Jane Fonda's Rallying Cry Falls Flat as Few Show Up to Support Her Defense of Don Lemon
A handful of protesters and sign-waving supporters gathered outside an Los Angeles courthouse on Friday, but they were few in number, as actress Jane Fonda rallied in support of her friend journalist Don Lemon. The 88-year-old actress spoke passionately about the importance of defending free speech and freedom of the press.
However, it seemed that Fonda's entourage was woefully inadequate to sway the crowd. As she called on the meager group to "speak up" against what she perceived as an unjust arrest, the lackluster turnout raised eyebrows. It appeared that even the most ardent supporters were hesitant to take part in her rally.
Fonda's defense of Lemon, who was charged for storming a Minnesota church with a group of agitators, came across as somewhat misplaced. While it is clear that Fonda values freedom of speech and has an appreciation for Lemon's work as a journalist, she failed to articulate a compelling argument for why his actions were justified.
The actress's comments did, however, contain some telling moments. She made reference to her late husband, Ted Turner, the founder of CNN, saying "I know Don Lemon" – a statement that seemed aimed at highlighting their professional connection and establishing credibility. Fonda also alluded to President Donald Trump in an unmistakable gesture of solidarity with Lemon.
Despite her passion, however, it was clear that Fonda's rally had fallen flat. The small crowd did not seem particularly receptive to her message, and her words fell on deaf ears. It remains to be seen whether the actress can turn this momentum around and build a more substantial following for her cause.
A handful of protesters and sign-waving supporters gathered outside an Los Angeles courthouse on Friday, but they were few in number, as actress Jane Fonda rallied in support of her friend journalist Don Lemon. The 88-year-old actress spoke passionately about the importance of defending free speech and freedom of the press.
However, it seemed that Fonda's entourage was woefully inadequate to sway the crowd. As she called on the meager group to "speak up" against what she perceived as an unjust arrest, the lackluster turnout raised eyebrows. It appeared that even the most ardent supporters were hesitant to take part in her rally.
Fonda's defense of Lemon, who was charged for storming a Minnesota church with a group of agitators, came across as somewhat misplaced. While it is clear that Fonda values freedom of speech and has an appreciation for Lemon's work as a journalist, she failed to articulate a compelling argument for why his actions were justified.
The actress's comments did, however, contain some telling moments. She made reference to her late husband, Ted Turner, the founder of CNN, saying "I know Don Lemon" – a statement that seemed aimed at highlighting their professional connection and establishing credibility. Fonda also alluded to President Donald Trump in an unmistakable gesture of solidarity with Lemon.
Despite her passion, however, it was clear that Fonda's rally had fallen flat. The small crowd did not seem particularly receptive to her message, and her words fell on deaf ears. It remains to be seen whether the actress can turn this momentum around and build a more substantial following for her cause.
u know what really got me was jane fonda's rally... like she's all passionate about defending free speech and freedom of the press, but when it comes down to it, only like 5 people show up to support don lemon? 
and even they just stood there with their signs... it felt kinda like they were just doing it out of obligation or something. i mean, can't we be more than that as a community? shouldn't we be striving for something better than just showing up because someone asked us to? 
, but does she have to do it in such a way? like, she brings up this whole thing with Ted Turner and CNN... isn't that just trying too hard to be cool? 
i mean, we're supposed to be all about freedom of speech and press, but when someone gets arrested for storming a church with a group of agitators, it's hard not to wonder if they're being a bit too aggressive. 
and yet, fonda just goes on and on about how important it is to speak up... but what does that say about the state of our society when we need someone like her to rally us? 
. And let's be real, Don Lemon's actions were pretty crazy, especially with storming a church and all that drama 
... I don't think Fonda did herself any favors by not being more critical of his behavior 
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. She's not gonna win over the whole city with just a few die-hard fans 
. Don't get me wrong, I think it's awesome she's standing up for Don Lemon and free speech 
, but you gotta admit, it was kinda awkward watching her try to rally a crowd of like 5 people 
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. But can we really put the whole thing on Fonda? I mean, Don's the one who stormed that church, right? Maybe Fonda's just trying to even the playing field 
? And honestly, her shoutout to Ted Turner was pretty cool 
. You gotta respect a woman her age still rocking the journalism world 
. Maybe Fonda's just trying to build momentum for a cause that needs some serious support 
. And hey, even if it didn't work out at this rally, I'm rooting for her to keep fighting the good fight 
!
and honestly, who's really surprised by don lemons actions? 
. Like, what did she expect? She's 88 and those crowds can be super intimidating 
. And fair play to Don Lemon for speaking out about the injustices faced by journalists but maybe next time he should've done it without a mob of agitators in tow? 
. She did try to throw in some Ted Turner nostalgia and a wink at Trump, but it felt like she was grasping at straws 
. It's def not the first time I've seen her rally for something that's just kinda...meh 
. I think she was trying to be all heroic and support her friend Don Lemon, but honestly, it felt like an afterthought. The turnout was super low, and even the people who showed up didn't seem that into it. It's weird because I know she cares about free speech and the press, but maybe she wasn't the best person to do it.
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. And let's be real, it's all about building momentum, not having a huge crowd at first 
. She can use this as an opportunity to connect with people one-on-one and really make her point