cold War and global
politics and intervention.
THE
KENNEDYS
Stephanya James, Sydney: This family has had tremendous influence
on politics, culture and the popular imagination of America and
the world for more than 50 years.
Morrigan9999,
NYC: They overcame a prejudice in america against irish catholics
to become an extraordinarily influential presence in american
and international politics. they represented hope and change in
a world that was begging for an impact. while flawed and who isn't
they represented and represent what i and others want to believe
is the best of america and of humanity.
MARTIN
LUTHER KING, JR
Cécile Daurat,
Paris: An American man for an American century, symbolizes fight
for freedom, which is what the us are, supposedly, all about?
(A non-white with an American dream, who, after Bezos and consumerism,
would make Time's editors feel good about themselves--good pics
available for cover.)
Michael
Scully, Nashville: Of all the people to affect
social evolution this century, he clearly stands out as the man
most dedicated to improving this world; his message was very simple:
love thy neighbor and grant him peace.
THE
MEDICINE MAN
Gautam Sundaram,
Los Angeles: From Landsteiner in 1900 discovering human blood
types making life-saving blood transfusions possible to Canadians
Banting and Best discovering Insulin in 1921 to Waksman in 1942
discovering the first anitbiotic (used against tuberculosis) to
Salk and the poliio vaccine to the inventions of the birth control
pill, MRI's, various transplants, the medical discoveries of the
20th century have affected our lives more than anything. Any person
who has even had a bad cold knows that very little else matters
without decent health. We make most of our descisions based on
our expected life span and health. During the 20th century our
life span has doubled and our expectations of what is a healthy
life completely changed due to efforts of the medicine men.
NELSON
MANDELA
Neelam Mathews,
New Delhi: He has brought a new world order and erased a harsh
history. This freedom, is the new mantra for millennium.
ELVIS
PRESLEY
Dayna Simon, Toronto: Why? Because he is the current leader
with 13.93% of votes (622,920) on the internet poll. Think that
is scary? Look who trails closely behind in third place -- Adolph
Hitler.
RONALD
REAGAN
Russell Miller,
NYC: He'll be called the American century's culminating figure,
communism's conqueror, founder of the politics/economics of the
next Am century.
FRANKLIN
DELANO ROOSEVELT
Dan Ackman,
NYC: He won the war against Hitler, and started the welfare state
that, Reagan and Gingrich nothwithstanding, remains a permanent
part of the American scene.
Vanessa
Arredondo, NYC: He was responsible for bringing the United
States out of the Depression and the Allied forces to victory
in World War II; although that victory came after his death, those
events shaped the rest of the 20th Centruy--and he did it all
from a wheelchair.
Warren
Bass,
NYC: He has it all: Western civ's great answer to authoritarianism,
the savior of capitalism, reinventor of the American state, and
godfather of what has to be Time's theme: the American century.
(Of course, he's also a feel-good choice: the real person of this
godawful century is Hitler, alas. But that's just too dark. And
it can't be Churchill again, not least because he's a Brit, and
Henry Luce's ghost wouldn't stand for it.)
Mickey
Ciokaljo,
NYC: It was the so-called American Century and was president during
its two most defining moments: the Depression and World War II.
Arik Hesseldahl,
NYC: Longest serving president who saw the country through two
major national crises.
Saurabh
Jang, Chicago: I think that he was one of the most influential
American President's ever, and in all the self-congratualtion
that will accompany the close of the "American Century", what
better recognition from an institution of the American establishment
such as TIME, than to award this "prize" to an American President?
Charles
Keenan, NYC: Franklin Delano Roosevelt prevented financial collapse during the Great
Depression and coordinated the Allies' effort to win World War II.
Autumn
Miller,
NYC: Because his foreign and domestic policies have affected both
America and the world for most of this century.
Christopher
Moore,
Summit, NJ: FDR will be declared the person of the century for
helping to win the century's most important war, developing social
programs and embracing democratic and Democratic values. (He's
also going to win because he's the anti-Hitler, the happier choice
is to pick FDR over Hitler. The right answer would probably be
Hitler, but the Time folk are in the business of selling ads and
Nazis don't help do that.)
Dorothy
Guellec, Croton-Hudson, NY: His impact on the following was
monumental 1) depression of the 1930's 2)involvement in World
War II 3) major institutions that he helped inspire whose philosophies
still exist - combination of moderate capitalism and government
programs acting together.
J.J. Hornblass,
NYC: Heard Walter Issacson interview Clinton on Charlie Rose the
other night. Issacson kept on harping on FDR. I'm basing my guess
on what I saw.
Dan Rothman,
NYC: His policies still have an effect today on the US and beyond.
Jyoti Thottam,
NYC: The leader who defined "American" in this, the American century:
international interventionist, defender of freedom, patron to
the poor.
Elizabeth
Yuan, Atlanta: He led America through 12 years of the Depression
and the Second Great War -- and led it to a superpower.
UNCLE
SAM
Peter Morello, Kansas City: For better or for worse, this
has been the American Century; the US has exported its culture
and values all over the world.
MARGARET
SANGER
Donna Knipp, NYC: She forever changed the lives of billions
of men and women by allowing them to decide WHEN to reproduce.
MOTHER
TERESA
Balu Menon, Cincinnati: She gave uncondional love to the poorest
of the poor for the better part of her life.
ALAN
THICKE
Tim Townsend,NYC: He has entertained us all in so many
ways for the last few decades (Tim's full
thesis on Thicke is below).
AHMED
ZEWAIL
Abdalla Hassan, Cairo: This Nobel Prize winner's discoveries,
which make it possible to watch atoms in slow motion during extraordinarily
fast chemical reactions, have far-reaching effects on science
and medicine in the next century.
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