Old Wine in Old Bottles - (Jane Fonda's non apology book tour)

HENRY MARK HOLZER.COM ^ | APRIL 6, 2005 | HENRY MARK HOLZER

[CHARLITE]

With the publication of Jane Fonda’s autobiography, the public in general and veterans in particular have once again been insulted by her contentless “apology” for a single episode in her multi-faceted junket to Hanoi in July 1972. Fonda’s charade on “60 Minutes” the other night was simply a robotic reprise of what she has been repeating as a mantra for years in words carefully crafted by her spin doctors.

In our 2002“Aid and Comfort”: Jane Fonda in North Vietnam, Erika Holzer and I wrote the following:

"[After the Vietnam War ended], Fonda went on with her life – garnering more adulation as an actress; becoming a fitness guru; providing untold millions to her office-seeking politician husband Tom Hayden in support of an assortment of far-left causes; marrying media billionaire Ted Turner; establishing herself as a Hollywood icon; piling up award upon award; and recently pursuing other causes. But she has never been made to account for her wartime trip to North Vietnam."

"Fonda’s seeming apology on Barbara Walters’ TV show '20/20' in 1988 was hollow and insincere – not to mention, incomplete. Her pose, she told Walters, on a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun used to shoot down American planes was 'a thoughtless and cruel thing to have done.' She was sorry she had hurt the prisoners in the Hanoi Hilton, she had been 'thoughtless and careless.'

[This footnote followed the text]: During an interview in 2000 Fonda told Oprah Winfrey, 'I will go to my grave regretting the photograph of me in antiaircraft carrier [sic] which looks like I was trying to shoot at American planes. That had nothing to do with the context that photograph was taken in. But it hurt so many soldiers. It galvanized such hostility. It was the most horrible thing I could possibly have done. It was just thoughtless. I wasn’t thinking; I was just so bowled over by the whole experience that I didn’t realize what it would look like.'

The Washington Times, July 7, 2000 (commentary by Bruce Herschensohn). Fonda limiting her 'apology' to the antiaircraft gun incident is yet another example of her attempt to minimize her activities in North Vietnam. On February 9, 2001, Fonda was at it again on Walters’ '20/20' show. Walters said Fonda had been 'against the war,' and the actress agreed, leaving the implication that being against the war justified her propagandizing for the enemy from its own soil. Yet millions of loyal Americans, who also opposed the war – including some much more prominent than Fonda – never traveled to the capitol of a country that was killing our troops and torturing our prisoners.

Fonda said, 'It just kills me that I did things that hurt those men,' apparently referring to our POWs. It’s obvious she never bothered to find out how she hurt 'those men' – men who were injured, sick, debilitated, and treated by their captors in a manner that in [our] book [we] could hardly bring [ourselves] to describe. She made no effort to learn the toll her activities took on the morale of our prisoners and men still in the field, nor the punishment some received for upholding their honor and refusing to meet with her. Worse . . . after repatriation was concluded on April 1, 1973 and the details of our POWs’ ordeal were revealed, Fonda called the returned POWs 'liars and hypocrites' for reporting that they had been brutally tortured.

Finally, Fonda told Walters and her viewers that hurting the prisoners was 'not my intent.'

In [our book] we spend dozens of pages discussing Fonda’s intent. One wonders what Fonda’s answer would have been if Walters had asked Fonda what her intent was. So, once more, the Jane and Barbara show allowed Fonda to offer yet another glib, superficial 'apology,' just like her earlier ones, aimed at convincing the gullible that Hanoi Jane is truly sorry for what she did in North Vietnam. She is not. She never was. Once the full truth is known, even the gullible will not take seriously any more Fonda 'apologies.'

[Our text then continued]: What makes Fonda’s regret ring so hollow and self-serving are her revealing words in a 1989 interview, in which she stated categorically: 'I did not, have not, and will not say that going to North Vietnam was a mistake . . . I have apologized only for some of the things that I did there, but I am proud that I went.'

[This footnote followed the text]: Even genuine repentance on Fonda’s part would not have erased . . . what she had done in Hanoi."

Jane Fonda’s conduct in Hanoi is examined at length in “Aid and Comfort,” but to summarize:

Touring the so-called “War Crimes” museum in the company of North Vietnamese Communist civilian and military officials and members of the international press, and there making pro-Communist and anti-American propaganda statements. . . . Touring a North Vietnamese hospital in the company of North Vietnamese Communist civilian and military officials and members of the international press, and there making pro-Communist and anti-American propaganda statements. Touring dikes and populated areas in the company of North Vietnamese Communist civilian and military officials and members of the international press, and there making pro-Communist and anti-American propaganda statements. Touring the North Vietnamese countryside in the company of North Vietnamese Communist civilian and military officials and members of the international press, and there making pro-Communist and anti-American propaganda statements.

Making a live broadcast, through the radio facilities of the North Vietnamese regime, containing pro-Communist, anti-American propaganda, which broadcast was taped for later replay. Touring a textile center in the company of North Vietnamese Communist civilian and military officials and members of the international press, and there making pro-Communist and anti-American propaganda statements. Making a second live broadcast, through the radio facilities of the North Vietnamese regime, containing pro-Communist, anti-American propaganda, which broadcast was taped for later replay.

Meeting with seven captured American airmen and haranguing them with pro-Communist, anti-American propaganda. Being interviewed by a French journalist and continuing to make her pro-Communist, anti-American propaganda statements. Making a third live broadcast, through the radio facilities of the North Vietnamese regime, containing pro-Communist, anti-American propaganda, which broadcast was taped for later replay. Holding a press conference in Hanoi, where she described her activities since arriving in North Vietnam, and continuing to make her pro-Communist, anti-American propaganda statements. Making a fourth live broadcast, through the radio facilities of the North Vietnamese regime, containing pro-Communist, anti-American propaganda, which broadcast was taped for later replay.

Making two more live broadcasts on one day, through the radio facilities of the North Vietnamese regime, containing pro-Communist, anti-American propaganda, which broadcasts were taped for later replay. Meeting with North Vietnamese Vice Premier Nguyen Duy Trinh and continuing to make her pro-Communist, anti-American propaganda statements. In the company of Communist civilian and military officials and members of the international press, posing in the control seat of a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun, feigning taking sight on an imaginary American aircraft, and, by her conduct and words, continuing to make her pro-Communist, anti-American propaganda statements.

Has anyone heard an “apology” for any of this from Hanoi Jane?

[CHARLITE]

I heard yesterday on Fox cable, that while Jane Fonda walked down the line viewing POWs, some of them who were lined up, slipped notes to her, which urged her to tell their military officers and the American government, that they were being tortured and desperately needed help.

Jane Fonda handed our guys' desperate notes to her N.Vietnamese hosts, which traitorous act resulted in worse torture for our POWs.

[SwinneySwitch]

Jane, you ignorant slut!

[Zeppelin]

They failed to mention what the Hanoi press quoted her as saying when she was peering through the anti-aircraft gun...

"Now let's find those blue-eyed sons of bitches"

Despicable

[Rummyfan]

While its certainly believable that Hanoi Jane would do such a thing, I think that tale has been debunked.

[cripplecreek]

The ignorant b**ch is claiming to apologize about her vists to north Vietnam only to increase book sales. In reality she isn't sorry for one thing.

[cripplecreek]

Medved Talking about Fonda now.

[mountainlyons]

Hanoi Jane is one up on Hanoi John Kerry, She did make an "apology"

[Tenacious 1]

I don't know where it could have been debunked. I read a/the book that tells the story from a guy that stood in the line and passed the note (or maybe he was quoted). I am a diehard skeptic of all that is outrageous and found it indisputable. He is quoted. In fact, the same book talks about how torture increased and the notes were read back to the POWs. It alleges that at least one POW died as a result of the increased intensity of the torture. There was also a documentary a few years back on Discovery or History Channel about it.

[Only1choice____Freedom]

Jane Fonda handed our guys' desperate notes to her N.Vietnamese hosts, which traitorous act resulted in worse torture for our POWs.

That's an urban legend.

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

She did lie but she did not get any notes.

[Tenacious 1]

I need to dig up that book and re-research it. I hate being made a fool of.

I still could not hate the c___ more.

(And now I need to see a priest and confess my sins of hatred.)

[hunter112]

I hope this whore shows her ugly face in my area on her book tour. I plan on showing up with my protest sign.

Maybe we need to set up a Freeping list like we did for all the other times when somebody needed to tell it like it is.

[traderrob6]

Last night on Letterman she blamed the right, can you believe it.

http://exposingtheleft.blogspot.com/2005/04/hanoi-jane-mellows-but-song-still-same.html

[Bring Back Old Sparky]

Jane thinks the Iraq war is wrong. Maybe she could go there and protest. Who knows, she might find a big gun to make a photo-op with. Oh, I forgot... the enemy isn't in charge of Iraq. Them's be our guns now. Nevermind...

[ANGGAPO]

There has to be a way to get Old Jane deported to some spot on earth where she is loved, perhaps North Korea?

[Tacis]

She must be selling something, a book I suppose, because she's been all over TV. Last night, she was on Letterman. It was immediately clear that Dave was giving her the left wing princess treatment that he extends to some guests. It wasn't worth watching or listening to, so I clicked through.

I did get an impression, however. Hanoi Jane is one hard, tough old cookie. She has been badly used and comes across like a very, senior hooker with many years of hard experience. Why any one would want to hear about her lies and treason is completely beyond me. Letterman's kissing of Hillie's butt or Kerry's butt is understandable, they could do him some good in the future, maybe. An old hooker like Jane, why?

[John Lenin]

She has been badly used and comes across like a very, senior hooker with many years of hard experience.

Whoa, I think you nailed her. (not literally)

[kilowhskey]

The dates and locations of her book tour would be valuable to Freepers all over the country. Any leads greatly appreciated.

[DuncanWaring]

There's no commandment that says "Thou shall not hate."

[DuncanWaring]

"Rode hard and put up wet"?

[DuncanWaring]

I seem to recall an article in Newsweek or Time shortly after her Great North Vietnamese Concert Tour documenting it.

Might even have been the cover story.

Does anyone have anything more specific on if/when such an article appeared?

[ibbryn]

Are there any transcripts of her comments/broadcasts in N Vietnam?

Yesterday, for the first time ever, I saw the video of her sitting on the AAA guns and I was shocked. She looked absolutly gleeful.

I had previously only seen still photos of her and that alone made me hate her.

[SwinneySwitch]

From the sluts interview with Lesley Stahl on 60 Minutes:

But many of those soldiers say if there’s one thing they will never forgive her for, it’s that she met with a group of seven POWs when she was in North Vietnam, giving the appearance of a staged event at their expense.

"Was that a lapse of judgment?" asks Stahl.

"No. There are hundreds of American delegations that had met with POWs. It was not uncommon at all," says Fonda.

"Does that make it right?" asks Stahl.

"It doesn't make it wrong," says Fonda.

"But the Vietnamese used it as propaganda, to say, 'Look how humane we are,'” says Stahl.

"Well, both sides were using propaganda, were using the POWs for propaganda," says Fonda. "I don't think there was anything wrong with it. It's not something that I will apologize for."

Nor does she apologize for making broadcasts on Radio Hanoi. "Our government was lying to us, and men were dying because of it," she says. "And I felt that I had to do anything that I could to expose the lies, and help end the war. That was my goal."

She asked the Vietnamese if she could make the broadcasts, tapes which 60 Minutes found at the National Archives in Washington.

Fonda went on Radio Hanoi at least 10 times, speaking directly to U.S. pilots, after she had toured the bombed-out countryside and visited hospitals full of injured civilians.

[BipolarBob]

There's no commandment that says "Thou shall not hate."

Actually Jesus said we are to love our enemies and our neighbors. In the ten commandments the first four are our duty to God and the last six are our duty to our fellow man. Jesus elaborated on what that meant through parables, direct teaching and how He lived His life.

[DuncanWaring]

I presume you mean that "Love your neighbor as yourself" thing.

If I'd done what she's done I'd hate myself too.

[MoochPooch]

"She has been badly used and comes across like a very, senior hooker with many years of hard experience."


A recent article in SLATE opines that she wrote her new book to lash out at all the men who used her. In her view, she shaped her image around them (i.e. Barbarella, left-wing activist, etc.).

Typical feminist rant. Blame the men on everything & accept no responsibility. (I'm a woman, so don't call me a male chauvinist.)

She doesn't get it. It wasn't a man who made her consort with the enemy while our soldiers were fighting. While she had a right to oppose the war, she grossly -- and on her own initiative -- overstepped bounds by going to N. Vietnam & consorting with the enemy. (And she makes no apology for that, only for posing in a picture.)

[John Lenin]

Field of dead Cambodians

[DuncanWaring]

That would be one of the consequences of the "Stop The War" movement.

I was actuallly referring to the pictures published back in 1972 shortly after she made her trip.

I suppose I could go to a library and hit the Readers Guides (those great big green books with references to what was published where). Do those things even exist anymore?

[An American Patriot]

Are there any transcripts of her comments/broadcasts in N Vietnam?

Yes there are. Here is one:

http://www.insightmag.com/main.cfm?include=detail&storyid=195014A

WARNING to one and all, don't visit this site after eating.

Here are but a few of her statements:

"I want to publicly accuse Nixon here of being a new-type Hitler whose crimes are being unveiled."

Although "we do not condone the killing of American officers … we do support the soldiers who are beginning to think for themselves."

"We thank you [the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese] for your brave and heroic fight." "Nixon's aggression against Vietnam is a racist aggression [and] the American war in Vietnam is a racist war, a white man's war."

Notwithstanding these and many other inane and downright treasonous statements Hanoi Jane has uttered in the past, the crown jewel is one that is one not well known and one which will never make the Babawa Walters/Oprah/Night line shows, much less the NYT or other MSM.

"I WOULD THINK THAT IF YOU UNDERSTOOD WHAT COMMUNISM WAS, YOU WOULD HOPE, YOU WOULD PRAY ON YOUR KNEES, THAT WE WOULD SOMEDAY BECOME COMMUNISTS." --

= Jane Fonda, at Michigan State University quoted in Detroit Free Press of November 22, 1970

[John Lenin]

To Jane, Americans died in vain, she still doesn't get it.

[Tacis]

My friend, I wouldn't nail Hanoi Jane with YOUR foot!

[An American Patriot]

Are there any transcripts of her comments/broadcasts in N Vietnam?

Yes here is one of the better ones:

http://www.insightmag.com/main.cfm?include=detail&storyid=195014

CAUTION: do not visit this site after eating.

A few of her statements while in Vietnam:

"I want to publicly accuse Nixon here of being a new-type Hitler whose crimes are being unveiled."

Although "we do not condone the killing of American officers … we do support the soldiers who are beginning to think for themselves."

"We thank you [the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese] for your brave and heroic fight."

"Nixon's aggression against Vietnam is a racist aggression [and] the American war in Vietnam is a racist war, a white man's war."

Notwithstanding all of her inane and outright treasonous statements she uttered, the “crowning jewel” is one which most have never been made aware of and one which one will NOT soon see on Bawbawa Walters/Oprah/Nightline, much less the NYT or any of the other MSM.

"I WOULD THINK THAT IF YOU UNDERSTOOD WHAT COMMUNISM WAS, YOU WOULD HOPE, YOU WOULD PRAY ON YOUR KNEES, THAT WE WOULD SOMEDAY BECOME COMMUNISTS." --

Jane Fonda, at Michigan State University quoted in Detroit Free Press of November 22, 1970

[Captain Peter Blood]

Communism in it's purest sense is another Utopian Ideal. But it can never be reached because Communism in it's initial steps calls for a Totalitarian State and people like Lenin and Stalin can and never would voluntarily give up power to get to that Utopian Ideal. Jonathan Swift wrote about the same Ideal in Gulliver's Travels.

[JOE43270]

I am not a combat veteran. I am a Viet Nam era veteran, 1970 to 1977 United States Air Force. I have listaen to more than one combat veteran talk about Hanoi Jane. This
!#$%^ fits the definition of treason in the United States Constitution. She aided and abetted the enemy and their are more than the two required witnesses.

[JulieRNR21]

Forever Green
April 6th, 2005
The American Thinker

Russ Vaughn

Jane Fonda seeks exoneration,
Forgiveness from her traitored nation.
What say you warriors fought that war?
Is forgiveness due that wartime whore?
So rich, so smart, she thought she knew
Much more than us, we bloodied few.
So smug, self-serving, seeking fame,
The rich bitch played her seditious game.

A game that cost me many friends,
Many, thanks to Jane, came to bad ends.
I've borne scars forty years or more,
From lies laid on me by this whore.
Self-serving now she sells her tale,
This traitor who should be in jail.
Is it within our souls to grant her grace?
Our souls shout, "No... spit in her face"

So self assured, she played high stakes,
Telling American prisoners, "That's the breaks."
She accused brave men of heinous crimes,
Which were disproved in future times.
And now our country knows the truth
Jane Fonda betrayed us in our youth.
She asks us now to read her book,
Americans, the folks this bitch forsook.

So now she crawls, her conscience bare,
To tell us she screwed up back there.
Well, hell, we knew that way back then,
This Hanoi Jane who helped them win.
It was glory then for this airhead star,
But forever now she'll bear the scar
A scarlet letter she'll now wear,
A stench forever in her hair.

So Jane, dear, you must realize,
You're the devil in a helmet in our eyes.
When Vietnam vets raise up their toasts
It's to damn your soul, to salute our ghosts.
We swear, we living, to our long-dead brave,
We'll live to piss upon your grave.
So Jane, good fortune, unforeseen,
Your traitor's grave will be forever green.


Russ Vaughn

101st Airborne Division
Vietnam 65-66
Russ Vaughn is the Poet Laureate of The American Thinker

[CHARLITE]

"While its certainly believable that Hanoi Jane would do such a thing, I think that tale has been debunked."

No. The story is true. I just heard two callers into the local KABC Al Rantel show (in L.A.), who verified that this is absolutely true. One caller has a friend who was one of the POWs lined up as Madame Hanoi Jane "reviewed" them. The other caller was a Vietnamese whose family escaped from the north and made their way to America.

The story of Jane Fonda receiving urgent SOS notes scribbled on pieces of paper and then handing them over to her communist "hosts" is absolutely true. It is just one more appalling detail to add to her treachery against America and our gallant American fighting men.

Char

[Smartass]

THANKS FOR THE PING

[JOE43270]

Thank you. Russ Vaughn says it the BEST. God Bless America and all who have and will defend HER.