Belafonte says anti US sentiment…

Belafonte says anti US sentiment the highest he’s seen in 50 years



“As he performed before sellout audiences across Europe during the first days of the U.S.-led war in Iraq, Harry Belafonte heard more anti- American comments than he has in more than a half-century of traveling the world.


The 76-year-old singer, activist and United Nations goodwill ambassador expected to hear criticism of the U.S. government — but he had not expected so much criticism of ordinary Americans for failing to effectively oppose the U.S. policy toward Iraq.


“I try to tell (people overseas) that there is a vigorous voice of dissent here,” Belafonte, the keynote speaker at today’s anti-war demonstration in Oakland, said in an interview with The Chronicle. “Yes, people (there) have seen the pictures of the demonstrations here, but they don’t quite translate.”


The anti-war movement must figure out how to channel the street-level energy expressed by thousands of anti-war protesters and online activists into something politically powerful after the war is over, Belafonte said. “