He protests against all the evils in the world. The greed, lust, hate, fear. All of man's inhumanity to man.
8 seconds sound clip from the Meet John Doe (1941) movie soundboard.
You can hear this line at 00:11:24 in the DVD version of the movie.
Quote context
[...]
- He want to get things off his chest and it's the only way he can get himself heard.
- So?
- So?
- So he writes me a letter and I dig him up.
- He pours out his soul to me.
- From now on we quote: I Protest, by John Doe.
- Arguments will start. Should he commit suicide or should he not?
- People will write in, pleading with him.
- But no, sir! John Doe will remain adamant.
- On Christmas Eve, hot or cold, he goes, see?
- Very pretty, very pretty indeed, Miss Mitchell.
[...]