Those boycotting moments of silence and arguing “thoughts and prayers” are insufficient gestures in the wake of the Las Vegas tragedy are largely fighting a strawman.

Two members of the House of Representatives from Massachusetts boycotted the lower chamber’s scheduled moment of silence on Monday. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., tweeted, “Now is not a moment for silence; it’s a time for action.” Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., also boycotted the moment of silence, explaining, “Moments of silence have become years of silence on an epidemic that kills thousands. We weren’t sent to Congress for our thoughts & prayers.”