Belafonte refuses to back down on ‘Bush is a terrorist’ statement

NNPA/frostillustrated. ^ | February 1, 2006 | Nayaba Arinde

[ncountylee]

NEW YORK (NNPA)— “I don’t know if President Bush is the greatest terrorist— I’ve not met them all, but he’s damn sure in the running.” As mild and gentile as you want to be, that’s what civil rights activist and beloved performer Harry Belafonte said as he addressed the audience at the Canaan Baptist Church annual King Day celebration.

Introduced by the Rev. Al Sharpton, Belafonte was a surprise guest speaker at an event attended by ambitious politicos like Democratic New York Senators Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer, and higher-office hopefuls like Jeanine Pirro, Thomas Suozzi, Mark Green and Eliot Spitzer.

From Katrina to the occupation of Iraq to the prison industrial complex, the 78-year-old former calypso star told an audience in awe that “terror is unleashed. The Gestapo is here.” Repeating a charge he first made at the beginning of this month in Caracas, Venezuela, when he, Danny Glover and Professor Cornel West met with President Hugo Chávez, Belefonte once again labeled George Walker Bush, the president of the U.S., one of the greatest terrorists the world has ever seen.

Far from being stunned, the audience of more than 3,000 hung on his every word and applauded him like he had delivered a grand and honest state address.

[ncountylee]

As crazy as Sheehan and even more bitter.

[Always Right]

“I don’t know if President Bush is the greatest terrorist— I’ve not met them all, but he’s damn sure in the running.”

Harry Belafonte might as well deny the Holocaust while he is at it....

[Emmett McCarthy]

He oughta stick with "Day-o, Daaaayo". His own lyrics suck.

[Argus]

Try going to Tehran and calling Ahmadinejad a terrorist, Harry, you phony communist "civil rights" icon. You'd never have the guts.

[American Quilter]

He's a useful idiot for the Democrat leadership. Poor old fool.

[Wolfstar]

beloved performer

Beloved? His heyday was the 1950's. I'd wager that the majority of Americans around today never heard of him.

[weegee]

Have you heard Harry's voice lately? It sounds like he's been gargling with razor blades. He's got a rougher voice than Harvey Fierstein.

He'd be best advised to shut up and rest his voice altogether.

[MarMema]

Maybe he should spend some time in Iran and then get back to us.

[weegee]

The "Calypso craze" of the 1950s was an attempt to replace the "rock and roll fad" with another fad. They also tried it with "bebop" and "folksinger hootenannies".

Rock and roll was considered evil, yet the other musical forms were infested with communists, anarchists, racists, and junkies.

For those who say "rock and roll was hounded because of black singers", then what was calypso? Lord Flea, Belafonte, and Calypso Louis were all black. The only major white calypso album I can think of is one by Robert Mitchum.

ASCAP hated rock and roll because it is "noise" to them. They wouldn't publish rock songs. BMI would. When BMI had the hits and ASCASP didn't, it was because of policy, not payola. Establishment singers like Frank Sinatra couldn't approach rock and roll, either. What were they supposed to sing from the hit parade?

[Emmett McCarthy]

Aside from some news clips of his nonsensical "statements", the last time I can remember hearing his voice was through the round dial car radio in my parents' 1950 Ford on the way to Rockaway Beach. But, it was a good ol' radio, too, in that it also brought me Hank Williams.

[dhs12345]

"...for the Democrat leadership."

And for Conservatives as well. :)

[dhs12345]

"...infested with communists, anarchists, racists, and junkies..."

Pretty much covers all Pop singers, these days.