The "Pout-In" Democrats Think They're Civil Disobedience Heroes, but They're Far From

If it seems like the Democrats currently sitting on the floor of the House is a much cleaner, geriatric version of a 60’s college protest, it’s because it is. This is old hippie thinking that bathed, put on a suit, and traded “Kumbaya” for congressional comforts, and benefits.

But the pout-posse actually believes they’re making history by pulling out the old playbook and pretending they’re fighting for the people. I’m not even exaggerating about that.

C-SPAN says you can watch Congress. You should also be able to watch history. Please, @cspan, turn on the cameras! pic.twitter.com/75v55wIC6j

— Rep. Ted Deutch (@RepTedDeutch) June 22, 2016

Of course this is far from true. These throwbacks throwing tantrums on the House floor aren’t fighting for the people. They aren’t sticking it to the man. They’re protesting because they weren’t able to take freedoms from the people. They’re mad because they were stopped from sticking it to us.

What gets me is that despite the obvious rights stripping they’re protesting for, some of them think they’re once again reawakening the halcyon days when MLK marched for civil rights, and peace and love was all you needed to make the world a better place. Take this tweet from Rep. Norton, who pats herself on the back for sitting on a floor.

This is what civil disobedience on the House floor looks like. Continuing the sit-in today. #NoBillNoBreak pic.twitter.com/eiKWKOXFV6

— Eleanor H. Norton (@EleanorNorton) June 22, 2016

Civil disobedience? I seem to recall from history that civil disobedience looked like people marching for rights they didn’t have against attack dogs that would bite, and water hoses that would push you to the ground. It was sitting in places you didn’t belong, and refusing to move. It was putting your life and limb on the line so that equality – actual equality – would win the day.

What Norton and her colleagues are doing isn’t civil disobedience. They’re sitting in an air conditioned room, in relative comfort, being PAID as they sit and do nothing but tweet out hashtags and take pictures of each other. There are no hoses, or attack dogs. They’re under no threat of being shot by anything but a C-SPAN camera and their colleagues iPhone as they ingratiate one another.

Rep John Lewis of all people should at least know not to pretend what they’re doing is the same as what he did when he organized civil disobedience sit-ins like he did back in the 60’s. Instead, he’s claiming what he and his fellow Democrats are doing is courageous, as he pretends he still wears the hat of a civil rights activist while he’s literally protesting for the ability to do away with civil rights.

Do we have the courage? Do we have raw courage to at least make a down payment on ending gun violence in America? #holdthefloor #goodtrouble

— John Lewis (@repjohnlewis) June 22, 2016

Given what you saw in the 60s, I know you know what courage is. Surely you’re not pretending that’s this. https://t.co/J1G1S78oxd — Ben Howe (@BenHowe) June 22, 2016

LEFT: John Lewis exhibits actual courage.
RIGHT: John Lewis exhibits fake courage. pic.twitter.com/iDNRBaPbpI

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) June 22, 2016

These people aren’t sitting in for freedom and civil rights. This isn’t the 60’s. These are the same people that stood against school choice. Would require churches to pay for abortions they’re so against. These are people who think private businesses should be forced to pay their employees more, despite the fact that it could ruin them. These are the people who wanted to repeal “Stand Your Ground” laws, so that protecting yourself becomes a criminal offense.

These are not civil rights heroes utilizing civil disobedience at the expense of their own safety to make sure you and I are secure in our God given rights. These are rights stripping authoritarians who think they know better than you about how you should live.

If this was about our safety, then they wouldn’t be protesting their inability to infringe on our rights to defend ourselves with firearms. They would be putting their time and effort into dealing with the actual threat that is literally killing us, radical Islam.

Instead, they hold their pout-in to punish you and me, not them.

They aren’t brave. They’re a joke.