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It is a sad fact—but a fact nonetheless—that we have in the White House a fundamentally anti-American administration. But that is the world in which we live for now, and dealing with it is the task patriotic Americans face.

The Bulwark, Jan. 6, 2026

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Patriotic Americans across the US responded by participating in multiple protest rallies throughout January.  Here in the LC Valley, we stood on the corner of Bridge St and 5th St in Clarkston four times in January.  A fifth rally was held in front of the congressional delegation offices in Lewiston. 

Here are some reflections and photos from an eventful month.

January 6

This was an informal rally called for by a member of the Asotin County Democrats. She wrote

“I am going to protest on January 6th (this Tuesday) because I cannot NOT do anything on that infamous day when traitors held a violent insurrection to try to overthrow our democracy. The 50501 group is having National protests that day, but I do not know of any local protest groups who are having protests that day. We need to let the traitors know we have not forgotten, and will never forget what they did that day!”

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January 7

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January 11

Images courtesy of Olivia Anderson.

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January 17

One of our participants reflected on the words that Thomas Paine wrote in 1776:

THESE are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. 

Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.

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January 24

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January 25

LC Valley Indivisible calls for a “General Strike” on Sunday, Jan 25.

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January 29

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Reflections on what we saw and heard

The weather was cold, but it was nothing compared to what we saw reported from Minneapolis. So we kept coming out, in solidarity with our Minnesota neighbors and like-minded individuals across the country.

We noticed new faces in the crowds. People coming out for the first or second time, and we welcomed them onto the stretches of sidewalk we occupied. Some folks brought children. Others were accompanied by their teenagers. Everyone getting an education in civic participation.

An informal metric we use to gauge the sentiment on the street is the “thumb to finger ratio” – the number of people who drive by, honking and raising a thumb in support versus the number who gun their engines and lift a middle finger.

The thumbs were definitely outnumbering the fingers in January.

And while our local events were small, we believe they had an impact. We joined a groundswell of opposition to ICE and fascist tactics. We saw the Administration pause and backpedal.

One participant summed it up this way:

Water is one of the few materials where the solid form is less dense than the liquid form. This is why ice floats in your drink, and why the Titanic sunk.

Pressure melts ice. The weight tries to make the ice more dense, so the ice changes to a denser form – water. When you are ice-skating, you are sliding on a thin film of water under the blade.

Our demonstrations matter – the pressure we all put on the government can, and we believe will, melt the ICE that is terrorizing Minneapolis and other areas. So let’s keep up the pressure!

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