On Saturday, dozens of demonstrators gathered on the lawn and steps of the Missouri Capitol for the "All Hands On Deck" rally organized by We Stand United Missouri.
"We need to educate ourselves with what's happening in the Missouri legislature," rally attendee Pam Schneider said. "We know pretty much what's happening on a federal level, but you know, we have local. So we need to know what they are doing."
According to a news release, We Stand United Missouri is a nonpartisan coalition dedicated to defending freedom and democracy by inspiring Missourians to embrace truth, build community and take action. The organization said it strives to do this through peaceful and respectful rallies and events.
"Our legislators have a really instrumental role in being a solution to all of that," Michael Dunn, director of Missouri State Voices, said. "It's disappointing to see, what appears to be the case, that legislators in this building seem to be OK with falling in line when they're told to."
The rally was in response to the potential of Missouri having its congressional lines redrawn.
Bethany Mann, a Democrat for Missouri Congressional District 3, said she hopes people at the rally realize that they are in this together, and the 'onus' is on them to fight for freedoms.
"The freedom to work hard and retire with dignity, the freedom to have healthcare without politicians or government officials or millionaires getting in the way," Mann said. "The freedom to drink clean water and breathe clean air and leave a future that is brighter for our children. Everyone here realizes we all have the power to change things."
As recent as this week, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe has remained vague about his plans with redrawing the congressional lines, according to reporting by KBIA.
"You got to make sure on any time you call a special session, or even a regular piece of legislation during the normal process, you want to make sure that what you're doing is in the right direction and that you have as many people on board as possible," Kehoe said at press conference following the annual Governor's Ham Breakfast on Aug. 14. "And I'm not saying we are at that point or not at that point, but it's a process."
Kehoe has said that he is in support of it.
"Right now, Missouri is a solidly Republican state," Kehoe said. "When you look around the rest of the country, you've seen Democrat states, for very long periods of time, draw their lines in such a way that they have no Republican representation or very minimal."
Mann said she hopes people inside the capitol remember that it's about the people.
"We're not always going to agree on every single issue," Mann said. "It's about people. It's not about the powerful, it's not the wealthy or the connected, it's about what we need in our communities here."
Many rally members said they believe the time to act is now.
"Everybody, everybody step outside your comfort zone because the time is now," Schneider said. "We can't wait."
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