Who's lovin' Harry Belafonte with me tonight?

[Maddy McCall]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/21/AR2006012100667_pf.html

snip/

"We've come to this dark time in which the new Gestapo of Homeland Security lurks here, where citizens are having their rights suspended," Belafonte said in a speech to the annual meeting of the Arts Presenters Members Conference.

"You can be arrested and not charged. You can be arrested and have no right to counsel," said Belafonte.

Belafonte's remarks on Saturday _ part of a 45-minute speech on the role of the arts in a politically changing world _ were greeted with a roaring standing ovation from an audience which included singer Peter Yarrow of the folk group Peter, Paul and Mary, and members of the arts community from several dozen countries.

snip/

He had called President Bush "the greatest terrorist in the world" during a trip to Venezuela two weeks ago. Belafonte, 78, made that comment after a meeting with Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez.

The Harlem-born Belafonte, who was raised in Jamaica, said his activism was inspired by an impoverished mother "who imbued in me that we should never capitulate to oppression."

snip/

"Fascism is fascism. Terrorism is terrorism. Oppression is oppression," said Belafonte, who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

Bush, he said, rose to power "somewhat dubiously and ... then lies to the people of this nation, misleads them, misinstructs, and then sends off hundreds of thousands of our own boys and girls to a foreign land that has not aggressed against us."

Much more at link above.

[wtmusic]

1. Oh yeah

Time for Democrats in congress to start talking purty like that.

[angee_is_mad]

3. Heck yeah

I'm loving him.

[radio4progressives]

2. beautiful ! k&r

:hi: :kick: :applause: :toast:

[shance]

4. Harry Belafonte is an American hero and patriot.

That is true love for ones country.

[ClayZ]

5. Whoo Hoooo Harry B.

Tell 'em! :bounce:





:kick:

[tavalon]

6. Always have

This just makes him all the better in my mind.

[Maddy McCall]

7. Kick

[chat_noir]

8. ...

"I have a faith in the belief that if we've been able to survive the darkness of slavery... and build a society that is as remarkable and astounding as this is, we still have the capacity to look for our moral self. And through that moral examination, I think we might come up with leaders who would dare bring to the table the courage to speak out politically."

Harry Belafonte
Performing artist and civil rights activist

http://www.jfklibrary.org/education_nl_sp2002_4.html