I RECENTLY DID A STORY about an anti-ICE protest, at which I spoke with a very friendly, sign-toting older lady decked out in red, white and blue, who told me her father was an Irish immigrant wounded in World War I, fighting for the U.S.
World War I — for those who weren’t there or just weren’t in history class — happened from 1914 to 1918. My version of math says her father fought 107 to 111 years ago.
When I did a double take, she smiled. “I’m the youngest of eight, and I’m real old,” she said.
I had to field a query from my editor when he read her quote in the story, believing I got the wrong war. Nope.
Manners precluded me from asking her age, but she was on a pedestrian bridge with about 100 other people — and another 100 or so below — chanting, waving signs and having the time of their lives while still nursing very real anger against the government.
The bridge was literally bouncing. My 17-year-old daughter, who tagged along because she wanted to see a real protest, asked with some alarm why the bridge was moving.
Because democracy literally rocks (bridges), and these people were making it happen.
And it seemed like most of them were older than me (58), which is great. Instead of just folding up the tent and watching from the sidelines, they’re out living democracy. They’re out venting their frustration and thirst for change. Because they’re old enough to know things can and will change, eventually.
Maybe not while they’re all still here. But maybe …
Marching (and rolling) for change
This was in the city of Walnut Creek, with a large population of older people. Seniors have been out in force this year, protesting almost weekly in front of the downtown Tesla dealership, over owner Elon Musk’s involvement with the Trump Administration.
During June’s 14’s “No Kings” protest in Walnut Creek, where police estimated there were 4,000 peaceful protesters, I saw more older people concentrated in one place than I’ve seen anywhere in my life. They marched (some with walkers, others being pushed in wheelchairs), they sang, they chanted and, best of all, they made their presence known.
It doesn’t matter which side of the political divide older people occupy. Being out and being involved is the key.
Seniors protest with their feet — and their votes. According to AARP, voter turnout among people 65 and older has been higher than other age groups since the 1980s and ’90s. The turnout gap between that group and others has only grown since.
AARP said in October 2024 that all those older folks voting was due to increased voter outreach by groups focused on the needs of older Americans. The demographic also feels a deeper sense of civic involvement, even down to who works the polls during elections. AARP said most poll workers are older adults.
According to AARP, voter turnout among people 65 and older has been higher than other age groups since the 1990s, and the gap continues to widen.
In the 2022 general election, nearly six in 10 U.S. poll workers were 61 and older and more than a quarter were over 70 years old, according to a report from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.
It’s also a generation of Americans that became politically active in the 1960s and ’70s, when the country experienced political turbulence and change. Now, with the issues affecting them making constant headlines — like Medicare, Social Security, and prescription drug prices — don’t expect the level of involvement to change during next year’s midterm election or the general election two years later.
What does a longer lifespan mean to you? Talented local columnists tag-team every Friday to tackle the challenges that inform your choices — whether you’re pushing 17 or 70. Recent Stanford Center on Longevity Visiting Scholar Susan Nash looks at life experiences through an acerbic personal lens, while other longtime writers take the macro view to examine how society will change as the aging population grows ever larger. Check in every Friday to expand your vision of living the long game and send us your feedback, column suggestions and ideas for future coverage to newsroom@baycitynews.com.