Jane Fonda, 87, has relaunched the Committee for the First Amendment, created by her father, actor Peter Fonda, in 1947 to defend free speech, and already has the support of hundreds of Hollywood celebrities.
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In a statement, the Oscar winner and longtime activist announced the initiative and called on her famous colleagues to join in and face what Fonda described as “the scariest moment” of her life.
“I’m 87 years old. I’ve seen war, repression, protests, and backlash. I’ve been celebrated and labeled an enemy of the state. But I can say one thing: this is the scariest moment of my life,” Fonda said in a letter shared with CNN.
In the letter, also published on Instagram, the actress spoke about the committee created by her father to fight against attacks on free speech during what became known as the McCarthy Era.
“The McCarthy Era came to an end when Americans across the political spectrum finally came together and defended the principles of the Constitution against the forces of repression,” Fonda wrote. “Those forces have returned. And now it’s our turn to unite in defense of our constitutional rights.”
“We refuse to stand by and let this happen. Free speech is an inalienable right of all Americans, from all backgrounds and political beliefs — no matter how liberal or conservative you are. The ability to criticize, question, protest, and even mock those in power is fundamental to what the United States has always aspired to be.”
Soon after, hundreds of artists announced their support for the Committee, including filmmakers Spike Lee, Barry Jenkins, JJ Abrams, Patty Jenkins, Aaron Sorkin, and Judd Apatow, actors Lily Tomlin, Mandy Patinkin, Whoopi Goldberg, Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, Kerry Washington, Pedro Pascal, Natalie Portman, Viola Davis, Susan Sarandon, and Ben Stiller, musicians Barbra Streisand, John Legend, Janelle Monáe, Gracie Abrams, and Billie Eilish, among many other celebrities.
Images: Instagram @janefonda. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
