Matthew McConaughey headed to the White House Tuesday to meet with President Biden and deliver an impassioned speech in support of gun reform.
The Oscar-winning actor is from Uvalde, Texas, where 19 children and two teachers were killed in a mass shooting last month. At a White House press briefing, he gave emotional remarks recounting stories about the shooting victims after meeting with their families. "They want to make their loss of life matter," McConaughey said.
At one point, the actor slammed the White House podium as he pointed to the pair of green Converse one of the victims wore every day. "These are the same green Converse on her feet that turned out to be the only clear evidence that could identify her after the shooting," McConaughey said, choking up. He also recounted the story of a shooting victim who dreamed of going to art school in Paris and whose father promised to spoil her and take her to SeaWorld one day.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
McConaughey urged lawmakers to "make the loss of these lives matter" by implementing gun control reforms, including raising the minimum age to purchase an AR-15 to 21. Suggesting "this moment is different," the actor said "responsible gun owners are fed up with the Second Amendment being abused and hijacked by some deranged individuals," adding that this shouldn't be a partisan issue.
"Let's admit it," he added. "We can't truly be leaders if we're only living for re-election."
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to TrumpSpeed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raidsSpeed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raidSpeed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearingSpeed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mountSpeed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own listspeed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act
-
Court hands Harvard a win in Trump funding battleSpeed Read The Trump administration was ordered to restore Harvard's $2 billion in research grants
