"Some argue that Belafonte, because he is black, also cannot be a racist. But that is, of course, a racist argument. Again, it reduces someone's moral responsibility and intellectual autonomy to a racial stereotype — that all blacks are innocent victims who cannot be held responsible for their beliefs or arguments; or that all blacks are so oppressed that any bigotry they utter is permissible. Again, this simply robs blacks of their individuality. In Belafonte's case, it's simply bizarre. He is an extremely empowered man. He is also a bigot. The question to be asked of the left is therefore a simple one: Are you in favor of bigotry or against it? If you're against it, how can you not criticize and, indeed, ostracize a bigot like Belafonte?"
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Activists from the United StatesAnti-apartheid activistsAnti-war activistsSocial activistsSocialists from the United States
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Andrew Sullivan, in "The Bigotry of Belafonte" at Salon.com (25 October 2002)
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Harry_Belafonte
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Harry Belafonte
1927 – 2023
US-amerikanischer Sänger, Schauspieler und Entertainer
22 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Harry Belafonte →
Related Quotes
"Each and every one of you has the power, the will and the capacity to make a difference in the world in which you liv…"
"The sham engineers of the music industry, who steer the wheels of public opinion, are driving the good features of ca…"
"On all levels of life and as each day unfolds, respect for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. grows impressively, and the es…"
"When I was 40 and looking at 60, it seemed like a thousand miles away. But 62 feels like a week and a half away from …"
"I work for the United Nations. I go to places where enormous upheaval and pain and anguish exist. And a lot of it exi…"
"Even with all the difficulties and the frustrations that we feel—those of us who have been consistent in this journey…"
"In the face of all the inhumanity, their humanity feeds the capacity to endure and continue to pursue honorable solut…"
"My social and political interests are part of my career. I cannot separate them. My songs reflect the human condition…"
"I think most important is that we have words that attempt to give us moral cleansing, so that somehow we hold those r…"
"I don’t think that we are a species or a people that can exist without making mistakes somewhere along the line. Some…"