Anti-Trump protesters make 'Good Trouble' in front of the Westmoreland County Courthouse

Though Bob Schaefer was among a crowd of rally-goers Saturday in front of the Westmoreland County Courthouse in Greensburg, his white cleric’s collar made him stand out — signaling his role as a pastor.

It was the fourth rally in front of the courthouse organized by Abby Graham-Pardus, chairperson of WTF Can I Do Westmoreland, meant to take a stand against Project 2025 and President Donald Trump’s “overreach,” she said.

This two-hour rally titled “Good Trouble Lives On” had a little over 100 attendees lining both sides of Main Street, and most were people of retirement age or middle-aged. More than 1,000 people gathered for the group’s last event as part of the national No Kings Protests.

Here’s a live look at the front of Westmoreland County Courthouse on Main Street in Greensburg — where a Good Trouble Lives On rally is happening.

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— Megan Swift (@mgswift7) July 19, 2025

It was part of a national day of nonviolent action on the anniversary of U.S. Rep. John Lewis’ death to carry on his “legacy of Good Trouble,” according to the rally’s event page. Lewis was a 1960s civil rights activist who served as a congressman from Georgia for over 30 years.

Schaefer, 49, of Southwest Greensburg and pastor at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church on Old William Penn Highway in Monroeville said Saturday was his third rally appearance.

“It’s important for me that people see clergy standing with them,” he said. “So much of the church in our country stands with authoritarianism and autocracy and power, and that’s not all of us.”

Schaefer said he has the “best conversations” with people at the rallies when he wears his collar. His sign at the rally read “Empathy is Christlike” on one side and the verse Micah 6:8 on the other, which says to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly.

“People see the (signs), and they find me and we talk. Sometimes, they want to persuade me of their own theological views,” Schaefer said. “Most of the time, it’s just, ‘I’m so glad you are here, and I’m so disappointed with how many of my Christian neighbors would not ever choose to be here.’ ”

Some notable signs @TribLIVE pic.twitter.com/6yxUu9t7PX

— Megan Swift (@mgswift7) July 19, 2025

Despite some rally-goers not sharing in his faith, he wanted everyone to be able to see his collar, which he doesn’t wear often outside of church.

“Obviously, I share the concerns with all of the people here — that’s the main reason for being here,” Schaefer said. “I believe that Jesus would stand here, too.”

He was intentionally standing on the corner by the crosswalk so people driving by could see him as well.

“I think that that’s important for people driving past to see that there is a person there ‘in uniform’ willing to be identified as a follower of Jesus who is saying that these things are not acceptable — I stand against them,” said Schaefer, who was ordained in 2003 and has served as pastor at the Monroeville church for 12 years. “I’m not doing this in opposition of Jesus, I am doing this with Jesus.”

Fearful of the future, he cited the popular Star Wars and Lord of the Rings franchises, where heroes who know they are doomed try to succeed anyway.

“And yet, they have to do something — they have to try. It would be wrong not to stand up and do what you can,” Schaefer said. “There is good in the world, and it’s worth fighting for.”

Bipartisan effort

Though Graham-Pardus, 42, of Murrysville is a registered Democrat, she said an important aspect of the WTF Can I Do Westmoreland rallies are their bipartisan nature.

“There’s people on both sides who care about the Constitution and democracy,” she said. “It’s not about party but about country.”

There have been some Republicans coming to the rallies, and Graham-Pardus said more keep coming every time.

“More people are frustrated that this is not what they voted for,” she said. “Ultimately, I don’t think we are a red county; I think it’s much more purple than people realize.”

Susan Witt, a member of WTF Can I Do Westmoreland, agreed that both parties need to come together. She has attended all four rallies so far.

“I believe that we are all Americans … and that we have more in common than we have differences,” said Witt, 66, of Greensburg. “We’re not the enemy; we just want everybody to have a better life here. This is my hometown — I love it here.”

She said she became emotional to everyone gathered together Saturday, as well as those who drove by honking their horns.

“They say we’re a red county, but there’s a lot of blue out here,” Witt said. “I think there’s a lot of people that believe the way we do, and some of them might be afraid to come out and stand on the street, but they take the time to drive by.”

Neither party is involved with the rallies in any formal capacity, Graham-Pardus said, which is on purpose.

“We need to be able to welcome them back into the community … as Trump continues to betray his MAGA followers,” she said.

Depending on the week, the group is protesting different political developments. On Saturday, Graham-Pardus said, popular signs included calls to release the Jeffrey Epstein files, opposition to budget cuts and support for voting rights and health care.

As a physician’s assistant, she said she’s worried most about the potential vulnerability of hospitals that would result from a lack of proper health care and health insurance.

“If people don’t have health insurance, they can’t be turned away from (the emergency department),” Graham-Pardus said. “If somebody doesn’t have enough money to pay the bill, they don’t pay it, and the ER is incredibly expensive health care … ends up being thousands of dollars lost to the emergency room.”

Rallying in Westmoreland County — which is now majority Republican — allows people to have a sense of hopefulness and community, she said, rather than feeling alone, which was represented by numerous honking horns from passersby.

“It gives people permission,” Graham-Pardus said. “We have to keep staying here and be a part of the conversation.”

Rather than the number of people who show up, these rallies are more about persistence, Graham-Pardus said. And the group is not deterred by a few nasty comments or raised middle fingers.

“It’s definitely more pluses than minuses,” she said. “There are so many people who really care.”

Correction: Susan Witt’s last name was misspelled in an earlier version of this story.