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Samantha Bee Is Staging A Sit-In Too

by Cate Carrejo

In support of the House Democrats' sit-in on the floor of the House of Representatives today, late night host Samantha Bee is staging a little sit-in, too. Bee tweeted a picture from Full Frontal with Samantha Bee's official account, which apparently shows the writing team working on the office floor to mirror the House Democrats. "Funny... @CSpan isn't carrying our sit-in either. #NoBillNoBreak #Enough," read the caption of the tweet, referencing the C-SPAN cameras that were cut off from broadcasting by Rep. Ted Poe as the House Democrats began their sit-in.

Bee and her team followed up the first tweet with another just a few minutes later, further supporting the Democrats' mission to gain public attention for their cause. ".@cspan @HouseDemocrats The House Speaker doesn't control our cameras. Tell us what's going on - we'll film a reenactment. #NoBillNoBreak." Look forward to that segment hopefully coming soon.

Bee's support for the Dems is incredibly important, because the sit-in is really functioning as a public awareness campaign more than a procedural move. Unlike a filibuster in the Senate, the sit-in can't actually force the Speaker to call a vote on the reforms that Rep. John Lewis and his group of protestors are advocating. In order for their demonstration to actually be effective, they need enough public pressure on Republicans to get them to force a vote. Since 90 percent of Americans support a universal background check, and 71 percent support banning people on the no-fly and terrorist watch lists from purchasing a gun, there should be more than enough people to convince the House to take a vote.

It's definitely no surprise that Bee and her team are in full support of the House Dems. Even though her show has only been on the air for a few months, she's dedicated several segments to gun control issues, including an emotional and really powerful speech in the wake of the Orlando shooting.

The honesty and intelligence with which Bee approaches the subject is refreshing and inspiring, especially in a crowded media environment when gun control issues are so frequently reduced to sound bites and meaningless phrases like "thoughts and prayers." Seeing Bee and her team walk the walk as well as talk the talk when it comes to enacting gun control reform is a dedication that everyone can try to emulate if this rising tide of activism is going to produce real change within Congress.