Protest Music as Responsible Citizenship

"We Must Reawaken Ourselves"
An Interview with Harry Belafonte
by James Early

Q. How do you think the U.S. policies of "preventive war" and "homeland security" will affect American democracy? A. I think to execute a policy that legitimizes preemptive strikes--that commits the nation to war unilaterally--is a grievous offense. This offense is aggravated because it is being done without the absolute sanction of Congress and

I really think it is a crime against humanity. It should be wholly unacceptable to the American people. It is a dangerous example for other nations. To accept a practice that does not have high regard for global opinion is a very dangerous game.

I think homeland security is a great charade for purposes of preempting the fundamental liberties set down by the Constitution. Homeland security is a shallow and shoddy excuse for people who have grabbed the reigns of power to impose that power against the will of the nation and against the Constitution.

Homeland security is creating an environment of abject fear. But it is also doing its work in great secrecy and great silence. Neighbors hardly know what is happening to other neighbors and to people in other parts of the world. So many men and women are being incarcerated with no right to lawyers and without ever being charged. All of these things are a severe attack on democracy and are certainly against the principles of this nation.

Q. How do you evaluate the mainstream media's role in U.S. life?

A. I cannot recall another period in my three quarters of a century of life where the suppression and manipulation of information by the press has been as severe as it is today. I think we are in a very dangerous period where one specific group of ideologues with a very specific point of view that is not in the best interests of the citizens of this country are now the dominant voices in the media.

These ideologues are suppressing our rights and demonizing those who speak out in dissent. This new media power considers dissent as somehow tantamount to treason. But, really, nothing could be more treasonous than what the media has now come to be and the way it is spreading this idea.

Q. What should people do to ensure that their calls for peace and for
security are heeded?

A. There are any number of things that we must do. But I would suggest that the people of this country reawaken themselves to one very strategic and very important right that we have: the right to vote. I think for whatever reason--indifference, frustration, cynicism, hopelessness--we often doubt that anything can be done. I think the worst thing we can do is to give up our right to vote. We must exercise that right. Through electing officials that will protect the Constitution and commit themselves to the rights of the people and the health of the nation, we will be able to ensure that no group of ideologues and no private sector institution can coopt our rights, take us into senseless wars and steal the nation from its people.

James Early is director of cultural heritage policy at the Smithsonian Institution and the board chair of the Institute for Policy Studies.

Reference:

Early, James. "'We Must Reawaken Ourselves': An Interview with Harry Belafonte." War Times. (July 2003). http://www.war-times.org/current/11art2.html (accessed August 24, 2003).

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