The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution on Tuesday, May 21, changing the date of “Jane Fonda Day” from the original April 30 to April 8. Previously, the overlap of this date with the “Black April” led to strong discontent among critics and Vietnamese Americans.
Vietnamese-American Assemblyman Tri Ta of the 70th District expressed in an interview with Epoch Times on the 18th, “This is unacceptable.” He emphasized the significance of April 30, 1975, the fall of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City), the surrender of the South Vietnamese government, and the replacement by North Vietnam (Socialist Republic of Vietnam), marking the loss of their homeland on that day. State Senator Janet Nguyen had previously stated that it is a day of mourning for them.
Due to the strong opposition from the Vietnamese community and residents who have experienced the traumas of the Vietnam War, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors released an update on May 10: out of respect for the community, the proposal to honor Jane Fonda was moved to April 8 as part of Earth Month.
A representative of Board Chair Lindsey P. Horvath told the Los Angeles Times that the initial choice of April 30 was purely based on the board’s meeting schedule.
Jane Fonda has been openly against the Vietnam War and US government intervention, including her visits to North Vietnam in the 1970s, interviews with communist radio stations, and posing with North Vietnamese soldiers and their anti-aircraft guns, which drew criticism from the exiled Vietnamese community. She sang for soldiers at the photo shoot and claimed that the prisoners she visited were not mistreated, although in the years that followed, Fonda admitted that the photo op was used and acknowledged the existence of abuse towards prisoners of war.
Tri Ta stated, “April 30 is also the day we commemorate over 58,000 American soldiers and 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers who fought side by side during the Vietnam War.” He initiated a petition calling for the abolition of the divisive Jane Fonda Day, noting that hundreds of voters signed the petition in his office, hoping to honor this sacred day.
The petition states that “Black April” holds sacred significance for the Vietnamese refugee community in Southern California, commemorating those who worked with the brutal communist regime is not only inappropriate but also brings pain to the community, reopening the scars of war. Every year, ceremonies are held to mourn those who sacrificed everything for the cause of freedom.
On May 6, 18 bipartisan state assembly members led by Tri Ta sent a joint letter to Chair Horvath, urging the immediate withdrawal of Jane Fonda Day, citing that it painfully reminds people of Fonda’s pro-communist activities during the Vietnam War, earning her the nickname “Hanoi Jane.”
Reflecting on the experiences of families after North Vietnam’s occupation, Tri Ta shared, “In 1975 (when the US military evacuated Vietnam), my father was imprisoned for several years for writing a book against communism. I was only a teenager at the time.” After his father’s release, like many others, they fled Vietnam to the United States. He emphasized, “We know that freedom is not easily obtained and must be fought for.”
At 86 years old, actress and activist Jane Fonda attended the recognition ceremony held by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on April 30. The board decided to establish Jane Fonda Day to acknowledge her remarkable contributions to entertainment, environmental, gender equality, and social justice causes.
Chair Horvath praised Fonda, stating that she is a beloved actress and fearless activist, leaving a legacy in environmental and social justice pursuits, breaking countless barriers in her career, with a tireless commitment to activism. Horvath expressed gratitude for Fonda and her allies advocating and proposing many social justice issues, prominently climate justice, noting that climate change is a crisis of our time.
Jane Fonda expressed gratitude for the honor bestowed by Horvath and the board, reflecting on environmental changes in Los Angeles County from her childhood to the present, crediting Governor Newsom as the first to challenge major oil companies by signing legislation. Given the ongoing struggles Californians face with rising oil prices, Newsom held the oil companies accountable for high prices in the state, strengthened oil company regulations, and limited oil development.
Fonda emphasized in her remarks that most Americans are deeply concerned about current events, stating, “This is a crucial year for our survival”; “We need to participate in voting, from top to bottom, which affects whether young people will have a livable future.”