My mom mentioned her hatred of the 1960-80s actor Jane Fonda, so I decided to do my own research.
Link; History of the Vietnam War
Link; Jane Fonda Wiki
Image; Jane Fonda at an anti-Vietnam War conference in the Netherlands in January 1975
Aside from acting, Jane Fonda was also a political activist. She has also protested the Iraq War and violence against women and describes herself as a feminist and environmental activist. She co-founded the Women's Media Center in 2005, an organization that works to amplify the voices of women in the media through advocacy, media and leadership training, and the creation of original content.
In the 1960s, she actively supported the civil rights movement. She had been actively involved in the feminist movement since the 70s. One of her biggest political stances was her opposition to the Vietnam War.
What is the Vietnam War?
I have no idea, let's research together.
The Vietnam War was the conflict between the communist government of North Vietnam, against South Vietnam. The United States was the primal ally of the South even though they were currently at war with the Soviet Union during the Cold War. More than three million people were killed during this war, over half of which were local Vietnamese citizens.
United States citizens were divided during this war, pitted against each other. This social divide continued even after President Richard Nixon signed the Paris Peace Accords and demanded the withdrawal of US troops in 1973. The communist forces of North Vietnam finally ended the war in 1975 when they seized control of the South and unified as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam the following year.
Jane Fonda was one of almost 300 Americans who visited Vietnam to see the war firsthand. She witnessed the bombing of dike systems (basically river roads?) and said the United States had been intentionally targeting the dike system along the Red River. Many people did not agree with this statement and accused her of intentionally spreading propaganda in order to spread panic.
Her main outraging event was a photograph of her seated on a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun. In her 2005 autobiography, she wrote that she was manipulated into sitting on the battery. (left)
She also had a lot to say about the American prisoners of war (POWs) and how the United States media got it all wrong.
"These were not men who had been tortured. These were not men who had been starved. These were not men who had been brainwashed." Fonda said in response to stories of torture of returning POWs being published by the Nixon administration. "I'm quite sure that there were incidents of torture ... but the pilots who were saying it was the policy of the Vietnamese and that it was systematic, I believe that's a lie."
In more modern times it has been revealed that Jane Fonda was one of approximately 1,600 Americans whose communications between 1967 and 1973 were monitored by the United States National Security Agency (NSA) as part of Project MINARET. Project MINARET was described as "disreputable if not downright illegal" by the NSA.
In 1970, Fonda was arrested on charges of drug trafficking even though it was later proved that her "drugs" were mere vitamins. She has taken many left-aligning stances on various issues such as LGBTQ+ issues, feminism, civil rights, etc.
Now, mom. I'd like to know what about her you abhor so much?
It is her undying support and allowing people to live how they want? Is it her support of equality? Do tell.
Lain (they/them)
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