Harry Belafonte Calls Black Republicans 'Tyrants'

CNS News reported Celebrity activist Harry Belafonte referred to prominent African-American officials in the Bush administration as "black tyrants"

In what way were they "black tyrants"? Did the Democrats ever name a black to Secretary of State? GWB has named two blacks to that position. Dems just expect Blacks to vote Democratic, even though they seldom put a black in a really powerful position, and even though they seldom do anything to earn the votes they expect blacks to provide them. And then a few blacks like Belafonte belittle any black Republicans.

at a weekend march, and he also compared the administration to Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany. Belafonte, a featured speaker at Saturday's march in Atlanta commemorating the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Voting Rights Act, previously ignited a political controversy in 2002 when he likened then-Secretary of State Colin Powell to a "house slave."

At Saturday's civil rights march, Belafonte said the Bush administration has been "rather dismal" for the lives of black Americans. The march, which featured prominent civil rights groups and labor union representatives, was intended to drum up support for extending and strengthening the Voting Rights Act of 1965.... "[If] a black is a tyrant, he is first and foremost a tyrant, then he incidentally is black. Bush is a tyrant and if he gathers around him black tyrants, they all have to be treated as they are being treated," he added.

When asked specifically who was a "black tyrant" in the Bush administration, Belafonte responded to this reporter, "You." When this reporter noted that he was a Caucasian and attempted to ask another question, Belafonte abruptly ended the interview by saying, "That's it."

Captain Ed blogged If this accurately represents what Belafonte said, it gives another demonstration of the foolishness of allowing him to speak on behalf of those pressing for the extension of the Voting Rights Act. Historically, he has no idea of what he speaks. Exactly which Nazis in the Third Reich were Jews, let alone the large amounts of them Belafonte has conjured up? It is an idiotic assertion, one that points to an anti-Semitic paranoia that has raised its head often enough on the far fringes of the African-American community, despite the generous support given by the Jewish community overall to civil-rights goals.

The rest of Belafonte's rant goes directly back to his smearing of Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell as "house slaves" last year during the presidential elections. Belafonte and others like him do not allow for dissent within their populations. Anyone who disagrees with the mindset offered by Belafonte, Dick Gregory (who also has a neurotic episode reported by CNS), and the rest of the political leadership of their electorate have to be branded as traitors and sellouts instead of attempting to outreason their objections.

La Shawn Barber blogged When I first saw the movie Carmen Jones, I was convinced that back in the day, Harry Belafonte was the finest thing walking. He was suave and soft-spoken, yet strong and manly, an intoxicating combination. Now he just seems like a bitter old man... If and when I want to hear what Harry Belafonte has to say, I’ll just watch one of his old movies.

James Joyner blogged Harry Belafonte, most famous for his songs about bananas, and Dick Gregory, a one-time comedian perhaps best known for getting really fat and then losing weight, stirred up some controversy over the weekend. Belafonte accused black Republicans and, oddly, white reporters, of being "tyrants," while Gregory said the United States is the most corrupt country in the history of the world. Harry Belafonte Calls Black Republicans 'Tyrants'

Dane Bramage blogged I used to admire and respect Harry Belafonte. He was a role model to many African Americans when they needed positive images to aspire to. Now I pity the cynical self hating loser he's become. I cringe every time I read that he's opened his mouth about something political. Someone should put him out of my misery with repeated applications of a chrome-plated cluebat. I have no doubt that Harry is trying to stir up controversy. He's making no sense with these groundless accusations against conservative blacks. In the above article the reporter tries to nail Harry down on his tyrant speech. Liberal black leadership suffers the same disease as all liberal leadership in this country. They come out against everything and they don't stand for anything. They called on us as blacks to improve ourselves, to make the best of every oppurtunity. They made sacrifices so that we could have some oppurtunities that we may not have gotten otherwise. So what happens when black achieve and accel? They are tyrants. The U.S.'s first African American Secretary of State is a tyrant because he was appointed by a Republican.

Actually the U.S.'s first African American Secretary of State was called a "house slave". I am not sure which is worse, but neither is accurate.

Is the U.S.'s second African American Secretary of State and first African American woman to that post a tyrant for the same reason?