After facing backlash from Vietnamese Americans and state lawmakers, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has moved back the date of "Jane Fonda Day" to April 8. The original date of April 30 had been chosen to coincide with "Earth Month" and honor Fonda's climate activism, but it was criticized as being insensitive to the anniversary of the Fall of Saigon.
Los Angeles County has decided to move "Jane Fonda Day" to a new date in response to concerns raised by Vietnamese Americans and state lawmakers. The original date of April 30, which coincided with "Earth Month" and was chosen to honor Fonda's climate activism, was met with backlash due to its proximity to the anniversary of the Fall of Saigon.
On April 30, 1975, the United States officially withdrew from Vietnam, and the country subsequently fell to the communist North. Many Vietnamese Americans, including state lawmakers, objected to the idea of celebrating Fonda on that day, as she was a vocal opponent of the war and had made a controversial trip to North Vietnam in 1972 during which she infamously posed with North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gunners. This trip earned her the nickname "Hanoi Jane."
Republican Assemblyman Tri Ta of Westminster led the charge in urging the Board of Supervisors to rescind the proclamation for "Jane Fonda Day" on April 30. In a letter signed by more than a dozen other lawmakers, he argued that the decision was "a painful reminder of Ms. Fonda's pro-communist activism during the Vietnam War."
"The pain and hurt caused by this decision will surely cause long-term damage to the Vietnamese refugee community," he said.
California is home to the largest Vietnamese community outside of Vietnam, and many members of this community were deeply offended by the choice of April 30 for "Jane Fonda Day."
In a letter to Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, Sen. Janet Nguyen of Huntington Beach called the proposed date "tone deaf… for exalting pro-Communist activist Jane Fonda as a heroine of peace and social justice on the anniversary of the Fall of Saigon."
Acknowledging these concerns, the Board voted Tuesday to move "Jane Fonda Day" to April 8, beginning in 2025. The new date was chosen to avoid any potential conflict with the anniversary of the Fall of Saigon and to ensure that the day could be celebrated without controversy.
In a joint motion, Horvath and Supervisor said, "Out of respect for community voices who have spoken out regarding the historic significance of that date, Los Angeles County will recognize American actor and activist Jane Fonda on April 8 during Earth Month."
Fonda, now 85 years old, has since expressed regret for her trip to North Vietnam and her opposition to the war. She has said that she was "naive" at the time and did not fully understand the complexities of the conflict.
The decision to move "Jane Fonda Day" has been met with mixed reactions. Some have praised the county for listening to concerns from the Vietnamese American community, while others have criticized the move as an unnecessary concession to a small group of people.
Regardless of one's opinion on the decision, it is clear that the issue of "Jane Fonda Day" has sparked a larger debate about the role of historical sensitivity in public commemorations.
