‘First Amendment Committee’ Revived After 80 Years
Aaron Sorkin, Natalie Portman, and 550 Others Join Forces
"Criticizing Power Is the Foundation of Democracy, Beyond Politics"
Veteran Hollywood actress Jane Fonda, 87, has relaunched an organization dedicated to protecting freedom of expression, leading a large-scale coalition. The First Amendment Committee, originally founded during the McCarthy era in the 1940s, has raised its banner again after nearly 80 years.
According to reports by CNN and Variety on October 1 (local time), Fonda recently issued a statement saying, "The assault on freedom of expression has begun again. The McCarthy era ended when Americans from across the political spectrum united to stand up to oppressive forces and uphold the principles of the Constitution. Those forces have returned, and now it is our turn to resist." She emphasized the purpose of relaunching the committee, stating, "Regardless of political background or beliefs, the ability to criticize and satirize those in power has always been a foundation of American ideals."
This committee has brought together more than 550 actors, directors, and musicians, including Aaron Sorkin, Barbra Streisand, Glenn Close, JJ Abrams, John Legend, Julianne Moore, Natalie Portman, Pedro Pascal, Ben Stiller, Sean Penn, Spike Lee, Viola Davis, Winona Ryder, Whoopi Goldberg, and Billie Eilish. Quinta Brunson, Kerry Washington, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ethan Hawke, and Anjelica Huston have also joined the initiative.
The name of the organization is derived from the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees freedom of the press, assembly, and expression. In 1947, Jane Fonda's father, actor Henry Fonda, along with Humphrey Bogart, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, and others, established a committee under the same name. At that time, as the U.S. government conducted investigations to root out communists in Hollywood, these figures stood up to defend freedom of expression.
This relaunch is also connected to the recent controversy surrounding the "Jimmy Kimmel Show." After broadcaster Jimmy Kimmel criticized and mocked the conservative camp in response to the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman pressured the network to halt the broadcast, and ABC temporarily suspended the program. However, after widespread backlash against what was seen as government censorship, ABC reversed its decision and resumed the show. Civil society groups and the broadcasting industry have described this as a "new McCarthyism."
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