He said we should become firemen — in the figurative sense, of course.

Controversial activist Harry Belafonte kicked off the 2008 Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Series, themed "Connecting Generations: Take A Stand," on Monday, speaking to an audience full of students, faculty and members of the Nashville community.

A close ally and companion of King during the civil rights movement, Belafonte characterized his relationship to King as being "central to all that I do."

Belafonte, who is widely known for his career as a singer, producer and social and political activist, said he is motivated by King's prophecy of a far-from-perfect American culture, despite the promises of integration.

King believed the situation he faced in the 1960s forced black citizens to "integrate into a burning house," and said in response, "We've got to become firemen."

Opting for a question-and-answer forum instead of delivering a traditional speech, Belafonte examined the role of the artist in politics and society.

"Opening up discussion is what I do around this country," Belafonte said. He drew upon his recent work with gangs in South Central Los Angeles.

"The men involved in the gang culture are activists trying to bring non-violence to the community," said Belafonte, who guides them to "pick up the baton" from their predecessors. "They're learning brick-by-brick that a quick fix doesn't work."

Regarding politics, Belafonte commented on some of the presidential candidates.

"I am thrilled about Barack Obama," Belafonte said. "From the perspective of color, I'm a pig turned loose from the pen."

At the same time, he expressed his reservations about the Democratic candidate, recalling his 2002 criticism of the Bush administration, Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell.

"From the perspective of the human condition and world at large ... I don't know who he is," he said. "His avoidance of specificity disturbs me. ... (I don't want to be) caught in the trick bag of color like with Rice and Powell, who turned out to be tyrants."

Larry Rivers, a graduate student, found it more than fitting for Belafonte to be the keynote speaker of the series.

"The university is a market for ideas," Rivers said. "(He) is here to better America, opinions, and people."

After taking a few questions from the audience, Belafonte ended the evening with a challenge.

"(I encourage) young people in America to be as engaged as they can be (and to) believe in other promises than what they've been given. There's more to life than a bank account," he said. "How are you going to become firemen?"