In Feb. 2025, I requested permission to hold a peaceful rally protesting national injustices at “The Wall” holding up McMurran Hall — our town’s Union Square. Approval for a rally then took four weeks — now just two. Some townsfolk got talking to town council members and soon, the spontaneous right to peaceful assembly was recognized in the law on our books.

That was the start of spontaneous protest rallies in 2025. They have continued every Friday. Persistence matters. The solidarity of passing cars supporting our ever-changing signs buoys all on unhappy weather days. We count cars, thumbs up and cheers . . . and dogs, knowing where they stand. We have talked of people we have influenced to change their minds on issues.

Most restaurants have told me some of the rallyers come in before or after. One young worker asked me just last week if they would continue during winter, “I love hearing you all out there.” It has cooperated with police requests to try to keep the noise down. And we learned this: court challenges, suits against peaceful, law-abiding protestors carrying signs are as good as never resolved in favor of anyone who has an accident and blames the protestors for “distraction.” This is America; drivers are responsible for controlling their own vehicles. “Rugged individualism” lives both ways.

Be at The Wall next year and build the Fridays up until the mid-term elections. Make them a spontaneous landslide.

Mark Kohut, of Shepherdstown