# Democrats Hold Sit-In on House Floor **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 22, 2016, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-hold-sit-in-on-house-floor/758060 "2016-06-22T17:19:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-hold-sit-in-on-house-floor/758060/1 "2016-06-22T17:19:06Z")
[House Democrats stage sit-in over gun legislation](http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2016/06/22/house-democrats-stage-sit-in-over-gun-legislation/86241864/) Led by civil-rights campaigner John Lewis. > [@](#): > > Roughly 40 House lawmakers sat on the floor and refused to allow Republicans to take back control. They took turns talking about gun violence, said they wouldn’t leave until House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., allowed a vote on measures to curb it, and chanted over and over “No bill, no break!” The House is scheduled to adjourn on Friday and be out of session until July 5. > > “Where is our courage?” said Democratic Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, who organized the impromptu sit-in. “Those who pursue common-sense improvement are beaten down. Reason is is put aside… What is the tipping point? Are we blind. Can we see? … Give us a vote! we came here to do our job!” > > Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, repeatedly banged his gavel to call the House into order, the Democrats refused, and so he gaveled the House into recess. Apparently this is not unprecedented. The Republicans were the last to do this. Quel irony. Remember that removing the gun-buying rights of people on the no-fly list is something agreed upon by both sides, wanted by Trump, and overwhelmingly favored by majorities among the public. My feeling is now there must be a bill voted out of the House, and it can’t be the worthless one favored by the NRA. I can feel the political currents changing. I never expected that. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-hold-sit-in-on-house-floor/758060/2 "2016-06-22T18:09:35Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Remember that removing the gun-buying rights of people on the no-fly list is something agreed upon by both sides, wanted by Trump, and overwhelmingly favored by majorities among the public. There are more important things than democracy, which is why you have a Bill of Rights in the first place. If the government can take away your rights without even _accusing_ you of a crime, you have no rights. Anyone who is in favour of such a thing is either a fucking idiot or knows what they’re doing and is planning to abuse the hell out of it. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-hold-sit-in-on-house-floor/758060/3 "2016-06-22T18:11:53Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > There are more important things than democracy, which is why you have a Bill of Rights in the first place. If the government can take away your rights without even _accusing_ you of a crime . . . Mental illness is no crime, but seriously mentally ill persons should not be allowed to possess firearms. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-hold-sit-in-on-house-floor/758060/4 "2016-06-22T18:15:40Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Mental illness is no crime, but seriously mentally ill persons should not be allowed to possess firearms. You feel that way about voting and speech, too? If you take away rights when people seek treatment, people will stop seeking treatment. Is that what you want? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-hold-sit-in-on-house-floor/758060/5 "2016-06-22T18:21:53Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > You feel that way about voting and speech, too? > > If you take away rights when people seek treatment, people will stop seeking treatment. Is that what you want? You are defending the right of mentally ill people to purchase and possess firearms. Think about it. Just sit down and have a long think about what you are doing here. Think about the consequences of what you defend. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-hold-sit-in-on-house-floor/758060/6 "2016-06-22T18:26:20Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > There are more important things than democracy, which is why you have a Bill of Rights in the first place. If the government can take away your rights without even _accusing_ you of a crime, you have no rights. Anyone who is in favour of such a thing is either a fucking idiot or knows what they’re doing and is planning to abuse the hell out of it. Some of us don’t agree with your interpretation of the Second Amendment and think that reasonable restrictions on who should be permitted weaponry are necessary for public safety. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-hold-sit-in-on-house-floor/758060/7 "2016-06-22T18:26:39Z")
You defend taking rights away from people with no due process because they asked a professional for help? Think about what you’re proposing here. Think about the consequences. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-hold-sit-in-on-house-floor/758060/8 "2016-06-22T18:28:31Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Some of us don’t agree with your interpretation of the Second Amendment and think that reasonable restrictions on who should be permitted weaponry are necessary for public safety. What does that have to do with revoking the rights of citizens with no due process based on mere accusations and conjecture? Which is what **Grumman** was referring to. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-hold-sit-in-on-house-floor/758060/9 "2016-06-22T18:35:32Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > What does that have to do with revoking the rights of citizens with no due process based on mere accusations and conjecture? Which is what **Grumman** was referring to. If he referred to “no fly no buy” then there would be a process to appeal. So you can’t buy something to kill other humans while they sort out a potential error. Cry me a river. ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-hold-sit-in-on-house-floor/758060/10 "2016-06-22T18:35:41Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Mental illness is no crime, but seriously mentally ill persons should not be allowed to possess firearms. Certainly. However it should take more than some guy putting a name on a list to restrict the rights of a citizen. Maybe, just maybe, there ought to be a set of steps, a \*process \*of some sort that would be \*due \*to the person whose rights you wish to restrict. Wonder what they would call it… ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-hold-sit-in-on-house-floor/758060/11 "2016-06-22T18:39:04Z")
Bob, You assume they mean to kill other hominids. What if they were offered jobs as rhinoceros poachers? I for one an impressed by the American Right’s sudden concern for the mentally ill. Or would be, if it weren’t for the fact that they’re really afraid that they will be declared mentally ill and their guns taken away. Why would that happen? Because they’re mentally ill, and their guns probably should be taken away? ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-hold-sit-in-on-house-floor/758060/12 "2016-06-22T18:44:26Z")
I’m fine with gun control but do the advocates in this thread think a law like this would stand a Constitutional challenge? ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-hold-sit-in-on-house-floor/758060/13 "2016-06-22T18:45:21Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > If he referred to “no fly no buy” then there would be a process to appeal. So you can’t buy something to kill other humans while they sort out a potential error. Cry me a river. There is currently _not_ a legitimate process to appeal errors on the no-fly list. Did one of the failed bills the House Democrats are staging a sit-in for address this issue? Or are we talking hypothetically? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-hold-sit-in-on-house-floor/758060/14 "2016-06-22T18:59:21Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > There is currently _not_ a legitimate process to appeal errors on the no-fly list. Did one of the failed bills the House Democrats are staging a sit-in for address this issue? Or are we talking hypothetically? I’m speaking hypothetically. I assume that any such bill would include a process to appeal your presence on the no-fly list. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-hold-sit-in-on-house-floor/758060/15 "2016-06-22T19:10:44Z")
The history of policymaking by secrets lists without meaningful court oversight is not a pretty one. How sad to have John Lewis using his immense moral authority to support an ineffective bill that would principally target people of color for unfair treatment. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-hold-sit-in-on-house-floor/758060/16 "2016-06-22T19:15:26Z")
The no fly lists are a problem. Giving them even more weight is even more of a problem. We also struggle as a country to define, treat, and understand mental illness. Until this stuff is defined adequately, I can’t just go along with ideas to curb gun ownership (as utterly stupid as I find it) based on it. Due process exists for a reason. It protects all of us, not just bad guys. It is not just a technicality. We have to dot the i and cross the t when we want to impact people’s freedom. Yes, even if we think those people are gross or stupid or evil. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-hold-sit-in-on-house-floor/758060/17 "2016-06-22T19:15:39Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > There is currently _not_ a legitimate process to appeal errors on the no-fly list. I haven’t read about the current situation, but at least a few years ago, that was my understanding, as well – that it was possible to land on the No Fly List without being aware of it, that Homeland Security didn’t have to tell you why you were there, and that it was extremely difficult to get off of it if you’d been placed there by mistake. As much as I believe that there _should_ be some limits on who can buy guns (such as suspected terrorists), I do have to acknowledge the right’s concern on this point. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-hold-sit-in-on-house-floor/758060/18 "2016-06-22T19:16:42Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > The no fly lists are a problem. Giving them even more weight is even more of a problem. > > We also struggle as a country to define, treat, and understand mental illness. Until this stuff is defined adequately, I can’t just go along with ideas to curb gun ownership (as utterly stupid as I find it) based on it. > > Due process exists for a reason. It protects all of us, not just bad guys. It is not just a technicality. We have to dot the i and cross the t when we want to impact people’s freedom. Yes, even if we think those people are gross or stupid or evil. Said more eloquently than my attempt. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-hold-sit-in-on-house-floor/758060/19 "2016-06-22T19:17:41Z")
I’m absolutely astonished that people are debating guns here rather than talking about the elephant in the room: whatever the bill’s content the Democrats are fighting for a cause using a traditional protest technique. That and that alone is worthy of being talked about, not another meaningless debate over your personal interpretation of the second amendment. And that’s why it’s here in Elections. Gun rights debates belong in GD. Let’s stick to the political implications of this for fall. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2016, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-hold-sit-in-on-house-floor/758060/20 "2016-06-22T19:19:38Z")
John Lewis is a brave American hero, and I will give him the benefit of the doubt 10 times out of 10. I’m not sure about the effectiveness of this sit in, but if John Lewis thinks it’s necessary, he’s got my support. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/democrats-hold-sit-in-on-house-floor/758060.md?page=2)