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Harry Belafonte : He Sings Great But Talks Nonsense
Houston Chronicle ^ | 01/11/2006 | Houston Chronicle Editorial

Posted on 01/12/2006 7:37:40 AM PST by SirLinksalot

TALLY HIS BANANAS

Harry Belafonte: He sings great, but talks nonsense.

Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

For some reason, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez brings out the boneheadedness in some high-profile Americans, on the left as well as the right. Last year, archconservative televangelist Pat Robertson suggested that U.S. operatives assassinate the populist leader. Last Sunday, singer/liberal political activist Harry Belafonte was in Caracas on a UNICEF goodwill ambassador visit, where he offered an outlandish characterization of President George W. Bush as a "tyrant" and "terrorist."

Among rational Americans, even the president's harshest critics were repulsed by Belafonte's stunning televised outburst. "No matter what the greatest tyrant in the world, the greatest terrorist in the world, George W. Bush says, we're here to tell you: Not hundreds, not thousands, but millions of the American people ... support your revolution," the 78-year-old Belafonte told Chavez.

Belafonte, who is best known for his hit The Banana Boat Song, popularly known as Day O, was in Venezuela leading a group of American activists, including Princeton University professor Cornel West and actor Danny Glover. The "revolution" Belafonte referred to was Chavez's unexpected 2000 election victory and then his survival of a 2004 recall election. A socialist, Chavez enjoys the support of poor Venezuelans, who view him as their champion. He has offered discounted heating oil to low-income American families as a publicity stunt aimed at irritating the Bush administration and private oil companies.

UNICEF quickly distanced itself from Belafonte, asserting that he was speaking as a private citizen.

Bush's approval ratings are lower than he would prefer, reflecting Americans' worry about the war in Iraq, high federal deficits and the health of the economy. However, no reasonable American would agree with Belafonte's absurd remarks. Bush certainly needs less defending on this score than the authoritarian Chavez, who has clamped down on his nation's press and who cozies up to Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.

Belafonte seems to take himself very seriously. No one else should.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: belafonte
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COME MISTER TALLYMAN, THE MAN's GONE BANANAS !!
1 posted on 01/12/2006 7:37:42 AM PST by SirLinksalot
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To: SirLinksalot

I've stated this before on FR, but when Charles Schwab paid Harry Belafonte to appear at one of their major company functions, I cancelled all my Schwab accounts. I'm sure hundreds or even thousands more did the same thing. I will never do business with a company that pays such an anti-American celebrity.


2 posted on 01/12/2006 7:41:12 AM PST by TommyDale
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To: SirLinksalot
He sings great???

He's had one hit in his whole career. And it was a million years ago. PU-LEEZE.

3 posted on 01/12/2006 7:42:31 AM PST by veronica (....."send Congressman Murtha a message: that cowards cut and run, Marines never do.")
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To: SirLinksalot

he don't sing that great.


4 posted on 01/12/2006 7:45:00 AM PST by camle (keep your mind open and somebody will fill it full of something for you.)
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To: veronica

No kidding, I agreed 100%

A real trivia question would be: Name two Harry Belafonte songs.


5 posted on 01/12/2006 7:48:08 AM PST by edcoil (Reality doesn't say much - doesn't need too)
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To: SirLinksalot

"Among rational Americans, even the president's harshest critics were repulsed by Belafonte's stunning televised outburst. "

Not the MSM. Hardly a word from those idiots. Nothing on the front pages of the papers. It didn't lead off the morning shows. It hasn't occupied a full hour on Hardball or Larry King. IF it had been a conservative (like Newt) in the 1990's that said Clinton was a commie in front of a bunch of captilist in Poland or Russia, it would have been front page stuff.


6 posted on 01/12/2006 7:48:38 AM PST by The South Texan (The Democrat Party and the leftist (ABCCBSNBCCNN NYLATIMES)media are a criminal enterprise!)
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To: SirLinksalot
Not hundreds, not thousands, but millions of the American people ... support your revolution," the 78-year-old Belafonte told Chavez.

What utter BS - millions of Americans couldn't locate Venezuela on the map, let alone support the revolution, even if they were given a map of South America with every other country marked.

It's time to beam Harry up to the mothership.

7 posted on 01/12/2006 7:50:39 AM PST by Night Hides Not (Closing in on 3000 posts, of which maybe 50 were worthwhile!)
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To: edcoil

<<<< Name two Harry Belafonte songs.>>>

ONLY TWO COME TO MIND :

1) BANANA BOAT SONG

2) MATILDA ( as in "Matilda, Matilda, Matilda, She takes me money and she run a Venezuela" )


8 posted on 01/12/2006 8:00:00 AM PST by SirLinksalot
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To: SirLinksalot

Harry hasn't had a hit since the 1950s.


9 posted on 01/12/2006 8:00:26 AM PST by Eric in the Ozarks (Don't buy Bose. Their warranty is no good.)
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To: Night Hides Not

Too bad this wacko didn't come out of the closet way before he got famous with his "one hit wonder" song. Then we could have known his real feelings and not have bought his record and propelled him to musical greatness.

He is an idiot and a hasbeen. Who cares what drivel comes out of his pie-hole.


10 posted on 01/12/2006 8:01:05 AM PST by TrailofTears (."We mock loyalty and are shocked at finding traitors in our midst." CS Lewis)
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To: TrailofTears

DAAAAAAAAY-OOOOOO, the big contribution to the world from the AAAAAAAAYYYYYYY-HOLE


11 posted on 01/12/2006 8:05:24 AM PST by AlphaOneAlpha
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To: TrailofTears

Colin Powell was serving his country in a triple canopy jungle while Harry Belafonte became a millionaire singing the praises of picking bananas in one. Which one is held up as the role model?


12 posted on 01/12/2006 8:05:58 AM PST by massgopguy (massgopguy)
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To: SirLinksalot

How can you forget "Mama Look At Bubu"?


13 posted on 01/12/2006 8:08:28 AM PST by Fresh Wind (Democrats are guilty of whatever they scream the loudest about.)
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To: SirLinksalot

I don'think he even sang that great, anyway........


14 posted on 01/12/2006 8:11:54 AM PST by Red Badger (And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him)
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To: SirLinksalot

Harry Belafonte can say something other than "DAY-O"???


15 posted on 01/12/2006 8:29:34 AM PST by NRA1995 ("Go on....call for help....squeal....no one's gonna save you now!")
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To: SirLinksalot

He sings lousey and talks treason!


16 posted on 01/12/2006 8:31:50 AM PST by cubreporter (I trust Rush. He has done more for this country than anyone will ever know. He's A++)
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To: veronica
"He sings great??? He's had one hit in his whole career. And it was a million years ago. PU-LEEZE."

That's what I was thinking. I'm just wondering what this goofball's real job was for all these years?

17 posted on 01/12/2006 8:59:38 AM PST by IntheHillsGolden (You pass through places ...and places pass through you.........)
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To: SirLinksalot

http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/media/dayo.mp3

see if you can get this! haha


18 posted on 01/12/2006 9:04:37 AM PST by ladiesview61
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Comment #19 Removed by Moderator

To: Baynative

October, 2002.

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewNation.asp?Page=%5C%5C%5C%5CNation%5C%5C%5C%5Carchive%5C%5C%5C%5C200210%5C%5C%5C%5CNAT20021024b.html


20 posted on 01/12/2006 10:53:10 AM PST by TommyDale
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