Actor Matthew McConaughey is pushing for a shift in the gun control debate in the United States.
McConaughey, who was vocal in advocating for change after the Uvalde, Texas, shooting, made the comments over the weekend during an interview with Jonathan Karl on ABC’s “This Week”.
The Academy Award-winning actor believes the term “gun control” does not capture the sentiment of those who want to see action taken to improve gun safety. He suggests the phrase “gun responsibility” instead, as Second Amendment advocates may be more receptive to that term.
McConaughey is also pushing for action to make schools safer. He announced on the show the creation of the Green Lights Grant Initiative, which he founded with his wife Camilla. The program looks to help schools access federal grant money for safety and security. McConaughey says that although Congress passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) last year, none of the 14,000+ eligible schools have received the funding.
McConaughey also spoke briefly about his support for some of the initiatives proposed by the March For Our Lives, a group that formed in response to the Parkland, Florida, shooting. He said that law-abiding gun owners should “take one for the team” and give up some of their gun rights, such as the ability to own semi-automatic long guns and magazines that have the ability to carry certain amounts of ammunition.
His comments have already caused some controversy, with several Second Amendment advocacy groups claiming that McConaughey does not understand the real-world implications of his words and that he is blindly following the agenda laid out by March For Our Lives.
McConaughey is not the only person attempting to shift the gun control debate. Other public figures have voiced their support for different approaches, such as universal background checks, increased penalties for straw purchases, and regulation of the type of firearms available to civilians.
In the wake of the ongoing gun violence in our nation, it is clear that it will take more than one approach to make a difference. However, with prominent figures like McConaughey offering their support for discussions of “gun responsibility”, it is possible to have a more productive and civil debate on this hot-button issue.
FLASHBACK: Here is Matthew McConaughey in 2018 calling for a total civilian ban on assault weapons
“Take one for the team and set them down” pic.twitter.com/uHVoGfvzDQ
— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) June 7, 2022
