Jane Fonda

Ridicule and humor are the best ways of confronting authoritarianism.

They don't know what to do about it.

The goal of the authoritarians is always to show we're impermeable, impenetrable.

We are inevitable.

There's nothing you can do about it.

You know, and then a kid comes along or a comic and says, look at you with no clothes, makes fun of the authoritarianism.

It exposes their weakness.

It's the last thing that authoritarians want.

When we first formed October 1st and launched, there was a lot of publicity.

This is the Committee for the First Amendment.

The Committee for the First Amendment.

I was stunned at the response that we got.

from movement leaders all around the country, from Europe, from all the major foundations.

Wow.

You know, if we don't matter, why is everybody so excited that this has happened?

Right.

And little by little, I began to understand.

It's because they're trying to organize other pillars.

And if celebrities and people in the arts pillar start to stand up and show courage, it's much easier for people in the banking pillar or in the

you know, the professional pillar to say, well, God, if he can do that, if she can do that, I can stand up and be brave.