READY TO FIGHT BACK: Emergency Mass Meeting Lays the Groundwork for Resistance

Daniel Behlmann presents on behalf of STUN at the Emergency Mass Meeting. Photo by Karl Reinkemeyer.

The room was buzzing with energy, protest signs were being handed out at the door, and the message was clear: Missouri voters are tired of being jerked around. This was the scene as Springfield citizens flooded into the Library Center’s Hatch Auditorium for the Fighting for MO Emergency Mass Meeting on the evening of March 18th. The meeting was a collaboration of ten Missouri organizations, and was one of more than half a dozen mass meetings held in cities around the state. At the Springfield event alone more than 300 people were in attendance, making ample use of the recently opened auditorium’s seating.

Much of the meeting was devoted to each of the participating organizations restating their policy goals, including reproductive rights, voting protections, a workers’ bill of rights, and more. Daniel Behlmann, representing STUN, gave a rousing presentation on housing rights that drew boisterous applause from the audience. However, a more immediate concern was underlined as the primary focus of the event: House Joint Resolutions 173 and 174, a proposal currently working its way through the Missouri legislature which would eliminate income tax and replace it with a tax on all kinds of goods and services that working class people depend on the most. It’s even possible that it will include a tax on rent, making the already untenable crisis of housing affordability immensely worse.

A number of state legislators were invited to the event, but only two attended: Betsy Fogle and Jeremy Dean. They each gave remarks near the end of the proceedings, echoing the sentiments of the activist presenters. Fogle stated that she’s “sick and tired of playing defense” against those in the state legislature pushing a damaging agenda. They were fine enough speeches, though STUN members in attendance noted that they did not address any concerns related to housing. In the powerful closing moments of the event, the legislators were asked to leave while organizers discussed the strategy for moving forward, because that strategy is for the people, not the politicians.

At the risk of letting the cat out of the bag, that strategy relies a lot on all of us spreading the word! Make sure the people you know have all the info about the awful Everything Tax and about what would happen if a rent tax were imposed on Missouri tenants. And make sure all of you contact your senator to let them know that we are against this tax scheme! Stand strong together and show them that the will of the people can't be ignored!