There's no disputing that Jane Fonda toured North Vietnam, propagandized on behalf of the communists, and participated in an orchestrated "press conference" with American POWs in 1972. There's no denying that she defamed POWs by whitewashing the Viet Cong's treatment of them and later calling them liars when they spoke out.

But how true are the further allegations in the current email rumors? Let's examine their veracity point by point, beginning with the most serious:

Claim: Fonda betrayed POWs by turning over slips of paper they gave her to their captors. POWs were beaten and died as a result.

Status: FALSE. "It's a figment of somebody's imagination," says Ret. Col. Larry Carrigan, who was shot down over North Vietnam in 1967. He has no idea why the story was attributed to him. "I never met Jane Fonda," he told me. It goes without saying he never handed her a secret message.

He confessed that he did see Fonda once while he was a POW  on film.

He recalled the night when he and the rest of the 80 or so men he was interned with were called out into the prison courtyard, "the first time we'd been outside under the stars in 5 or 6 years." As they all stood there wondering what was in store for them, a projector started whirring in the background. Their captors proceeded to show them footage of Jane Fonda's visit to Hanoi.

Claim: A POW spit at Fonda, for which he was brutally beaten.

Status: FALSE. About.com Poll Does Jane Fonda deserve to be honored as a Great Woman of the Century?

Yes No Not sure

Current Results This story is attributed in the email to former Air Force pilot Jerry Driscoll, who says it's false and did not originate from him. I wasn't able to speak with Driscoll directly, but Mike McGrath and Paul Galanti, fellow officers of the Nam-POWs organization to which Driscoll belongs, told me he unequivocally disavows the story.

[Update: after this commentary was written I received personal confirmation from Jerry Driscoll that the story is bogus  as he put it, "the product of a very vivid imagination."]

Mike McGrath, currently serving as the president of Nam-POWs, has been trying for more than a month to help Driscoll and Carrigan squelch the false rumors circulating under their names.

"They would like to get their names removed but the story seems to have a life of its own," he told me. "There are a lot of folks out there who would love to have a story like that to hang their hat and their hate on."

Claim: POWs were beaten for refusing to cooperate or meet with Fonda during her visit.

Status: TRUE. The final anecdote in the "Hanoi Jane" message recounts the experience of a POW who agreed to meet with Fonda but announced to his captors that he planned on telling her how horrid conditions in North Vietnamese prison camps really were.

"Because of this," the narrative continues, "I spent three days on a rocky floor on my knees with outstretched arms with a piece of steel placed on my hands, and beaten with a bamboo cane every time my arms dipped."

Those words were written by Michael Benge, a civilian advisor captured by the Viet Cong in 1968 and held as a POW for 5 years. When I contacted him, he confirmed that the story was indeed his, and true.

Benge's original statement, entitled "Shame on Jane," was published in April by the Advocacy and Intelligence Network for POWs and MIAs. The nameless, faceless author of the "Hanoi Jane" message evidently picked it up from a Web page or a newsgroup and combined it with fabricated stories to create the forwarded text. Some versions now circulate with Benge's name appended, others quote his statement anonymously.

"None of us are members of the Jane Fonda Fan Club"

A good cause is never well-served by lies, and that's how all of the ex-POWs I spoke to or corresponded with about the falsehoods in this message felt. Paul Galanti said: "None of us are members of the Jane Fonda Fan Club, but these fabrications are something she just did not do."

No one had an answer to the question "Who made up these stories and why?" but both Carrigan and McGrath expressed doubt that it was a POW.

"She did enough to place her name in the trash bin of history," McGrath explained. "None of us need to make up stories on her."

Jane Fonda could not be reached for comment.

http://urbanlegends.about.com/culture/urbanlegends/library/weekly/aa110399.htm

-- Vietnam Vet (vietnamvet@hotmail.com), January 15, 2000

Answers

VV - Thanks for adding some truth to the distorted reality, and thanks for serving when the government called. I am not in the Jane Fonda Fan Club, but her actions in 1972 had little impact at that point except to give fodder to the gov to spin (propagandize?). Wasn't Nixon and a-hole Kissinger courting (consorting) Red China in 1972.

Any way, the war was over in 1969 when Nixon, who claimed he would end the war in his first term, began the first troop withdrawals. Any NVC intel with half a brain could figure out US commitment was waning, and thus the end was just a matter of time. Too bad Nixon and the boys dragged it out for 4 more years.

-- phoneman (bcrefrig@excelonline.com), January 15, 2000.

Thanks Vet, but apparently it doesn't help to know the truth. We've got a whole slew of bible-thumpin, holy-rollin, so-called "good", self-righteous Christians on this forum who can't wait to crucify a fellow Christian, because it makes themselves look "holier than thou" by spreading lies about another. They put more faith in an anonymous slanderous e-mail propaganda campaign than they do in the word of God. It's no wonder Christianity is approaching bad times, it is falling apart from WITHIN.

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), January 15, 2000.

ACTRESS AND WIFE OF CNNS TED TURNER BORN-AGAIN January 14, 2000 The Washington Times reported: Jane Fonda [Mrs. Ted Turner]has become a born-again Christian, enthusiastic in her newly found faith, and her conversion is making waves from Atlanta to Hollywood. She's regularly attending church services and Bible studies in Atlanta, and one friend calls her faith very real, very deep. News of her conversion  one of her longtime critics calls it a conversion right up there with Saul of Tarsus  leaped from Internet gossip to mainstream newspapers following the disclosure last week that she and her husband, Ted Turner, have separatedFriends say Mr. Turner's unhappiness with his wife's enthusiasm for her new faith in Christ contributed to the split-up. The couple said they hope to work out a reconciliation. Her friends in Atlanta and Hollywood are rallying around her. I am extremely impressed with the genuineness and sincerity in [her] search for spirituality and wholeness, the Rev. Gerald Durley, pastor of Providence Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta where Miss Fonda has attended services, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. I think she's found a certain sense of peace among people who've found peace with Christianity...."

Hawk what are you talking about?

-- Johnny (jljtm@bellsouth.net), January 15, 2000.

Johnny,

Apparently you haven't seen the discussion going on about this in an earlier thread. Truly shameful.

http://hv.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=002K0Y

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), January 15, 2000.

Does this mean that Hanoi Jane will come forward with a public apology? I have my suspicions about her new found christianity, and doesn't the Bible say somewhere that not everyone who says Lord, Lord will be saved? I don't trust her or Ted - the billionaire who gave a billion dollars to the UN.

-- ~~~~ (~~~@~~~.xcom), January 15, 2000.

http://www.washtimes.com/national/news2-01142000.htm

-- Wm McBride (mcbri29@attglobal.net), January 15, 2000.

Well hell, I don't blame Ted Turner for getting away from her if that bit of news about her becoming a reborn again Christian is true. I wouldn't live with a born again, reborn again, recycled again Christian for 5 minutes.

-- gilda (jess@listbot.com), January 15, 2000.

I did Nam in 68-69, Lai Ke, Cu Chi, and some other unsavory places. I was glad Jane did what she did because I felt very strongly that we were in the wrong and never should have been there. I was not happy about the beatings POWs took, but we did, afterall BOMB the living fuck out of their capital city. How would YOU treat a Chinese pilot shot down over your home town after he bombed your family into the grave?

Let's face it: Institutionalized insanity is still insanity and anybody who speaks out against it is automatically branded a kook or worse. There is no justice in that, but that's how it works in our absolutely ass-backward world. It's my perception that anybody and anything that helped stop that madness was heroic, no matter how politically incorrect it was at the time.

-- paul leblanc (bronyaur@gis.net), January 15, 2000.

Gawd, who can forget Jane Fonda as the sexy space kitten of the movie "Barbarella", of 60s vintage? Truly makes one lament on the decline of original science fiction.

-- King of Spain (madrid@aol.cum), January 15, 2000.

paul leblanc, well put! I'm no fan of Hanoi Jane but I'm a big fan of the young men and women who served in Nam and always feel that your opinion is worth ten times a dozen of our sorry Platoon/Deer Hunter/Apocalypse Now/Born on the Fourth of July understanding of what you brave and chastised men went through. I tip my hat to you, Sir!

-- Paranoia Will (Destroy_Y@BlackCopters.com), January 15, 2000.

Well said Paul, I couldn't agree more. If women could have balls, she 'd have 'em.

I am glad she doesn't though, because like the King, I think she is fine the way she is. :-)

King, settle down now and drool over this...



-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), January 15, 2000.

Hawk, I'm a Christian and I am not interested in throwing stones at Jane Fonda (I am really happy she has joined the family and will anxiously await the changes that God will work in her life) and I doubt most of the people on this board that want to fry her are Christians.

Plus, I have trouble with your statement that Christianity is falling apart from within...ain't so and never will happen. Nothing has changed over the centuries. It is still going strong 2000 years after its inception. Christianity continues to grow in spite of the fact that this decade more Christians were killed just because they are Christians than throughout all of history. There are just too many sincere believers that don't act as you say--and they will cause Christianity to continue to flourish.

Like I said in a prior post, outsiders like to put Christians down, like to notice our misdeeds, notice our inconsistencies or failures. Yet I don't see this as being equal opportunity bigotry on this board- -look at what Muslims and Hindus and other world religions do to those who don't believe--they often rape them, kill them, murder their families, take their possessions, torch their daughter in-laws-- plus much much more.

I notice few have mentioned the good things we do. That Christians are feeding and providing education in India for more Indians than the country is. We educate and care for those the Hindu religion considers to be worthy to be used or thrown away. You forgot Mother Theresa. You forgot the hundreds of thousands of children being adopted and cared for every day of their lives by believers through Christian organizations. How many prisoners lives are actually being transformed through the work of Prison Fellowship and other such organizations that provide the rehabilitation that rarely comes through the prison system? Who does the Govt call when their plate is full and they need someone to care for those they can't care for? The Salvation Army and the church.

Also, gilda, god forbid you ever be in a position when you are older that you need help or compassion--maybe it will be one of those god awful bible thumpers that will come and give you a hand. you know what--in spite of that statement you made, even if you said it to my face, i would still come and help you. no matter what. because that is what we are called to do.

jane has ALREADY been forgiven by GOD for EVERYTHING she did in her past whether anyone likes it or not (remember the prodigal son story??? the good self righteous son was WRONG in his attitude.). and she may choose or not to ask for forgiveness from those she hurt but it doesn't change the fact that SHE IS FORGIVEN.

"If anyone belongs to Christ, he is a new creation. The old things are passed away; everything is made new." 2 Cor 5:17

"If we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins, because we can trust God to do what is right. He will cleanse us from all the wrongs we have done." 1 John 1:9

-- tt (cuddluppy@aol.com), January 15, 2000.

Jane doesn't need to say she is sorry to anyone, her forgiveness come from god. This is the way as it is for all.

-- ET (bneville@zebra.net), January 15, 2000.

You're right tt, I didn't mean to imply that ALL Christians act this way, in fact I believe that the majority of them are decent, loving people. The problem happening on this forum, and in other areas of society as well, is that a small percentage of rotten apples tend to be the loudest and most aggressive. Unfortunately for Christianity, some of it's followers feel that their religion gives them a license to promote their extreme right-wing political agendas by labeling everyone who opposes their political views as "sinner." If you'll read the comments by "TM" on the other thread you'll see what I mean. He suggests that Jane Fonda should get the gas chamber for defending innocent women and children, and justifies this simply by accusing her of being a "sinner." In reality, it has nothing to do with religion. He opposes her because she expresses more liberal views which present a threat to the war machine that conservative Republicans like Nixon use as a mechanism for their own personal gain and power. I will stand up against anyone who seeks to promote this kind of agenda, whether or not they are hiding behind their religion, and I think Christianity would be made much stronger if they too discouraged this type of behavior from individuals within their following.

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), January 15, 2000.

Hawk: Thanks, dude!

-- King of Spain (madrid@aol.cum), January 15, 2000.

Lol KOS, I bet she loves to wrestle!

Barbarella says... prrrrrrrrrrr, meeeoooooww!

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), January 15, 2000.

Hanoi Jane certainly was not good for morale. Yeah, we never should have been tangled up in that mess in the first place, but by the time Jane pulled that stunt we were doing it for no other reason than to defend an ally from being overrun by the communists. Yep I would have gone if asked. My father went. He knows that many of the SVNs he served with are now dead after being executed for choosing the wrong side.

I think Jane just did it to make a spectacle and help her career along...perhaps not consciously. I don't think doing good was the first thing on her mind when she sat in that NVA SAM site, posing for pictures. Now becoming a "born again Christian." Wow. Now that is certainly not a good career move! I can only assume that it must be genuine since it's about the least sensible thing you can do if you want to find work in Hollywood.

-- tarzan (tarzan@fakemail.com), January 15, 2000.

Hanoi Jane is a Christian! Cool, I love it when a plan comes together! She was a lady, I loved to hate! Now she is my sister... hmmm. It is strange how God works, very strange. Now if he will just get through to Cat Stevens.

:)

-- Michael Erskine (Osiris@urbanna.net), January 16, 2000.

<<.... How would YOU treat a Chinese pilot shot down over your home town after he bombed your family into the grave? ...>

Your questions is absolutely false. It is meaniingless propaganda - and totally wrong. The US and Great Britain are ONLY countries to treat prisoners properly and respectfully: even the premis of your question is baseless and shows how well you've been brainwashed by the socialists in the media who want to excuse the Communists for torture and murder.

It is simply totally dead wrong.

WE treated them humanely, responsibly, and corrected: the POW camps in WWII were correctly built, properly heated, and had no tortures, no beatings, no malicious or sadistic behaivor as was commmon for extented periods of time in Vietnam as a matter of routine procedures. (My relatives worked at the camps near Austin - this is based on first hand descriptions.)

In Great Britian, they were actually bombed by the Germans - and did not mistreat prisoners. After Corregidor - the Japanese murdered and again tortured the Filipinos and Americans captured - but we did not do the same to few who surrendered later.

The prisoners in Great Britain and the US were NOT starved to death (Germany, Russia), used as slave labor (Germany, Russia, Red China, Japan), nor gassed (Germany, Japan), shot in the back of the head (Russia), nor worked to death in quarries (Germany), nor used as medical experiments (Red China, Japan, Germany) nor brainwashed (Red China, Vietnam) and used in propaganda efforts (Vietnam, Cuba) nor "swapped" in deals for drugs and political negotiations.

There were South Vietnam prisons that were dismal and horribly mis-treated the people imprisoned there. These should have been eliminated far earlier than they were - but even in those places in South Vietnam, conditions were far better than in the Soviet and Chinese slave camps - which existed (still exist) only to murder their occupants after getting as much work and human misery as possible from them.

-- Robert A Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), January 16, 2000.

Robert,

How about Andersonville? Oh, that's a low blow, but it happened.

Furthmore, I've heard this from several sources about interrogating Viet Cong prisoners by taking two of them up in helicoptor, and pushing one out from 4,000 feet. Then the interrogation began.

Also, heard... never mind. It gets gruesome. But you should answer the question: If Marietta was carpet bombed by Cuba (for instance), what would you or your fellow citizens do to a captured Cuban pilot?

War and decency/proper conduct should not be confused.

-- phoneman (bcrefrig@excelonline.com), January 16, 2000.

tt, I assure you the last person on earth I would want to help me is a Christian. When my mother was old and no longer went to church, only one couple from her church came to see her, much less help her out. I wasn't surprised, but she was.

-- gilda (jess@listbot.com), January 16, 2000.