Only in Hollywood

[Nyboy]

Can a traitor (Jane Fonda) play a 1st lady ( Nancy Reagan) ! For those to young to remember Fonda betrayed not only the idea of our country, but specific men who served and sacrficed during the Vietnam war. Boycott this movie.

 

[dewdropsinwv]

I can not believe they are letting her play Nancy!!!!!! I know there are better actresses out there that would do a better job than Fonda.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Ive thought about Jane a lot, especially in the early 70s when I was in the Army, luckily for me in a non-combat area. I dont know that she ever actually committed treason, though on her trip to Hanoi she did some really questionable things. She may have crossed the line on that trip. I know they did not set well with me.

I was and still am one of those that did not agree with what she said but I feel she had a right to say them (or at least most of them. There is still that trip to Hanoi). Our constitutional right of free speech doesnt mean anything when what people say is what you agree with. When that right is important is when you have to hold your nose to hear it and still allow someone to say it. A lot of people have died defending that right.

The group that comes to mind that is current is that Westboro group up in Topeka. I wont dignify them by calling them a church. I strongly oppose what they do and say, but they have the constitutional right to say it. I have the right to feel sick to the stomach when I hear them and actively let people know I dont agree with them. We havent had a counter-demonstration in this area against them because they havent come here. Thats probably something Id join as long as its peaceful.

I probably wont see that movie. Not because Im boycotting it, just that I dont see many movies. However, you certainly have the right to boycott it and encourage others to boycott it.

Do you think maybe they cast Jane in that spot so the controversy would get them a lot of free publicity? Or am I just being my normal cynical self?

 

[lesa]

I don't want to get into an argument, but I remember when this was going around in email. I had always liked Jane Fonda and found it hard to believe that she would do the things the email stated. I checked it out on snopes.com, which was a very interesting read. Most of the email seemed to be urban legend. Still curious, I took out Fonda's autobiography from the library. I wanted to hear her side. She did not come off as un-American at all.

 

[lesa]

Just checked snopes again- and it seems that Jane Fonda is not slated to play Nancy Reagan. She is in a movie called "The Butler" which is about the butler at the White House, but isn't a biography of the Reagans.

 

[dewdropsinwv]

Everyone has a right to their opinion, we all have ours. I dont know what she said/didnt say, in the past probably before my time,or I was too little to know I personally dont think she is a very good actress.... that's all.

 

[baymule]

Jane Fonda is playing Nancy Regan in a movie called The Butler. My brother was a Marine in Viet Nam. I won't be seeing that movie.

 

[journey11]

Here's a link I found with the full list of the cast and it appears that she is playing Nancy Reagan; although you are right, Lesa, that the movie isn't specifically about the Reagans, but a man who worked as head butler at the White House through 8 consecutive presidencies.

I figure it was done for publicity as well. :/

 

[Nyboy]

I have been blessed to have had some great teachers in school. My 8 grade teacher of history served in that war. I remember his thoughts on Miss Fonda and I guess it still is with me today.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I cant copy and paste parts of this article from Snopes, but it talks about her trip to North Vietnam and how she was used for propaganda purposes by the North Vietnamese. There are several false rumors about what she did, but she made the trip and was willingly used for propaganda purposes by the North Vietnamese.

The part of this trip that really got to me is mentioned at the bottom of the article, where she posed for a photo op at a North Vietnamese antiaircraft gun.

http://www.snopes.com/military/fonda.asp

I have no problems with someone being anti-war and making that well known. I personally believe war is an admission of failure. It should be the absolute last resort when everything else has been tried and failed. We need to keep our leaders aware that they need a real good reason to put American lives at risk. It is not something that should be done casually.

There are sometimes reasons for putting American lives at risk. When that happens we owe it to our servicemen and women to give them a clear goal, the equipment, training, and supplies to do their job, and emotional support to them and their families. We can and should do that even if we personally oppose the war they are fighting.

I certainly dont blame anyone with ties to that era for having bad feelings for Jane Fonda. I have no problems with her or anyone else objecting to the war, but I feel she came real close to crossing that line from opposing the war to aiding and abetting our enemy. I dont even blame her for going to Hanoi to check on conditions and see out POWs. What really bothers me is her willingness to be used for propaganda purposes by our enemies. I dont have much admiration for her myself.