s/o Jane Fonda

[turnipthebeet]

Feb 11, 2020 12:02:19 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Feb 11, 2020 11:43:03 GMT -5 wawa said:

Ohhh...that's fascinating. I'd heard the name Hanoi Jane. I had no clue it referred to Fonda. Huh.

I mean, even though the very specific thing they say she did never happened, Vietnam vets weren't going to love somebody who protested the involvement in the war, and was legit friendly with the enemy? Or was she not actually and I'm misreading this?

Vietnam is very complicated when it comes to vets and their feelings. This was the last war that used the draft extensively, so you have career military vets, vets who were drafted and wanted to serve, and vets that never wanted to serve and actively hated all involvement but are now vets anyway. There are also a lot of feelings of abandonment when it comes to Vietnam vets, as they translated the widespread opposition of the war as opposition against them. They were also pretty much abandoned by the government once they came home. So you put that all together with a female, vocal activist who was against the war you are (willingly or unwillingly) serving in, and you get this toxic stew. Regardless of what she was doing, she was always going to be hated. She was fairly naive, and this showed in her willingly being placed in a bad position.

Regarding the bolded - some of the opposition WAS against them. A lot of these veterans, when they returned (and as you alluded to - regardless of how/why they were fighting) were spat at, heckled, and worse. So many of them are living on the streets now and what our country and government did to these people is deplorable. 

No commentary on Jane, I like her and I think she has been a lot more thoughtful with her image since that time and has done a lot of good work. But Vietnam veterans and the way they've been treated is really a dark stain on this country. 

[Jalapeñomel]

Feb 11, 2020 12:30:43 GMT -5 taratru said:

I can't even mention her name without my dad - retired Navy - losing his shit. I never believed it. And it pisses me off that the tearing down of activists - especially women - is so damn entrenched in our culture. I mean, look at how many Americans speak about Greta Thunburg and Malala. It's enraging.

Mine too. And my brother, and everyone in my family or associated with them. It’s frustrating.

[centralsquare]

Lolz. twitter.com/JanesRedCoat

[stever]

Both my parents worked at a VA hospital so I grew up surrounded by Vietnam vets, all of whom hated Fonda. TBH the knee jerk “vets ain’t Fonda Jane” thing has always grated, much like “Benghazi!!!” or “but her emails “ does now.