In response to the attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando one month ago by an Islamic extremist that left 49 patrons dead, protesters are staging a 49-hour sit-in at the office of Sen. Marco Rubio to draw attention to his “shameful” lack of action to curb gun violence.
Wow: Orlandoans launch 49-hour sitin at @marcorubio's downtown office demanding he address gun crisis #SitInForThe49 pic.twitter.com/V7AzTMmspo
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) July 11, 2016
Was it too much to hope the protesters were demanding that Rubio address the crisis of Islamic terrorism? Apparently so.
Arrests have been reported, but Rep. Alan Grayson is encouraging protesters to stay strong, and Rep. Patrick Murphy, who recently learned along with the rest of us that he’d have to defeat Rubio in his quest for Florida’s senate seat, called it inspiring.
Proud of the Orlando activists who were arrested for peacefully protesting at @marcorubio's office today. Stay strong. #SitInForThe49
— Rep. Alan Grayson (@AlanGrayson) July 12, 2016
Brave #SitInForThe49 demonstration should inspire us to redouble efforts to pass meaningful legislation to prevent future tragedies. #FLSen
— Patrick Murphy (@PatrickMurphyFL) July 11, 2016
.@marcorubio: We lose a victim to #gunviolence every 15 minutes. Your inaction is shameful. #SitInForThe49 pic.twitter.com/6cy7S4J9Xc
— UNITE HERE (@unitehere) July 11, 2016
#SitInForThe49 @marcorubio time to end your legacy of violence. pic.twitter.com/U3rnytqv0E
— Ida V. Eskamani (@ida_v_e) July 11, 2016
We must stand up to the NRA. #SitInForThe49 pic.twitter.com/rB3TIDKKck
— RandolphForCongress (@RandolphforFL) July 11, 2016
Still we rise. #sitinforthe49 pic.twitter.com/khyBJJw8Sn
— Ida V. Eskamani (@ida_v_e) July 11, 2016
https://twitter.com/tylerkraus/status/752665217872584704
Our country deserves commonsense gun laws. End gun violence & discrimination now. #BlackLivesMatter #SitInForThe49 pic.twitter.com/exiwVeydN6
— UNITE HERE (@unitehere) July 11, 2016
Speaking of #BlackLivesMatter, politicians have been forced to apologize for co-opting the phrase and claiming that all lives matter; however, no one seems bothered by the “Latinx Lives Matter” signs, or by this boy and his “Brown Queer Lives Matter” sign.
Protesters arrested during 49-hour #sitinforthe49 at Marco Rubio office https://t.co/FpAaZjFnpj pic.twitter.com/3BDRyXJZRq
— Raw Story (@RawStory) July 12, 2016
Will the two-day sit-in — one hour for each of Omar Mateen’s victims — be extended? In August 2013, a group called Dream Defenders, protesting Florida’s “stand your ground” law, staged an indefinite sit-in at Gov. Rick Scott’s office that attracted celebrities like Jesse Jackson, Harry Belafonte, and rapper Talib Kweli.
Protesters lasted a month before declaring an end to their occupation and “leaving the capitol to enter our next phase,” which apparently involved disappearing like Mateen’s wife.
The Florida Constitution cites the #2A & prohibits gun registries. Your feelz are irrelevant ? #SitInForThe49 https://t.co/NUpl04YKLW
— MrsLibertas™ (@Bloviate_Barbie) July 12, 2016
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