By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Thursday, June 28, 2016, US Representative Mike Rogers (R-Saks) called a failed sit-in by House Democrats to force the US House of Representatives to bring up gun control legislation a disruptive publicity stunt.
Congressman Rogers said in a statement, “President Obama’s plan to defeat ISIS and protect our homeland has been a failure. This has been demonstrated by the recent terrorist attacks in Orlando and San Bernardino. President Obama ignores his failures by threatening our Second Amendment rights. He can’t even say the words “radical Islam,” but he never hesitates to attack the rights of law abiding, taxpaying citizens who own guns. It time for President Obama and Nancy Pelosi to stop the made-for-TV stunts and get serious about fighting Islamic terrorism.”
On Wednesday and Thursday, Democratic Congress members in the US House chamber staged a sit-in to protest the House leadership’s unwillingness to bring gun control legislation to the floor of the House for a vote.
Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-Selma) said on social media, “I am proud to join my colleagues today in a sit-in on the floor of the House! Stop gun violence! Calling on Speaker Ryan to bring reform bills to the House floor for a Vote! NO Vote, NO Break for Congress.”
Democrats are trying to make availability of guns an election year issue. Republicans are trying to make President Obama’s inability to effectively combat radical Islam as their security issue.
The sit-in was led by US Representative John Lewis (D-Georgia). Lewis is a civil rights movement era icon and Alabama native who grew up in Troy. Lewis was with Martin Luther King Jr. on the Selma to Montgomery voting rights march 51 years ago.
Congressman Lewis said, “How many more mothers, how many more fathers need to shed tears of grief before we do something?” “We have been too quiet for too long. There comes a time when you have to say something, when you have to make a little noise, when you have to move your feet. This is the time. Now is the time to get in the way. The time to act is now. We will be silent no more.”
The Democrats sit-in ended after the House voted to go on its Fourth of July recess. No vote on either of the Democrats’ gun control proposals were held.
Congressman Mike Rogers represents Alabama’s Third Congressional District.
