Free Speech Fest Lights Up Washington

Jane Fonda, the famous actress and long‑time activist, is turning her attention to a different kind of fight. She has organized a concert called “Rise Up, Sing Out” that will take place on the evening of Sunday. The show is part of a larger celebration of America’s 250th birthday, which also includes a mixed‑martial‑arts event on the White House lawn for President Trump’s 80th birthday. The concert will feature well‑known actors and musicians such as Julia Roberts, Lily Gladstone, Bette Midler, Patti Smith and Rufus Wainwright. It will be held at The Town Hall, a historic building that was created by women who campaigned for the right to vote. Viewers can watch it online if they cannot attend in person. Fonda has a long record of standing up for causes. In the 1960s she helped Native Americans and the Black Panthers. She protested the Vietnam War in the 1970s and earned the nickname “Hanoi Jane. ” More recently, she has fought for climate protection and was arrested during protests against oil drilling. Her new documentary “Gaslit” follows her travels to Texas and Louisiana, where she talks about the dangers of oil extraction.She also speaks out against big media deals that could hurt creativity. Fonda warned about a proposed merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros Discovery, saying that it might hurt the freedom of artists. She believes that big companies must not give up too much to government regulators. The Committee for the First Amendment, which Fonda revived in October, aims to protect free speech. The group was originally started by her father, actor Henry Fonda, in 1947 during the era of the House Un‑American Activities Committee. Today it works to keep artists and writers safe from political pressure. The concert is a chance for people to show support for democracy and free expression. Fonda said she wants history to remember this moment as a time when people stood up for their rights. She is not afraid of the challenges that lie ahead.