Letters to the Editor

Letter to the Editor | Hands Off protest shows something has shifted

November 6th hit hard. The election results brought crushing disappointment. Still, I clung to hope, thinking, “We’ll get ’em at the midterms.” But that optimism faded quickly — by January 20th, it curdled into something darker. Trump, with Elon by his side, began dismantling the guardrails of democracy. One by one, they gutted the powers of Congress and the courts, dragging us toward an authoritarian, one-branch government.

At 75, I felt not just disheartened — but doomed. What scared me most wasn’t for myself, but for the world my children and grandchildren would inherit. I gave up.

Then I saw a notice: a Hands Off protest on April 5, right here in sleepy little Gig Harbor — a politically purple town that rarely makes a ripple. The weather forecast was beautiful. I figured, “Why not? This aggression will not stand, man.”

The author at the Hands Off protest on Saturday, April 5.

I’ve stood at that same corner for decades, holding signs and shouting truth to power, usually surrounded by the same 200 aging activists. But this time was different. This time, it wasn’t just a protest — it was a surge. Around 2,000 people filled the streets. Waves of honking cars, cheers, and smiles created a chorus of solidarity. The energy was electric. Something had shifted.

The signs said it all: Hands Off Veterans. Hands Off the Post Office. Hands Off Free Speech, NATO, Medicare, the Courts, Our Data, Social Security, Medical Research, Immigrants, Universities, Education, the EPA, Human Rights, Our 401Ks, Tariffs, Health Care, Vaccinations…

This wasn’t a protest about one issue. It is now a movement. A Hands Off Everything moment — a collective demand to stop the dismantling of everything we hold dear.

Even some of Trump’s own supporters are starting to wake up. The bold “Day One” promises? Empty bluster. The damage? Real and mounting.

History shows us that even authoritarian regimes have breaking points. Mussolini’s came over pasta. Yes — pasta. He tried to force Italians to give it up, slapping tariffs on imported wheat to encourage the production of homegrown rice. That was the final straw. Italians could live under fascism, but take away their pasta? No chance. We know how that ended. Benito lit the match that brought down his regime.

Trump? He’s now lit a hundred.

On April 5, 3.5 million Americans took to the streets. No violence. No insurrection. No attacks. Just voices — united in resistance to hate, greed, and the dismantling of our democracy. We rose not just to protest but to protect our people, our rights, and our future.

It’s time for the ideals that once defined this country — Truth, Justice, and the American Way — words that stirred my heart as a child, spoken by my hero, Superman. They stand for more than nostalgia; they embody the honesty, fairness, and freedom that once defined who we are — and can again.

Let’s continue to fight for America and all of us.

George Young

Gig Harbor