Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey is getting backlash after making an appearance at the White House Tuesday and calling on Congress to endorse gun laws in response to the mass shooting that happened in his hometown of Uvalde, Texas.
During a passionate 22-minute speech McConaughey asserted that gun control laws are an “acceptable sacrifice” for people who support the Second Amendment of the constitution.
His speech caused social media to light up as conservative pundits and media personalities took to Twitter calling McConaughey out on his gun control suggestions that either already exist -background checks – or don’t work… waiting periods.
Others encouraged McConaughey to stick to acting saying he ‘lost credibility with his uninformed speech.
Danny Tarkanian, a US congressional candidate in Nevada tweeted,
“If Matthew McConaughey thinks he’s going to smile into the camera and get the Second Amendment repealed, he’s completely wrong.”
If Matthew McConaughey thinks he’s going to smile into the camera and get the Second Amendment repealed, he’s completely wrong.
— Danny Tarkanian (@DannyTarkanian) June 7, 2022
Some even pointed out McConaughey’s opposition to pro-life saying his ‘children’s lives matter’ stance on Tuesday was hypocritical.
The actor, a gun owner himself, has starred in numerous movies in which he uses firearms such as Reign of Fire, Sahara and The Gentleman.
He called on Congress to:
- Make it a federal law for all gun sales to require background checks – retail gun sales are already required to do so.
- Enact “Red Flag Laws” which allow family members and law enforcement to stop people from buying guns
- Raise the age limit to purchase firearms from 18 to 21 on semiautomatic rifles, and enact a waiting period before the person can obtain the firearm.
“We want secure and safe schools and we want gun laws that won’t make it so easy for the bad guys to get the damn guns,” McConaughey said.
McConaughey met in private with Joe Biden before making his speech from the podium of the James Brady briefing room.
McConaughey has also met with lawmakers this week, including Democrat Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee that handles gun legislation, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, and the panel’s ranking Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa.
McConaughey, who declined to take questions, said Uvalde was the place where he was taught about responsibilities that come with gun ownership,
“Uvalde is where I was taught to revere the power and the capability of the tool that we call a gun,” he said.
The actor acknowledged that gun legislation would not end mass shootings and that there are many other factors that are in play,
“We need to invest in mental healthcare. We need safer schools. We need to restrain sensationalized media coverage. We need to restore our family values. We need to restore our American values and we need responsible gun ownership,” McConaughey said.
