I think most important is that we have words that attempt to give us moral cleansing, so that somehow we hold those responsible for crashing into the… - Harry Belafonte

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I think most important is that we have words that attempt to give us moral cleansing, so that somehow we hold those responsible for crashing into the Twin Towers and killing over 2,000 Americans citizens in cold blood, which is an act of terrorism — people who have done that should be sought out and brought to justice; there’s no question of that — but when we do what we have done, illegal war, going into the Middle East, bombing at will, and then hundreds of thousands of people get caught, who are either maimed or over 100,000 have already been killed, who are innocent men, women and children, and we chalk that off to a thing called "collateral damage," as if somehow that murderous thing that we’re doing so cruelly and so inhumanely has no judgment before world opinion, that we are somehow righteous and above criticism and above the law. That is unacceptable. And that’s what I speak out against.

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About Harry Belafonte

Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr; March 1, 1927 – April 25, 2023) was a Jamaican-American singer, songwriter, activist and actor, born in Harlem, New York who was of Jamaican ancestry. He was dubbed the "King of Calypso" for popularizing the Caribbean musical style in the 1950s including the song "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)". Throughout his career, he was an advocate for civil rights and humanitarian causes. He was a vocal critic of the policies of the George W. Bush presidential administration.

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Also Known As

Birth Name: Harold George Bellanfanti
Also Known As: King of Calypso
Alternative Names: Harold George Belafonte Jr. Belafonte Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. Harry Bellanfanti Jr. Harold George Belafonte Raymond Bell
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Additional quotes by Harry Belafonte

Even with all the difficulties and the frustrations that we feel—those of us who have been consistent in this journey—what makes it so remarkably attractive and encouraging are the men and women you meet on the way. I have met some glorious human beings: Eleanor Roosevelt, Fanny Lou Hamer, Ella Baker, and Dr. King, Malcolm X, Nelson Mandela and Che Guevara, and Cesar Chavez and others not quite so famous—they are the ones who really make the journey rewarding. The work I do with UNICEF. The men and women I’ve met in Rwanda, South Africa, working against HIV/AIDS, and the courageous things that simple, wonderful human beings do for each other.

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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.

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