Posted on 10/25/2002 7:37:14 PM PDT by Tumbleweed_Connection
WASHINGTON – Organizers and those attending Thursday night's Africare Awards dinner honoring entertainer/activist Harry Belafonte made a concerted effort to suppress protests and questions regarding Belafonte's racially charged comments. Belafonte abruptly turned his back and ended an interview, thundering "Good night," when asked about the recent controversy.
Harassment
A small group of Belafonte protesters were harassed by Africare's staff as part of an effort to stifle any mention of the entertainer's recent comparison of Secretary of State Colin Powell to a "house slave" and Belafonte's successful effort to remove National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice as the keynote speaker for the dinner.
On the other hand, Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., said he "completely" agreed with Belafonte's conduct regarding Powell and Rice. Belafonte was given Africare's 2002 Bishop Walker Humanitarian Award at the Washington Hilton. Africare is a non-profit relief group.
Phyllis Berry Myers, president of the Center for New Black Leadership, carried signs protesting Belafonte's appearance. Event organizers tried to take a sign away from her that read: "Harry Belafonte Does Not Speak For Me."
Myers, who was in the public lobby of the hotel, eventually agreed to leave. She told Africare staff, "I will keep my sign, and I will take it outside myself."
In the Washington Hilton hotel lobby, dinner organizers forcibly broke up this reporter's interviews with several attendees, because they were unhappy with questions about Powell and Rice.
A woman representing Africare intervened repeatedly during taped interviews with dinner participants and led them away, so they could avoid answering any question about Belafonte's controversial actions.
'Intolerance'
Myers believes Belafonte's remarks and the conduct of the Africare staff are an example of "the new intolerance" that is "rising up to enforce their definition of authentic blackness."
"It is an attempt to castigate and intimidate and also silence any black American who dares dissent from the traditional civil rights orthodoxy," Myers told CNSNews.com.
'Left-Wing Race Politics'
Another African American protester, Robert Woodson, Sr., president of the National Center for Neighborhood Enterprise, said he had "been a strong supporter of Africare for years" but was now "disappointed that they would allow Belafonte to drag them into left-wing race politics."
"Africare does itself a disservice by allowing him [Belafonte] to come here and dictate his policies," Woodson said.
Woodson was particularly upset about Rice's removal as keynote speaker at Belafonte's insistence.
Belafonte boasted to MSNBC's Phil Donahue last week that he "protested" Rice's selection as keynote speaker for Africare's awards dinner because, "I did not like her policies, and I thought that she was an inappropriate speaker for the evening.
"When it showed up that Condoleezza Rice was to be the keynote speaker, I protested that fact. I told [Africare] I would not come," Belafonte added.
Woodson commented, "This woman is the national security adviser. Africare should have told Belafonte if he had a problem with her then he needs to be the one not to come."
'A Singer of Bad Calypso Music'
"Belafonte is a singer of bad calypso music. That doesn't qualify him as the king of black America," Woodson said.
'Where Are the Feminists?'
Audrey Mullen, another protester at the dinner, asked: "Where are the feminists? They should be outraged that a woman of Condie Rice's stature was uninvited just because a man was having a hissy fit."
During his acceptance speech at the dinner, Belafonte made several references to the public backlash prompted by his comments. Belafonte told the audience: "Those who wish to eradicate my history to the dustbin, who say that civil rights and liberal thought are a thing of the past with no relevance for the future, have seriously misread history.
"The plantations of the world do not sleep; there is a restlessness," he added.
'I Have Nothing to Be Ashamed Of'
Then Belafonte added, to enthusiastic applause, "History stands on my side. I have nothing to be ashamed of. I retreat from nothing I have said."
In an exclusive interview with CNSNews.com, Belafonte said of his award, "I am extremely touched and honored. The work that the Africare institution does is very vital to the needs and the future of the peoples of Africa. I am glad to be a part of it."
But when asked about the controversy over his remarks about Powell and his uninviting of Rice, Belafonte immediately stopped the interview with a thundering "Good night."
Congressman: Powell Is a Slave
Conyers agreed wholeheartedly with Belafonte's "house slave" description of Colin Powell. "I have been reading and rereading what [Belafonte] said, and I am trying to find where there is something inaccurate about what he said, and I can't find it," Conyers said.
"Do I agree with the [slavery] analogy? Yes, completely," Conyers reiterated.
Conyers also defended Belafonte's removal of Rice as the keynote speaker.
"Don't you think he has a right to have someone keynoting who he is in agreement with as opposed to be here listening to a keynote address with someone with whom he is in profound disagreement?" asked Conyers.
"I think he exercised his right," Conyers added.
Ron Dellums, a former Democrat congressman from California who presented the award to Belafonte, refused to comment on any of the controversy.
"I think you should ask Harry Belafonte about those remarks. It's inappropriate for me to respond. I have no knowledge of these matters, and I choose not to speak in ignorance," Dellums said.
Austin J. Belton, director of the New Markets Venture Capital Program at the U.S. Small Business Administration, said Belafonte's advanced age may explain his effort to remove Rice as keynote speaker.
'He's Getting on in Age'
"He's getting on in age, and I think we just have to let it go at that," Belton told CNSNews.com. Belafonte is 75 years old.
Democrat former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young, who replaced Rice at the last minute as the keynote speaker, refused to comment when asked what he thought about Rice's removal. "I don't know," he said as he turned away and ended the interview.
Bono, lead singer of the musical group U2 and a champion of Third World debt relief, was among those honoring Belafonte at the dinner. He told the crowd, "I learned from Harry Belafonte that as ridiculous as celebrity is, it can be currency, so spend it wisely."
Africare's National co-chairs include celebrities Tony Bennett, Jane Fonda, Morgan Freeman, Tony Randall and Mike Farrell. Corporate sponsors include Coca-Cola Co., Archer Daniels Midland Co., Chevron Texaco Corp., Daimler Chrysler Corp., ExxonMobil Corp. and Shell International Ltd.
Your Tax Dollars at 'Work'
The U.S. government is also a contributor to Africare. Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., and Senate plurality leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., serve as National Honorary Patrons for the organization. However, Lott distanced himself from the awards dinner after Belafonte's controversial remarks about Powell.
Copyright CNSNews.com
[Robert] Woodson commented, "This woman is the national security adviser. Africare should have told Belafonte if he had a problem with her then he needs to be the one not to come."
Audrey Mullen, another protester at the dinner, asked: "Where are the feminists? They should be outraged that a woman of Condie Rice's stature was uninvited just because a man was having a hissy fit."
I have some new heros.
Documented here.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.