I am standing along East Sims Way between Sunrise Coffee and Port Townsend Nursery with my “No Medicaid Cuts” cardboard sign. I’m not alone. Several hundred of my neighbors and friends, most grey-haired, line both sides of the thoroughfare waving signs with messages like “No Kings,” “Impeach and Remove,” “Support Veterans,” and “I Didn’t Vote for Elon.”

More than 50 years ago as a college student I protested the Vietnam War. In the 1980’s, I marched in San Francisco’s Gay Pride March to demand equality for gays and lesbians. Here I am again. This time, I’m demonstrating to save our freedoms and our democracy. But I wonder, does my protest make a difference?

A guy in a colorful clown costume rides by on a bike festooned with “Fight racism” signs. In the front basket, his little brown dog sports Mickey Mouse ears and a “Give Dogs the Vote” sign. A group of six or seven demonstrators begin chanting “What do we want?” “No Dictators.” “How do we get it?” “Impeach him.”

Many of the cars that pass honk wildly, passengers waving and pumping their fists in support. In blue Port Townsend, it’s easy to feel like we’re preaching to the choir. Then a big red truck emblazoned with “TRUMP” on the tailgate roars by, its driver saluting us with the middle finger. 

Okay, not everyone agrees our democracy is in trouble. 

Does my being on the side of the road waving a cardboard sign make a difference? Though my legs are weary and I have doubts, research says yes. If history tells us anything, protests can make a difference and are a valuable tool for social and political change. They can raise awareness about issues, mobilize support, and put pressure on decision-makers to address grievances. 

If you don’t believe me, here are a few examples: The Boston Tea Party in 1773 resulted in not only our nation breaking away from an oppressive government, but also led to our Constitution’s First Amendment protecting free speech. The Women’s Suffrage Movement, which began in 1913, gave women the right to vote with the Constitution’s 19th Amendment. The Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955-56, prompted by Rosa Parks refusal to give up her seat to a white person and move to the back of the bus, resulted in desegregation of public transportation. The Stonewall Inn Riots in 1969, prompted by police raiding gay bars and arresting patrons, began the gay rights movement and led to the expansion of rights for LGBTQ+ people and, in 2015, the right to marry who you love. Mass protests in the 1970s forced Nixon to end the war in Vietnam. 

Whether protests are effective depends on a variety of factors, including the nature of the issue, the tactics employed, and the political context. However, when done right and persistently, protests can have a significant impact and can be a crucial way for ordinary people to have their voices heard. 

I know I’m going to continue protesting the current administration’s policies such as ignoring the rule of law, illegally deporting people without due process, making cuts to valuable federal programs like FEMA, the National Weather Service, and Social Security, and cutting vital services like veterans healthcare, Food and Drug Administration food safety inspections, and so much more. I’m going to call and write to my legislators and urge them to fight back. And, you’ll find me along East Sims Way from 1-2 pm on June 14 for the national “No Kings” protest and every other Saturday waving my signs. I hope you’ll join us — or at least wave back. No middle fingers please. 

Bobbie Hasselbring is a long-time journalist who lives in Cape George.