Appearing as a guest on Sunday's Fareed Zakaria GPS, veteran singer Harry Belafonte declared that there is a "new wave of racist definitions and racist practices" in the U.S., and went on to claim that the election of a black President "awakened a right-wing energy" and "shocked a lot of racist forces in this country."
He then added: "I think a lot of the hurdles, problems that Obama has faced is really very much based upon the fact that there is a force in this country that says no black man should ever be at the helm of this country."
The issue of race relations came up during a discussion of recent controversies over the treatment of black actors by Hollywood. After host Zakaria wondered if perhaps the last couple of years in Hollywood have been an unusual "two bad years," Belafonte began pontificating about racism in America. Belafonte:
I don't think it's just two bad years. I think if you look at the spectrum of race relations in this country, on a lot of fronts, there is a retrogression, there is a reversal. If you take a look at the way in which the right-wing movement in this country has gerrymandered voting districts, if you look at employment records, if you look at a lot of practices, black people are once again at the doorstep, the new wave of racist definitions and racist practices.
After Belafonte asserted that there has been a "reversal" of the achievements of the Civil Rights Movement, Zakaria brought up the subject of there being a black President in the White House. Zakaria: "Do you think that's because there is a black man in the White House?"
The veteran singer then expanded on his charges of racism coming from the country's "right wing." Belafonte:
I think a black man in the White House has awakened a lot of dichotomies here. I think, on the one hand, America took great pride in the fact that, to a world that saw us as a powerful force, but a very reactionary force, the election of Obama sent another signal. But it also awakened a right-wing energy in this country because nobody really expected that we would ever have elected a black man to be President.
And when that reality was established, I think it shocked a lot of racist forces in this country. I think a lot of the hurdles, problems that Obama has faced is really very much based upon the fact that there is a force in this country that says no black man should ever be at the helm of this country.
Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Sunday, February 14, Fareed Zakaria GPS on CNN:
10:50 a.m.
HARRY BELAFONTE: I don't think it's just two bad years. I think if you look at the spectrum of race relations in this country, on a lot of fronts, there is a retrogression, there is a reversal. If you take a look at the way in which the right-wing movement in this country has gerrymandered voting districts, if you look at employment records, if you look at a lot of practices, black people are once again at the doorstep, the new wave of racist definitions and racist practices.
FAREED ZAKARIA: So you think things have gotten worse recently, a kind of a backlash?
BELAFONTE: I think what we achieved in the Civil Rights Movement, what we are now practicing as a nation, there is a reversal.
ZAKARIA: Do you think that's because there is a black man in the White House?
BELAFONTE: I think a black man in the White House has awakened a lot of dichotomies here. I think, on the one hand, America took great pride in the fact that, to a world that saw us as a powerful force, but a very reactionary force, the election of Obama sent another signal. But it also awakened a right-wing energy in this country because nobody really expected that we would ever have elected a black man to be President.
And when that reality was established, I think it shocked a lot of racist forces in this country. I think a lot of the hurdles, problems that Obama has faced is really very much based upon the fact that there is a force in this country that says no black man should ever be at the helm of this country.
