Tags
collective bargaining, Jefferson City, missouri, organized labor, rally, Teabaggers, Union, Wisconsin
Previously:
Rallies in Jefferson City, Saturday, Feb. 26th: support organized labor or teabaggers, your pick (February 24, 2011)
It was cold. But the day in Jefferson City exceeded my expectations.
There weren’t very many teabaggers, though they did have banners and a beefy sound system. Do you think some billionaire patrons paid for that through an astroturf front organization? Just asking.
Today really wasn’t about the speeches. It was about showing up.
Though a teabagger speaker seemed a tad bit concerned about the “communists” on the other side of the capitol.
The teabagger rally in support of republicans and corporate interests on the south side of the capitol.
The organized labor folks on the north side of the capitol had greater numbers and one barely audible bull horn. I estimate the MoveOn organized labor crowd numbered from 350 to 400.
The MoveOn and organized labor rally in support of Wisconsin workers on the north side of the capitol.
Stop the war on teachers, we are not the enemy. On the north side of the capitol.
On the north side of the capitol.
On the north side of the capitol.
I’m in love with a union man. On the north side of the capitol.
From Egypt to Jeff City. One world, one pain. On the north side of the capitol.
Mo public workers in solidarity. On Wi[sconsin]! On the north side of the capitol.
On the north side of the capitol.
On the north side of the capitol.
Walker is addicted to Koch. On the north side of the capitol.
Tea party Taliban. Koch sucker. On the north side of the capitol.
What the teabaggers lacked in numbers they made up for with their sound system:
The teabagger rally. On the south side of the capitol.
On the south side of the capitol.
I wonder why the AP is reporting them as equal in turnout?
I wonder the same thing Blue Girl is wondering. The AP story was lazy and sloppy. The guy grabbed a few quotes and slapped something together. From Michael’s photos, it is obvious that we outnumbered them 10 to 1.
I agree with Michael that the most impt thing was showing up. When a national org calls for a 50 state rally, it would be a damned shame for Missouri to be MIA – again.
I was the old lady with great signs, one of which read
“My Dad worked too hard for union rights. I won’t sell out.” But my favorite was held by a kid who looked to be about 14 yrs old – “Gov. Walker: Your Koch dealer is on line 2.”
The Springfield contingent had printed signs that referred to Koch-heads. Lots of good stuff. I’m glad we went. Now we’ve got to beat back the Greed Machine that is chewing up and spitting out our working class families.
Despite the sound system, when one stood on Main St to the east equidistant between the building, the pro-labor group sounded far louder.
Also, as one of the speakers noted in a Claude Raines “I’m shocked” way, why weren’t any of our “fearless Democratic leaders” attending? I quipped to the woman standing next to me “Fearless Missouri Democratic leaders is an oxymoron.”
I was also struck by the irony that we held our rally next to the big marble slab of the Ten Commandments that I’m sure one our wingnut state Republicans got installed there. Surely the Teatards would have wanted that as a backdrop! 🙂
Finally, it was also nice to see a good mixture of white and blue collar union members there.
I should have spoken about the dangers of unions that have no teeth, ie., the two main Fed unions that (don’t) represent me because of their total impotency. Thank goodness for civil service legislation.
Those are great pictures. I shot and edited together some video from the event. It’s a little amateurish, but hey, what can I say? Here’s the youtube link: