<
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/27/jane-fonda-kennedy-center-rally-trump>
"The actor Jane Fonda joined journalists, musicians and writers outside
Washington’s John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Friday in urging
US citizens to “break your silence” and “stand tall against authoritarianism”.
At a damp but defiant rally hosted by Fonda’s Committee for the First
Amendment, around a hundred invited guests gathered to hear speakers and
singers rail against book bans, political censorship and other threats to free
speech under Donald Trump.
“Today, books are being banned, plaques and monuments depicting historical
events this administration wants to forget are being removed,” Fonda said from
a stage under a grey, rainy sky. “Museums, the National Endowment for the Arts,
state arts councils, public broadcasting – they’re all being defunded.”
The choice of the Kennedy Center as a backdrop was pointed: the US president
has seized control of the national arts complex, targeted so-called “woke”
programming, had his name added to its marble facade and announced that it will
close for two years of renovations. Dozens of layoffs began this week.
Fonda observed: “This beloved citadel of the arts has become a symbol of what
is happening. The centre has been effectively silenced after artists refused to
bow to ideological demands and the racist erasure of history.
“As a cover, Trump is shutting it down for at least two years, supposedly to
make repairs, and he even suggested it may be necessary to take it down to the
studs. What’s he gonna do? Build another ballroom where he can dance and, like
Nero, fiddle while his country burns?”"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
