Thumbs up: A historic 25-hour protest in Congress

Fifty-five years ago last month, John Lewis was arrested at the bus station in Jackson, Miss. for using a “whites-only” restroom. On Thursday, Rep. Lewis, now 76, was threatened with possible arrest as part of another act of civil disobedience, this one no less dramatic and no less important. A civil rights era icon, Lewis, D-Ga., led some 50 Democratic members of the House in a 25-hour sit-down protest over the failure of the House to make progress on stricter gun control measures - legislation the public has shown it wants.

Even in the wake of the Orlando massacre, in which 49 people were killed, House Republicans have refused to allow the most modest of gun law reforms to come to the floor for a vote. This includes a bill co-authored by Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, that would expand background checks to those who buy guns online and at gun shows. The protest began about 11 a.m. Thursday with Lewis saying, “Now is the time for us to find a way to dramatize (the stalemate) and make it real.” He then sat down on the floor. Moments later, as Democratic leaders joined him and spoke out in support, Republican leaders immediately called a recess and shut off the microphones and the TV cameras. Thanks to the use of cellphone cameras, however, photos and video of the protest continued to be aired.

The protest ended on Thursday when, in what Thompson called “an act of shameful cowardice,” Republican leaders called for adjournment. “(They) chose to go home rather than allow us to take a vote on bipartisan, commonsense legislation to help keep guns from suspected terrorists, criminals, domestic abusers and the dangerously mentally ill,” said Thompson, who participated in the sit-in. “What could be so hard about letting the people’s House take a vote? What is the Republican Majority so afraid of?”

Democrats vowed to continue their efforts when the House reconvenes after the Fourth of July weekend. We hope so. John Lewis, once again, and his colleagues are on the right side of history. Those who died at the hands of this mass murder armed with a weapon that is far too easy to purchase deserve more than a moment of silence - and TV cameras turned dark.