For Jane Fonda, political struggle has rarely been new in her long and distinguished career. She has been widely criticized by the public; in 1972, she was dubbed “Hanoi Jane” after being spotted perched on a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun.
The actress was a contentious figure even in the 1960s, when she fervently supported the Black Panthers and the Civil Rights Movement, much to the chagrin of some sections of society.
Fonda used some of her words to attack President Donald Trump during her acceptance of the Screen Actors’ Guild (SAG) Life Achievement Award this past weekend.
Given the current, to put it mildly, unstable political climate in the US, it is hardly unexpected that many of the biggest stars are speaking out.
Fonda, 87, has the perfect platform to make her mark at Sunday’s SAG Awards.
Thank you, SAG AFTRA. This seems less like the late twilight of my life and more like a go girl, kick a** moment because of your energy. which is lucky for me because I have a lot of work to accomplish.Fonda said.
Though she didn’t specifically identify him, Fonda alluded to Sebastian Stan’s portrayal of President Trump on 2024’s The Apprentice.
Jane Fonda’s speech
“Even if you hate the actions of your character, you must understand and sympathize with the traumatized person you’re portraying,” she said.
The actress continued her defense of “wokeness” by arguing that empathy is neither weak nor “woke.” Being “woke,” by the way, just means that you have empathy for other people.
“A lot of people will be harmed by what is happening and what is coming our way,” she continued.”To overcome the obstacles that lie ahead, we will need a large tent.”
And instead of passing judgment, we ought to show empathy, listen to them from the bottom of our hearts, and invite them inside our tent, regardless of their political views. Because we will require a huge tent to adequately withstand what is coming at us.
Fonda’s comments come after several turbulent weeks in American politics. While many had anticipated turmoil during Trump’s second term in office, few could have predicted how quickly the apple cart may be turned upside down.
In the midst of a long list of executive orders and generally outrageous remarks, many of which have questionable links to reality, Trump has spent no time at all in trying to enact meaningful changes, for better or ill.
International worries have been aroused by Trump’s seeming backing for dictator Vladimir Putin in an attempt to mediate a settlement in Ukraine, and in recent days, his newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, headed by Elon Musk, has come under particular fire.
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