The American people deserve to see what is going on in their House! @GOP turn on the cameras! #NoBillNoBreak pic.twitter.com/JkBW8P1IY3

— Gregory Meeks (@GregoryMeeks) 22 June 2016

“Sometimes you have to do something out of the ordinary. Sometimes you have to make a way out of no way. We have been too quiet for too long.”

Georgia Representative John Lewis, a civil rights activist who claims to have been arrested over 40 times in the 1960s, is leading an old-fashioned sit-in on the House floor to protest Congress’ inability to make headway on gun control.

As of early this afternoon, Lewis has been joined by about over 100 other House Democrats. According to CNN, the group recited, “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired!” and, “No bill, no break!”

Following the recent Orlando tragedy, America’s worst mass shooting ever, the issue of gun control weighs heavily on the minds of many Americans. Representative Lewis’ frustrations represents the powerlessness many Americans feel.

“How many more mothers? How many more fathers need to shed tears of grief before we do something?” Lewis asked. “Give us a vote. Let us vote. We came here to do our job. We came here to work.”

Compared to other countries with similar economic makeup as the United States, the U.S.’s gun-related murder rate is 25 times higher, according to a study done by the American Journal of Medicine.

Last night, talk show host Stephen Colbert took the government to task on gun control. “Ninety-two percent of Americans want to expand background checks for gun buyers and you just ignore them. Since when does eight percent of the population get to have total control of an issue?” said Colbert. “That’s like taking your entire family on a cross-country car trip and letting Grandma choose all the music!”

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You can follow this sit-in as it develops—it’s currently trending on Facebook and Twitter at #nobillnobreak.

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Author: Lynn Shattuck

Images: Twitter

Editors: Khara-Jade Warren; Travis May