Actor and activist Jane Fonda warned that former President Donald Trump will "burn up the planet" if he returns to the White House for a second term and called on young people to look past their unhappiness with the Biden administration when they vote in this year's presidential election.
"I understand why young people are really angry, and really hurting," Fonda said. "What I want to say to them is, 'Do not sit this election out, no matter how angry you are. Do not vote for a third party, no matter how angry you are, because that will elect somebody who will deny you any voice in the future of the United States. … If you really care about Gaza, vote to have a voice, so you can do something about it.'"
The Nation reported that Fonda made her remarks during a recent interview organized by the global media collaborative Covering Climate Now and conducted by CBS News, the Guardian, and Rolling Stone magazine.
Drawing on her more than 50 years of activism, Fonda argued that bringing about major social change requires two components: massive, nonviolent street protests and smart electoral organizing.
"History shows us that … you need millions of people in the streets, but you [also] need people in the halls of power with ears and a heart to hear the protests, to hear the demands," she said.
Contrasting the choice between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democrat presidential nominee, Fonda said that Harris would have to be pushed "to stop drilling, and fracking, and mining," while Trump has promised to "drill, baby, drill."
"For once, let's believe him," Fonda said. "The choice is very clear: Do we vote for the future, or do we vote for burning up the planet?"
Fonda's history of activism goes back to the anti-Vietnam War and anti-nuclear protests of the 1970s to later pushing for economic democracy and women's rights. She now agitates for climate action and launched the Jane Fonda Climate political action committee three years ago to elect "climate champions" at all levels of government.
"The PAC focuses down ballot — on mayors, state legislators, county councils," she said. "It's incredible how much effect people in these positions can have on climate issues."
Of the 60 candidates the PAC endorsed in 2022, 42 won their races. This year, the PAC is supporting more than 100 candidates in key battleground states and Fonda's home state of California with money, voter outreach efforts, and publicity. The organization will not endorse candidates who accept money from the fossil fuel industry.
Fonda, a two-time Academy award-winning actor, also was "very disturbed" that climate change was not featured more prominently during the debate between Trump and Harris and said the mainstream media needs to educate the public about the "number-one crisis facing humanity."
"People don't understand what we are facing," Fonda said. "The news media has to be more vigilant about tying extreme weather events to climate change. It's starting to happen, but not enough."
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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