POLL: Jane Fonda anti-war campaign help or hurt?

[yurbud]

I just read Jane Fonda is going to tour the country speaking out against the War in Iraq. Given the response to her Vietnam activism, will her efforts help or hurt?

Hillbilly Hitler art:



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[Horse with no Name]

1. You know what?

This used to be a free country. If she wants to do it...who gives a fuck.
It sure as hell beats all the freeper keyboard warriors who sit on their ass all day typing and eating fritos and drinking beer.
THOSE are the ones who will be belittling her and who gives a rats ass what they think anyway.
GO JANE!

[Jon8503]

2. A Vietnam Vet For Jane Fonda ---- Maybe this goes against the

grain of a lot of you or other veterans but the way I have always seen her and the other anti-war protesters of the Vietnam War is that they saved a lot of lives. If everyone had marched in step with Nixon as most seem to have with Bush, who knows how many more lives would have been lost.

If Jane Fonda wants to protest this war by bus, save me a seat.

[unrepuke]

8. Me, too. Also a vet for Jane. The RWers hate her so she

can't be all bad.

I wonder what her new nick name will be?

[Jon8503]

11. Well Right Wingers Are So Very Creative. I would guess it would

be Bagdag Jane wouldn't you.

[unrepuke]

27. I wouldn't expect much more from them than that

even with the misspelling ;-) - but I thought of Falujah Fonda
or Fond o' Falujah

[Imagevision]

3. OR, Jane Fonda to go on National Book selling tour!

[katinmn]

4. At least she's consistent

[deutsey]

5. Won't hurt any more than the Swiftboat Liars' propaganda did.

:eyes:

And what I mean by that is:

The Right was able to milk John Kerry's opposition to the war and spit it back in our faces. Vietnam is a very raw nerve in America and Fonda, whether you like her or hate her, is a very sore spot along that raw nerve.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

6. I'm a vet and she's got my support.

Just as she had when she went to Vietnam to protest the slaughter.

[yurbud]

7. I am not opposed to celebrity activism, but anti-aircraft photo

and the meeting with POWs turned out to be counter-productive.

It was really a misstep that fit the "spitting on vets" stereotype (even though the spitting never actually happened).


Hillbilly Hitler art:



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[Tierra_y_Libertad]

9. Speaking of photos..

[blondeatlast]

10. A sadly appropriate response.

Sometimes it hurts to be old enough to remember (I was about 8 at the time and saw that in my Dad's Time Magazine).

[yurbud]

14. that is the bottom line--it's just hard for some people

to remember when they see her with the guys in prison pajamas or grinning on the gun mount.

Obviously, her PR goofs pale in comparison to the damage done by the war.

The question is, how do show that the insurgents may be right without seeming abandon or betray the troops fighting them?

I don't think that's what critics are doing, but you know that's what Limbaugh et al will be shouting at the top of their lungs.

Hillbilly Hitler art:



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[Tierra_y_Libertad]

15. To hell with Limbaugh and his Chicken Hawk screeching.

We can't mute our message against the war in fear of how the right wing will react to it.

In their eyes you're already a traitor "aiding and abetting" the "enemy" just by questioning the war/occupation.

[yurbud]

16. I was more conservative in the 80s, and Jane's trip to Hanoi looked bad

without anyone telling me what to think of it.

Even now, I'm not sure of the wisdom of that approach.


You're right about not being able to win with the far right mouthpieces, but we shouldn't gratuitously hand them ammunition either.

Hillbilly Hitler art:



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[Kraklen]

12. I don't think it was either.

I think it was like the Paris Hilton sex tapes. Just celebrity gossip representing nothing.

[Kolesar]

13. I would like to ride along and warm up the crowds with MY speech

"been reading DU for a few years now"

[ConfuZed]

17. It will help

Its not like anyone else is doing anything

[rman]

18. Vets for Peace and Vets for Common Sense will love it

http://www.veteransforpeace.org/
http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/

They will understand anti-war is not the same thing as anti-troops.

Any anti-war anything will grief anyone who supports the war,
but many vets do not support the war.

[T Town Jake]

19. The trend of the poll doesn't reflect the comments in the thread...

...and vice versa. Which tells me the DU'ers voting are quite a bit smarter than the DU'ers commenting, politically, in this one.
Try selling Jane Fonda's "tour" to hardcore Blue-Collar Democrats sitting in a Union Hall sipping suds - many of whom are also members of the VFW - and see what you come up with. And good luck.

[B Calm]

20. Vietnam vet weighing in, save me a seat on the bus Jane.

[Toucano]

24. You rock!

Thanks for stepping forward. I've been telling people you are out there.

See you on the bus! :loveya:

[DanCa]

21. Polarized

Your either for her or against her at this point. The good thing is that she gets people talking. I think that's what she wants to do.

[Azathoth]

22. At this point, it's not going to matter much one way or the other

Had this been a year ago, I would have said that her campaign would have definitely hurt the anti-war cause. By now, however, pretty much everyone has made up their mind about the war. The lies and incompetence have already been exposed to the public, and anyone who was going to see the light and change their position on the war has done so already. The pro-war crowd is now down to the nutball partisan core -- the "kick their ass and take their gas" crowd -- and they're not going to change their tune any time soon (at least not until enough body bags have come back). Consequentially, I doubt Fonda's bus tour is going to make much difference at all. The people who have come to oppose the war because they realize they've been lied to are not going to turn around and start supporting it again because they hate Jane Fonda.

[DemonFighterLives]

23. Jane was right before and would be right now too

Just because the freepers can't stand her.
I'm surprised at my DU brothers and sisters having such a dim view of her.
Anyone for peace is on my side.

[Deja Q]

25. She's gone bonkers. She recently kissed up to * and Pickes too.

So, as far as I'm concerned, like Nader and all the others these days, she's out for herself and NOBODY else.

[Toucano]

26. Jane Fonda: The only person America holds responsible for her actions

during the Vietnam era.

Good call, people. Perpetuate the myths.

[KC_25]

29. What myth? N/t

[Media_Lies_Daily]

28. Lots of Jane Fonda haters on DU this morning...the heck with them!....

...The more the merrier on the antiwar bus!

[supernova]

30. What does sitting on a VC tank 35 years ago have to do with today?

Sheesh. She's already said she's sorry. And I bet she won't make the same mistake again.

Look, if we have RW radio on a "Gee The War is Swell" mission, I think she'd make a GREAT COUNTERWEIGHT to that fiasco.