Matthew McConaughey is calling for gun responsibility in a new op-ed addressing the May 24 shooting that killed 19 children and two teachers in his hometown of Uvalde, TX. In an op-ed entitled “It’s Time to Act on Gun Responsibility,” published in USA Today’s The New Austin Statesman, McConaughey used his own story to advocate for “slowing down the senseless killing of our children.”
“I am a father, the son of a kindergarten teacher, and an American. I was also born in Uvalde, Texas,” he began. The actor went on to call for bipartisan action on guns. “Depraved acts of violence, with guns as the weapon of choice, are ripping apart families, tearing at people’s faith, and shredding the fabric of our society,” he wrote. “We have an epidemic of indiscriminate mass shootings, of parents burying their children, of inaction, and buck-passing. Saving the unnecessary loss of lives is not a partisan issue.”
McConaughey’s op-ed proposed that establishing regulations that ensure responsible gun use would protect and strengthen the Second Amendment. “There is a difference between control and responsibility,” he wrote. “The first is a mandate that can infringe on our right; the second is a duty that will preserve it. There is no constitutional barrier to gun responsibility. Keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous people is not only the responsible thing to do, it is the best way to protect the Second Amendment. We can do both.”
He also argued that while better mental health care and school safety measures are necessary, in the short term, “we need to focus on corrections and countermeasures that can also and immediately reduce the gun violence tragedies that have become too common in our country.” McConaughey went on to advocate for requiring background checks for gun purchases, reminding readers that background checks are supported by “88 percent of Americans.” He also argued that aside from members of the military, prospective buyers should be over 21 years old in order to purchase an assault rifle, and he advocated for Red Flag Laws, which would allow concerned loved ones and law enforcement to place temporary restrictions on individuals’ ability to buy guns.
McConaughey’s op-ed comes in the wake of a horrifying wave of mass shootings. Over the weekend of June 4, at least seven mass shootings occurred in the United States, killing 15 and injuring at least 60 people. In 2022, the US has seen at least 246 mass shootings, with the recent spike coming just weeks after a gunman killed 10 people in an act of domestic terrorism in Buffalo, NY, and the Uvalde shooting that rocked the nation after 19 young children and two teachers were killed in their school classroom.
The United States has a far higher rate of guns per citizens than other countries around the world, with one BBC survey finding that the US has 120.5 guns per 100 residents, while Yemen, which has the next most guns per residents, has 52.8 guns per 100 residents. The US also has far more relaxed gun laws than other developed nations, with loophole laws making it essentially possible for most people to buy guns without issue. The US also has by far the highest rate of gun-violence-related deaths per 100,000 people of any developed country, per The Trace. While other nations have established stricter gun laws following mass shootings, which led to reductions in gun violence, the United States has consistently failed to do so.
If you’re looking for more information on how to get involved in the fight against gun violence, Everytown offers resources and roadmaps to join the fight. Newtown Action Alliance also offers resources and ways to get involved.
