Matthew McConaughey says “we must do better” after the massacre in his city, Uvalde
Matthew McConaughey, who was born in Uvalde, where at least 21 people were killed in a school shooting Tuesday, described gun violence as an “epidemic that we can control.”
“Once again we have tragically shown that we are not responsible for the rights that our freedoms give us,” the 52-year-old actor said in a statement.
“The real call to action now is for every American to look deeper and deeper in the mirror and ask, ‘What do we really value? How do we fix the problem? What small sacrifices can we individually make today to preserve a healthier and safer nation, state and neighborhood tomorrow?’ We cannot once again sigh, make excuses and accept these tragic realities as the status quo,” she said on Instagram.
McConaughey urged all Americans to “renegotiate our wants from our needs,” adding that “we have to reshuffle our values and find common ground on top of this devastating American reality that has tragically become a problem for our children.” “.
“This is an epidemic we can control, and whichever side of the aisle we are on, we all know we can do better. We must do better. Action must be taken so that no parent has to experience what parents in Uvalde and others before them have endured.
“For those who left loved ones at school without knowing that today was goodbye, no words can comprehend or heal their loss, but if prayers can bring comfort, we will keep them coming.”
Some background: The star of movies like “Dallas Buyers Club” and “The Lincoln Lawyer” has maintained a close relationship with his home state, and last year considered running for governor.
When deciding not to run, he said in part: “As a simple kid born in the small town of Uvalde, Texas, it never occurred to me that I would one day be considered for political leadership. It’s a humbling and inspiring path to reflect on. Also it is a path I choose not to take at this time,” he said.