The worst mass shooting in United States history took a backseat to Republican lawmakers  grumbling stomachs in a move that was so offensive, that Democrats decided they had to react with civil disobedience. In an unprecedented move, Republicans hurriedly sent Congress into recess and instead of leaving, House Democrats gathered on the floor and staged a sit in. While Republicans munched on their lunch, Democratic politicians never left the floor.The act of civil disobedience was fittingly led by Rep. John Lewis, a civil rights movement icon. Surrounded by fellow lawmakers, Lewis demanded Republicans hold a vote on gun measures that will begin to address America s appalling gun violence problem.Stop watching Trump and tune into CSPAN! @repjohnlewis leading sit-in in the House DEMANDING vote on gun measures pic.twitter.com/XVjYcNafo8  igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) June 22, 2016Lewis made no secret that his intention was to get gun legislation going today, and not when Republicans found it politically convenient. He vowed that Democrats would  occupy this floor  for as long as it took.  We will no longer be denied the right to vote. At the very mention of gun legislation, Republicans  cut them off  and ordered that Congress break for lunch (where no doubt politicians could make panicky calls to their local NRA handlers for advice).As members started sitting down for sit-in, House majority cut them off, gaveled House out of session & into lunch https://t.co/YBQhC2diy4  igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) June 22, 2016So here it is, perhaps one of the starkest examples in modern politics of just how different the two parties really are. Republicans fled the building, and Democrats quite literally sat on the floor and got to work.NOW: House members are sitting on the floor in protest of @SpeakerRyan refusal to bring gun measures to a vote pic.twitter.com/8RPQzVZSUF  igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) June 22, 2016As lunch ended, Republicans came back in to find that their Democratic colleagues hadn t moved an inch. It set up yet another telling showdown   and yet another retreat by Republicans. When presiding officer Ted Poe ordered Democrats to leave, they stayed put and he gaveled another recess. If forced to actually hold a vote on gun control, Republicans have made it clear that they would rather flee the building than do their jobs.After Orlando, the response to this horrific act of violence was  thoughts and prayers  and little else. In fact, several politicians decided to exploit the tragedy in the sickest way possible by holding AR-15 raffles as part of their campaign fundraisers. It was clear almost instantly that their plan was to do absolutely nothing to work towards solutions. This is despite recent polls that show a whopping 92 percent of Americans believe the country needs stricter background check laws.So Democrats have had to do everything in their power to force the GOP s hand. If human decency won t get this done, maybe public shaming will.Featured image from Rep. John Yarmuth s Twitter