Actor and activist Jane Fonda has recently relaunched the Committee For The First Amendment. The group was first created in 1947 by her father Henry Fonda. Artists, actors, directors, musicians, and other figures in the industry have joined in an effort to protect free speech.
The group announced its relaunch on October 1. The committee issued a statement on its website with the names of all 600-plus creators involved.
“Today, we relaunch the Committee for the First Amendment,” the statement reads. “This Committee was initially created during the McCarthy Era, a dark time when the federal government repressed and persecuted American citizens for their political beliefs. They targeted elected officials, government employees, academics, and artists. They were blacklisted, harassed, silenced, and even imprisoned.”
The statement continued, “The federal government is once again engaged in a coordinated campaign to silence critics in the government, the media, the judiciary, academia, and the entertainment industry. We refuse to stand by and let that happen.”
Pop Stars, Actors, and Other Creatives Stand For Free Speech
“We know there is power in solidarity and strength in numbers,” the committee added. The statement made it clear that “This is not a partisan issue,” while making it clear that “We will stand together—fiercely united—to defend free speech and expression from this assault.”
The statement concluded, “To those who profit from our work while threatening the livelihoods of everyday working people, bowing to government censorship and cowering to brute intimidation: We see you, and history will not forget. This will not be the last you hear from us.”
The original Committee For The First Amendment formed in 1947 in response to the Red Scare and McCarthyism. Henry Fonda and other Hollywood figures initially joined together for a two-part radio broadcast. They shared their outrage at the government’s infringement on free speech and stood with those targeted. Lauren Bacall, Lucille Ball, Judy Garland, Humphrey Bogart, Gene Kelly, and Frank Sinatra were among the first committee members.
Now, the reforming of the committee includes artists like Billie Eilish, Finneas O’Connell, John Legend, Gracie Abrams, Maggie Rogers, Barbra Streisand, Patti LuPone, Bonnie Raitt, and Janelle Monae. Actors include Alan Cumming, Anjelica Huston, Anne Hathaway, Elliot Page, Ethan Hawke, George Takei, and many more. Directors, screenwriters, artistic directors, voice actors, comedians, and several other industries are also represented in the fight for free speech.
Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartRadio
The post Billie Eilish, John Legend, and 600-Plus Creators Aid in Committee For The First Amendment Relaunch appeared first on VICE.
