Matthew McConaughey pleads for U.S. gun control at White House: ‘People are hurting’ – National

Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey used an look on the White Home Tuesday to name on Congress to “attain the next floor” and cross gun management laws in honor of the kids and academics killed in final month’s taking pictures rampage at an elementary faculty in his residence city of Uvalde, Texas.

In a extremely private 22-minute speech, McConaughey exhorted a gridlocked Congress to cross gun reforms that may save lives with out infringing on Second Modification rights.

McConaughey, a gun proprietor himself, used his star energy to make an argument for laws in a vogue that the Biden administration has not been capable of, providing a transparent connection to the small Texas city and vividly detailing the sheer lack of the 19 kids and two academics within the second worst mass faculty taking pictures in U.S. historical past.

He particularly known as on Congress to bolster background checks for gun purchases and lift the minimal age to buy an AR-15 model rifle to 21 from 18.

“We wish safe and protected faculties and we would like gun legal guidelines that gained’t make it really easy for the unhealthy guys to get the rattling weapons,” McConaughey mentioned.

McConaughey, who earlier this yr thought of a run for governor in Texas earlier than taking a cross, met briefly in non-public with President Joe Biden earlier than addressing the White Home press corps from the James Brady briefing room.

McConaughey has additionally met with key lawmakers this week together with the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee that handles gun laws, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, and the panel’s rating Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa.

He was anticipated to fulfill later this afternoon with Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer.

In the meantime, the son of Ruth Whitfield, an 86-year-old girl killed when a gunman opened hearth in a racist assault on Black buyers in Buffalo, New York, final month, known as on Congress to behave in opposition to the “most cancers of white supremacy” and the nation’s epidemic of gun violence.

“Is there nothing that you just personally are keen to do to cease the most cancers of white supremacy and the home terrorism it evokes?” Garnell Whitfield Jr. requested members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

McConaughey, who declined to take questions, spoke of his personal connections to the city. He mentioned his mom taught kindergarten lower than a mile from Uvalde’s Robb Elementary Faculty, the location of the Might 24 faculty taking pictures. He additionally famous that Uvalde was the place the place he was taught about tasks that include gun possession.

“Uvalde is the place I used to be taught to revere the ability and the aptitude of the instrument that we name a gun. Uvalde is the place I discovered accountable gun possession,” he mentioned.

McConaughey mentioned he and his spouse drove again to Uvalde on the day after the taking pictures and hung out with the households of among the victims and others straight impacted by the rampage.

He mentioned each mum or dad he spoke to expressed that “they need their kids’s goals to dwell on.”

“They wish to make their lack of life matter,” McConaughey mentioned.

He associated the private tales of various the victims.

He held up paintings from Alithia Ramirez, who dreamed of attending artwork faculty in Paris. He instructed the story of Maite Rodriguez, an aspiring marine biologist. McConaughey’s spouse, Camila, sitting close by for his speech, held the inexperienced Converse sneakers Maite usually wore, one she drew a pink coronary heart on the best toe to characterize her love for nature.

“These are the identical inexperienced Converse on her ft that turned out to be the one clear proof that might establish her after the taking pictures,” McConaughey mentioned, pounding the rostrum as he struggled to comprise his emotion.

After which there was Eliahna “Ellie” Garcia, 10, who cherished dancing and church and already knew tips on how to drive tractors. Ellie was trying ahead to studying a Bible verse at an upcoming church service when she was killed.

McConaughey acknowledged that gun laws wouldn’t finish mass shootings however prompt that steps could be taken to reduce the possibilities of such tragedies taking place so often.

“We have to put money into psychological healthcare. We want safer faculties. We have to restrain sensationalized media protection. We have to restore our household values. We have to restore our American values and we want accountable gun possession,” McConaughey mentioned.

“Is that this a remedy all? Hell no, however persons are hurting.”

Related Press writers Lisa Mascaro and Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report.