Actor McConaughey Visits White House, Urges Gun Control Holding Photos of Children

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Seulgina Cho] "Where should we start? Let's start by recognizing the importance of the loss of life." Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey, a native of Uvalde, Texas, where an elementary school shooting occurred, visited the White House on the 7th (local time) to urge gun control.

According to Politico and CNN, McConaughey met with President Joe Biden that day to discuss gun control, then visited the White House press room, stating, "This is an opportunity to make choices that protect our country for the present and future generations." He is from Uvalde, Texas, where a recent mass shooting at an elementary school left 21 people dead, including 19 children.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre introduced McConaughey's visit to reporters, saying, "He came here to call for an end to senseless deaths and bipartisan action on reasonable gun control measures."

Taking the podium, McConaughey solemnly displayed photos of the victims one by one to mourn their deaths. He said he and his wife Camila had been with the victims' families in his hometown last week and showed a pair of green Converse shoes worn by one of the victims. The Converse shoes, brought to the briefing by Camila, were the only evidence used to identify the victim immediately after the incident.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

McConaughey emphasized, "Do you know what the parents of the victims want, what they have asked of us? They want the children's dreams to continue, and for something to be achieved even after they are gone." He stressed the urgent need for measures, including gun control, to prevent similar tragedies from happening again.

McConaughey raised his voice for background checks when purchasing firearms. He called for raising the minimum age for purchasing semi-automatic rifles such as the AR-15 from the current 18 to 21 years old, and also urged the implementation of so-called red-flag laws that prohibit gun possession by individuals identified as dangerous.

He stated, "This is a reasonable, practical, and tactical regulation for our nation, states, communities, schools, and homes," adding, "Responsible gun owners are tired of the Second Amendment being abused by some crazy people." He also emphasized, "These regulations are not a step back but a step forward for civil society and the Second Amendment."

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

McConaughey particularly criticized that gun control bills have been blocked due to political issues. He questioned, "Can both sides see beyond political issues to recognize what is obvious? Can we acknowledge that we have a matter of saving lives in our hands?"

That day, McConaughey also mentioned the dreams the children who were killed had before their deaths. One child wanted to become a marine biologist. Another wanted to attend an art school in Paris. He said, "As we commemorate the victims, we need to recognize that this time is different," and "There is a feeling that this time we can secure a path forward." Major foreign media reported that during his approximately 20-minute speech, McConaughey passionately urged gun control and at times was visibly emotional, even tearing up.

Matthew McConaughey, who won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2014 for the film 'Dallas Buyers Club,' has recently been actively voicing his opinions on political issues. He once considered running for Texas governor but confirmed that it was "a path I have chosen not to take now." That morning, he also met with lawmakers at the Capitol to discuss gun reform legislation. The day before, he met with lawmakers including Democratic Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin to appeal for bipartisan legislative action.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.