Harry Belafonte on the Obama Presidency: Interviewed at the Sundance Film Festival

DemocracyNow.org -
Democracy Now! speaks with legendary singer, actor, humanitarian and activist, Harry Belafonte about the first two years of the Obama presidency. "I think [Obama] plays the game that he plays because he sees no threat from evidencing concerns for the poor," Belafonte says. "He sees no threat from evidencing a deeper concern for the needs of black people, as such. He feels no great threat from evidencing a greater policy towards the international community, for expressing thoughts that criticize the American position on things and turns that around. Until we do that, I think we will be forever disappointed in what that administration will deliver."

Belafonte was interviewed at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

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• Harry Belafonte
• obama
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[Kuejon]

exceptionally insightful words of wisdom from the great Harry Belafonte when asked about Obama: 'What is saddened—what is sad 4 this moment is that there is no force, no energy of popular voice, popular rebellion, popular upheaval, no champion 4 radical thought at the table of the discourse. And as a consequence, Obama has nothing 2 listen 2, except his detractors n those who help pave the way 2 his own personal comfort with power—power contained, power misdirected, power not fully engaged. '

[wolfdaddy205]

,,get your wisdom while you can...God bless Harry.

[TheSolaris810]

Notice I didnt raise the Race Card in defense of Obama. Why would I? After all he has not been accused of being an African Islamist fundamentalist pupeteered into the White House by Al Quaeda sympathisers, and whose wife has been accused of being "uppity" for daring to counsel also Americas White Youth on diet, and whose wife has struck a deal with major food companies to reduce their additiives by 1 trillion by 2014.

Scratch the surface of America and the puss is ever present.

[TheSolaris810]

It baffles me no end that Obamas critics seriously expected him to move the mountains he has promsied to move during his first term. Any President, Democrat or Republican, would need atleast a second term after 2 terms with Bush. Obama did not enter the White House on behalf of African Americans, he entered for all Americans. After 2 illegal wars that Bush cost America trillions, Obama was already being written off after six months in the White House. A second term will define America & Obama.

[MonsieurMercredi]

We now praise King for defending and fighting for us, even when we turned against him, and we tried to make him shut up.

The majority is not always right!

The majority supported slavery.

The majority supported segregation!

The Black majority that worships Obama is not right--they're suffering from "the Abused lover syndrome."

Obama is their abusing lover, and the Black supporters are his lovers that suffers from very low self-esteem, because they allow him to treat them like trash.

[MonsieurMercredi]

When some of us sits out this November 2012 election, Obama and the rest of the lazy, liars that we call Democratic Congress men and women will be de-throned!

Maxine Waters shouldn't have to ask our, Blacks, permission to go after Obama, because of his neglect of Black agendas.

Martin Luther King didn't ask Blacks for permission to fight for us. He was at his lowest approval ratings among Blacks when he was killed, but he didn't stop speaking out, even when Blacks wanted him to stop.

[MonsieurMercredi]

@DaLegendary88, I'm so DAMN tired of this same old song!

Obama ran for President of the USA!

He told us to HOLD HIM ACCOUNTABLE!

He made many promises that he didn't keep!

He now tells us that being President is different from saying what one will do while running to become President.

I WILL NOT HOLD ANYONE RESPONSIBLE EXCEPT FOR OBAMA!

He had the first 2 years to pass many bills to focus on jobs, the poor and unemployed, but he chose to focus on healthcare and wars--we can't eat those.

[DaLegendary88]

@DaLegendary88 So, therefore, we must do as the TEAPARTY members and protest and make our voice heard, as Belefonte is saying, we must be the voice that is heard by the President and congress, then and only then will we make a white dominated, and now a republican dominated congress pass laws that will benefit the people instead of big business! Don't blame the President if WE THE PEOPLE sit back let congress run over him, that will be OUR OWN FAULT!

[DaLegendary88]

@MonsieurMercredi , the question we must ask ourselves is...what have we done lately to require some action from the president, congress, the government?! We sit back and act like the president job is to make law when the constitution clearly restricts this power and instead gives the president the power to suggest laws, it is congress power to PASS and thus create that law, it is our power to protest or support by might - those proposed laws of the president!

[MonsieurMercredi]

"I now my own people" should be "I know my own people"

[MonsieurMercredi]

I now my own people, and we're known for doing in the dark what we'd never do in the light. Many will stay home, but will not openly make it known, so they won't have to explain or justify their actions. Just as Blacks stayed home in 2010, they will also stay home in 2012. Adrian Fenty (former DC Mayor) and the first Black Mayor of New York both felt the sting of African-American's anger for ignoring them to please the wealthy. Obama will be next to experience our  wrath for his neglect.

[MonsieurMercredi]

Thank you for speaking out Mr. Belefonte! As an African-American male that was suckered in by Obama's empty words, I now find myself close to despising him. I feel betrayed by him, and I'm ashamed of my fellow Blacks that continues to support him, because he's Black. Obama has shown us, Blacks, that he cares nothing about our current plight. I will return the insult come November 2012--I will stay home. He can't be out of office fast enough for me. We're not all mindless Black Obamabots.