Jane Fonda Revives Historic Free Speech Group: Hollywood's Call to Action
HOLLYWOOD LEGENDS UNITE! Jane Fonda Revives Committee for the First Amendment, Slams Government Crackdown on Free Speech
The Queen of Activism is back and better than ever! At 87 years young, Hollywood icon Jane Fonda has reactivated the Committee for the First Amendment, a group founded by her own father during the McCarthy era to defend freedom of expression. And this time around, she's got some heavyweight allies joining forces.
Tinseltown's who's who have flocked to join the revived movement, including Oscar-winning director Spike Lee, pop sensation Billie Eilish, and Narcos star Pedro Pascal. The list goes on and on, with over 800 members of the entertainment industry signing up to fight for their right to free speech.
But what's behind this sudden resurgence? According to Fonda, it's simple: "Those forces have returned," she declared in a statement announcing the committee's revival. "The federal government is once again engaged in a coordinated campaign to silence critics in the government, the media, the judiciary, academia, and the entertainment industry."
Fonda isn't mincing words about what's at stake. In a passionate video posted to her social media on Wednesday night, she warned that history was repeating itself, with the government cracking down on dissenting voices.
"We're not just talking about Hollywood here," Fonda explained. "We're talking about artists, creatives, who rely on their freedom of expression to do what we do. We can't let the government take away our right to speak out against injustice."
And Fonda should know – she's been in this fight for decades. From her iconic protests against the Vietnam War (yes, the infamous "Hanoi Jane" nickname still haunts her) to her work with women's liberation movements, Fonda has always been at the forefront of social justice.
But now, she's rallying her fellow artists and creatives to join forces in a movement that transcends party lines. "We're not just fighting for ourselves," she emphasized. "We're fighting for our right to speak truth to power."
Of course, not everyone is on board with Fonda's crusade. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson took to Twitter to mock the actress and her fellow committee members.
"Hanoi Jane is free to share whatever bad opinions she wants," Jackson snarked. "As someone who actually knows what it's like to be censored, President Trump is a strong supporter of free speech and Democrat allegations to the contrary are so false, they're laughable."
But Fonda won't let hate mail or criticism get her down. In fact, her impassioned plea for collective action has inspired a wave of support from fans and fellow activists.
"Jane, you're an incredibly amazing woman at any age, but to be so politically involved and enthusiastic at your age is simply unreal," one commenter raved on social media. "Your speech is inspiring – I hope it moves everyone to stand up and fight this terrifying Trump administration!"
It's clear that Fonda has tapped into something deep and meaningful in the hearts of her fellow artists and creatives. As she so eloquently put it, "We're not looking to build an organization; we're looking to grow a movement."
And with Fonda at the helm, you can bet your bottom dollar this movement is going to be one for the ages.
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Sources:
This article was first published on TheScholarlyNote.com.