Pop culture has none of the vibrancy that you find in the folk culture, where people speak directly to their own experience in the human condition. Harry Belafonte More Quotes by Harry Belafonte More Quotes From Harry Belafonte Each and every one of you has the power, the will and the capacity to make a difference in the world in which you live in Harry Belafonte change power inspirational Artists are the gatekeepers of truth. We are civilization’s anchor. We are the compass for humanity’s conscience. Harry Belafonte anchors artist civilization In the gun game, we are the most hunted. The river of blood that washes the streets of our nation flows mostly from the bodies of our black children. Harry Belafonte gun children blood When I was born, I was colored. I soon became a Negro. Not long after that I was black. Most recently I was African-American. It seems we're on a roll here. But I am still first and foremost in search of freedom. Harry Belafonte african-american black long If I've impacted on one heart, one mind, one soul, and brought to that individual a greater truth than that individual came into a relationship with me having, then I would say that I have been successful. Harry Belafonte soul success heart I am who I am despite what America has put before me. I am who I am despite the obstacles that we have all faced based upon race and based upon social and spiritual humiliation. Harry Belafonte who-i-am spiritual america Art in its highest form is art that serves and instructs society and human development. Harry Belafonte creativity society art We [Americans] move about the world arrogantly, calling wars when we want, overthrowing governments when we want. There is a price to be paid for it -- look at 9/11. [That] wasn't just bin Laden. Bin Laden didn't come from the abstract. He came from somewhere, and if you look where ... you'll see America's hand of villainy. Harry Belafonte government war moving As a matter of fact, compromise is what oppression feeds on. Harry Belafonte compromise matter facts You can cage the singer but not the song. Harry Belafonte singers music song Many who have nothing opposed to the few who have everything, and as long as these disparities remain, as long as these distances remain between people and forces, I think we'll be in a perpetual state of upheaval. Harry Belafonte distance long thinking These children and their parents know that getting an education is not only their right, but a passport to a better future - for the children and for the country. Harry Belafonte education country children America can no longer afford to be as arrogant as we've been. We can no longer exempt ourselves from the global family of concern. Harry Belafonte arrogant concern america Bring it on. Dissent is central to any democracy. Harry Belafonte dissent democracy In poor environment, I find great inspiration. Many of the men and women whom I admire as artists, the things they write, the songs they sing, the admission is filled with inspired moments to overcome oppression. Harry Belafonte inspiration writing song Where is the raised voice of black America? Why are we mute? Harry Belafonte black voice america Terrorism is in many, many ways the final utterance of voices unheard. Harry Belafonte utterance finals voice Our foreign policy has made a wreck of this planet. I'm always in Africa... And when I go to these places I see American policy written on the walls of oppression everywhere. Harry Belafonte oppression wrecks wall I don't know what America has really learned. We are too quick to do what's expedient on behalf of our culture of greed and hedonism. We're quite prepared to go to conditions of tyranny in order to sustain that culture, and we do it in the name of democracy, when nothing could be more undemocratic. We do it in the name of saving the values of our society, when the way we behave corrupts those values. We do it in the name of God in whom we believe, when in fact we have corrupted our own vision of the Christian journey. Harry Belafonte journey christian believe I would hope with all my heart, that Jay Z not take personally what was said... I would like to take this opportunity to say to Jay Z and Beyonce: I’m wide open, my heart is filled with nothing but hope and the promise that we can sit and have a one-on-one to understand each other. Harry Belafonte heart opportunity promise
