Editing Fonzie (section)

== Civic involvement ==
Fonzie was involved in community projects. He endorses Republican [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]]'s 1956 presidential campaign. At a rally Fonzie declares, "Ayyy, he won the war, didn't he!?" and "I like Ike! My bike likes Ike! Ayyy..." Eisenhower carried Wisconsin with 62% of the vote, easily defeating [[Adlai Stevenson II|Adlai Stevenson]] (supported by Richie Cunningham's more-researched speech). In [[1956 United States presidential election|that election]], Eisenhower got 457 electoral votes to 73 for Stevenson.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sitcomsonline.com/season2.html |title=Happy Days: Season 2 episode guide |publisher=Sitcomsonline.com |date=January 3, 1958 |access-date=March 30, 2012}}</ref>

Fonzie becomes involved with other issues. Highlighting actor [[Henry Winkler]]'s off-camera work, several episodes dealt with civil rights of people with disabilities. Concerned that students with [[epilepsy]] were denied their chance to attend public school and play sports, he intervenes to resolve the issue; he also learns [[sign language]] to communicate with a woman working at the municipal power company. And he pushes Chachi to continue working with his disability when Chachi himself just wants to quit because things will be hard.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sitcomsonline.com/season11.html|title = Happy Days: Season 11 episode guide}}</ref> Such advocacy builds on the previous season's episode where Fonzie hired wheelchair-using Don King to work in his garage, promising to provide workplace accommodation for his employee.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sitcomsonline.com/season8.html |title=Happy Days: Season 8 episode guide |publisher=Sitcomsonline.com |access-date=March 30, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sitcomsonline.com/season7.html |title=Happy Days: Season 7 episode guide |publisher=Sitcomsonline.com |access-date=March 30, 2012}}</ref>

Concerned about equal opportunity, Fonz wants Milwaukee racially integrated. Personally friends with African Americans, he becomes upset when a party in which Richie welcomes Hawaii into the Union is boycotted because it will be racially integrated. Initially wanting to force people to attend, Fonzie learns from Howard that people cannot be forced to change their minds overnight.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sitcomsonline.com/season3.html |title=Happy Days: Season 3 episode guide |publisher=Sitcomsonline.com |access-date=March 30, 2012}}</ref> In a later episode, Fonzie volunteers to go [[Southern United States|south]] with Al and a group of [[Freedom Riders]] to help integrate a segregated diner. Normally flirtatious with women, Fonzie is instead disgusted that the waitress does not serve black customers. At one point he tells her that he cannot date her because of her compliance with the diner policy.<ref name="sitcomsonline.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.sitcomsonline.com/season9.html |title=Happy Days: Season 9 episode guide |publisher=Sitcomsonline.com |access-date=March 30, 2012}}</ref> Another episode that dealt with racial issues was where Fonzie was a juror in a trial of a black biker accused of robbery. The episode dealt with circumstantial evidence and [[jury nullification]]. Mr. Cunningham, who was on the same jury, went to bat for Fonzie, saying all jurors are permitted to present arguments and he took it very seriously about taking a man's freedom away, which he refused to do without proof of guilt. The episode was based on ''[[Twelve Angry Men]]''. Fonzie was able to get the black biker acquitted, explaining that his English-made [[Triumph Motorcycles Ltd|Triumph]] Grand Mark 2 had its accelerators on the left handlebar. The robber had snatched the purse of the woman with his left hand. Therefore, there is no way that the black biker could have sped off on his bike if the purse was in his left hand.

Fonzie also becomes involved with the Big Brother (later known a Big Brothers, Big Sisters) program.  After spending some time with his "Little Brother" Danny, Fonzie decides to adopt him.  While Fonzie is by this time a respected and responsible pillar of the community, the adoption process hits a snag when the adoption agency denies his application due to his marital status.  Devastated, Fonzie's first instincts are to take Danny and run, but then realizes that doing so would only prove the agency right.  He reluctantly returns Danny to the agency.  On the day of Joanie and Chachi's wedding, the agency surprises Fonzie by returning Danny to him, introducing Danny as his "son", with Danny calling the joyous Fonzie "Dad" for the first time.