Jane Fonda has urged entertainment industry leaders to do more to protect artists’ “right to free expression”.
The Oscar-winning actress took to the stage at the Rise Up, Sing Out concert held at The Town Hall in New York City on Sunday night.
The concert was organised by members of the Committee for the First Amendment – a collective of artists and cultural leaders who seek to “celebrate the freedoms guaranteed by our First Amendment – of speech, religion, press, assembly, and protest”.
Addressing the crowd, Fonda claimed U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration are “routinely violating” the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution “to silence artists”.
“Shuttering institutions like the Kennedy Center, defunding museums and the National Endowment of the Arts, and banning books, cancelling TV hosts who speak out,” she said. “It’s really bad. And it’s being allowed by cowardly corporations. I’m not gonna name names right now. But I am honoured now to pass the mic to artists and activists who continue to speak up and sing out so that we might be inspired to rise up. Showing up is an act of hope, and you all give me hope.”
Fonda went on to argue that it doesn’t matter whether someone sides with the Democratic or Republican party.
“Those rights are for everyone, everyone. And we must defend them for everyone. Even if we don’t agree with them,” the 88-year-old continued. “It’s about right or wrong. And it is wrong. It is wrong for people to be attacked and called terrorists for exercising their rights and freedoms. It’s time for Americans all across the country, all across the political spectrum, who care about these freedoms, to stand up, creatively, non-violently, to defend these rights, while we can. And we must do this now. Because if we don’t, we’re not gonna have any rights to descend.”
Earlier in her speech, Fonda also explained how the new Committee for the First Amendment was inspired by the original organisation, formed in 1947 by actors including her father, Henry Fonda, as well as the likes of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.
“The committee was relaunched last October to bring together the entertainment industry,” she added. “At this moment, when our democracy is in peril. In the face of what’s happening, we need our industry to be unified, activated and unwilling to engage in anticipatory obedience. We stand together in defence of our right to free expression. They come for one of us, by God, they come for all of us.”
Attendees included Robert De Niro, Julia Roberts, Bette Midler, Ms. Rachel, Tessa Thompson, and Rufus Wainwright, among others.
Representatives for Trump and the White House have not yet responded to Fonda’s passionate comments.
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