Texas actor Matthew McConaughey delivered remarks at the White House Press Briefing on Tuesday, speaking to reporters about the victims of the mass shooting in Uvalde last month.
McConaughey, who was born in Uvalde, said he had recently met with the families of the victims.
He spent much of his time on the podium detailing the dreams of the children who were killed, including Alithia Ramirez, 10, who wanted to be an artist, Maite Rodriguez, 10, who wanted to be a marine biologist, and Ellie Garcia, 9, who loved church and dancing.
McConaughey said the common thread among families that he met with was that they believed change must happen in order to honor those who were lost.
“You know what every one of these parents wanted?” McConaughey said. “… they want their children’s dreams to live on, that they want their children’s dreams to continue, to accomplish something after they are gone. They want to make their loss of life matter.”
McConaughey said he also met with leaders of both parties.
“We need to recognize that this time it seems that something is different, there is a sense that perhaps there’s a viable path forward,” McConaughey said. “Responsible parties in this debate seem to at least be committed to sitting down and having a real conversation about a new and improved path forward.”
McConaughey said the country needed to invest in mental health, safer schools, restrain sensationalized media coverage of shootings, restore family and American values, and responsible gun ownership, like background checks, raising the minimum age to buy an AR-15 to 21,a waiting period for rifles, and red flag laws.
“These are reasonable, practical, tactical regulations,” McConaughey said.
“Responsible gun owners are fed up with the Second Amendment being abused and hijacked by some deranged individuals,” McConaughey said. “These regulations are not a step back, they’re a step forward for a civil society and the Second Amendment.”
His remarks at the briefing room are part of a visit to Washington this week that has seen the actor meet with lawmakers on the issue of gun violence. McConaughey activism in Washington began shortly after he posted a message on social media where he said the status quo must change.
Negotiations in the Senate are still ongoing as to when and if a piece of gun violence legislation can be passed in the chamber.
Original photo: All-Pro Reels / Wikimedia Commons
Fernando covers Texas politics and government at the Texas Signal. Before joining the Signal, Fernando spent two years at the Houston Chronicle and previously interned at Houston’s NPR station News 88.7. He is a graduate of the University of Houston, Jack J. Valenti School of Communication, and enjoys reading, highlighting things, and arguing on social media. You can follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93 or email at fernando@texassignalarchive.com
