Hollywood megastar Matthew McConaughey wrote an op-ed this week defending the Second Amendment from attacks by leftist politicians while proposing potential safety measures to prevent mass shootings.
The piece in the Austin American Statesman titled “Matthew McConaughey: It’s time to act on gun responsibility” comes after a mass shooting at an elementary school in his hometown of Uvalde, Texas.
“I believe that responsible, law-abiding Americans have a Second Amendment right, enshrined by our founders, to bear arms,” He began. “I also believe we have a cultural obligation to take steps toward slowing down the senseless killing of our children. The debate about gun control has delivered nothing but status quo. It’s time we talk about gun responsibility.”
He also noted the difference between control and responsibility, saying: “There is a difference between control and responsibility. The first is a mandate that can infringe on our right; the second is a duty that will preserve it.”
McConaughey said the real way to stop mass shootings is not to ban guns but instead to focus on “mental health care, school safety, the prevalence of sensationalized media coverage, and the decaying state of American values.”
The Academy Award winning star of Dallas Buyers Club also put up his own 4 step proposal we as Americans can take to help save lives.
Step 1: Make it so that all gun purchases require a background check. He pointed out that Dylan Roof who murdered 9 people in a South Carolina church was able to skip his own check to purchase a gun on a legal technicality.
Step 2: Make the minimum age to purchase an “assault rifle” 21 unless the person purchasing it is a trained member of the US military. He specifically noted that this would not apply to most guns, only weapons like the AR-15 which was used to kill 21 innocent lives in his hometown of Uvalde.
Step 3: Implement red flag laws that would allow basic citizens to report certain individuals to police who they believe may be intending to use a firearm to harm others. McConaughey said this would temporarily prevent them from purchasing firearms while law enforcement and courts conduct an investigation. He clarified that there should also be punishments for individuals who abuse these red flag laws to prevent law abiding citizens from purchasing guns out of spite or for other reasons.
Step 4: Create a national waiting period for assault rifles. According to the actor, this would reduce homicides by 17% alone because it would stop otherwise healthy people from committing atrocious acts during a moment of weakness or mental instability.
He finished his piece by acknowledging that these laws will not completely eliminate mass shootings, but enforcing them would allow us to keep people safe while still maintaining our Second Amendment rights.
“For ourselves, our children, and our fellow Americans—we have a duty to be responsible gun owners. Please do yours and protect the Second Amendment through gun responsibility. It’s time for real leaders to step up and do what’s right, so we can each and all just keep livin’.”
McConaughey has hinted at his own political ambitions, and this proposal adds even more fuel to that rumor. Would you support him if he ran for office as a Republican? What do you think of his 4 step plan?
