"A big part of war is psychological. If you can break the will of your enemy, you have a better chance to win. And that's exactly what she tried to do; she helped to break the will of her enemy - her enemy being the veterans, the guys who were there to fight." - Michael D. Smith in Kansas City Star.
"I consider it a debt of honor. She spit in our faces for 37 years. It was absolutely worth it. There are a lot of veterans who would love to do what I did." - Michael A. Smith, 54, after spitting in Jane Fonda's face in Kansas City , he claims to be Vietnam War veteran.
"Smith, who says he suffers from posttraumatic stress disorder and nerve damage caused by Agent Orange, insisted he has no regrets." - Annoy Jane: Vet spits in her face!, by Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News
"At that moment, he turned his head quickly and spit a trail of tobacco juice. He immediately jumped off the stage and started running down the aisle." - Vivian Jennings, Rainy Day Books, quoted in AP story "'Worth It,' Says Fonda Spitter", April 21, 2005.
"In spite of the incident, my experience in Kansas City was wonderful and I thank all the warm and supportive people, including so many veterans, who came to welcome me last night." - Jane Fonda, in a statement through Jynne Martin of her publisher, Random House.
"It was a minor incident at a really wonderful evening, and I think the authorities have better things to do than press charges against this man." - Jane Fonda in Kansas City Star.
"We did what we had to do for our buddies and I knew this was something that I was going to do for my buddies ... I can't say that I feel better but I feel like I've struck a blow back for all of us." - Michael Smith.
"More than 200 e-mails poured into The Star after Michael D. Smith, a 54-year-old Vietnam veteran from Gladstone , sent a stream of tobacco juice at the actress at a Plaza book signing Tuesday. Dozens expressed dismay. Many more, delight." - Spitter taps vein of deep emotion Kansas City Star (Apr. 22, 2005)
"Randy Barnett, a member of the Kansas City chapter of Vietnam Veterans of America, said the group had gotten about two dozen calls prior to Fonda's appearance in Kansas City , all looking to organize a protest. After the spitting incident, Barnett, said nearly as many veterans called offering to help pay any fine levied against Smith." - Spitter taps vein of deep emotion Kansas City Star (Apr. 22, 2005)
Spitting in Jane Fonda's face is every Vietnam vet's fantasy, wrote a Phoenix man. Bravo, Michael Smith. Bravo. - email to Kansas City Star.
