Matthew McConaughey had previously spoken out about the mass shooting in his hometown that left 19 children dead.
Matthew McConaughey spent time in his hometown of Uvalde, Texas, on Friday to mark the somber occasion of the second anniversary of the school shooting that left 19 students and two teachers dead.
The 54-year-old actor shared a heartfelt photo on Instagram featuring himself with his wife, Camila Alves, and their children, Levi, 15, Vida, 14, and Livingston, 11. The image shows the family standing with the community, holding hands in a circle to pay tribute to the victims of Robb Elementary School.
"Two years ago Uvalde met with an unimaginable tragedy. Today, let’s remember the victims and their families, what we all learned, and continue to do what we can to not have more of these memories. #maketheirlivesmatter #uvalde," McConaughey captioned the post.
The Oscar winner has been actively involved with his hometown since the shooting occurred. Following the tragic event, McConaughey first visited the scene accompanied by Rep. Tony Gonzales. Video showed McConaughey riding in the passenger seat of a truck driven by the congressman. Neither McConaughey nor Gonzales, who represents the 23rd District of Texas that includes Uvalde, answered questions as they left the Uvalde Civic Center.
A photo posted by Rep. Gonzales on Twitter showed McConaughey surrounded by the city's school district staff. McConaughey's visit came just days after he spoke out about the tragedy at Robb Elementary School. The actor, who was born in Uvalde, shared that his mother was a teacher just one mile away from where the mass shooting occurred.
In a heartfelt statement, McConaughey expressed his sorrow and called for action. "As all of you are aware, there was another mass shooting today, this time in my hometown of Uvalde, Texas. Once again, we have tragically proven that we are failing to be responsible for the rights our freedoms grant us," he began.
"The true call to action is now for every American to take a longer and deeper look in the mirror and ask ourselves, 'What is it that we truly value? How do we repair the problem? What small sacrifices can we individually take today, to preserve a healthier and safer nation, state, and neighborhood tomorrow?' We cannot exhale once again, make excuses and accept these tragic realities as the status quo."
McConaughey emphasized that the shooting was an "epidemic" that the country could control. "This is an epidemic we can control, and whichever side of the aisle we stand on, we all know we can do better. We must do better," he maintained. "Action must be taken so that no parent has to experience what the parents in Uvalde and the others before them have endured."
He concluded his statement with a message of solidarity and hope. "And to those who dropped off their loved ones today not knowing it was goodbye, no words can comprehend or heal your loss, but if prayers can provide comfort, we will keep them coming," McConaughey added.
In June 2022, McConaughey visited the White House, where he spoke about the school shooting that left 19 students and two teachers dead. Fighting back tears, the actor spoke with both passion and emotion as he told the stories of those lost and pleaded with lawmakers to enact meaningful gun legislation reform.
"You could feel the shock in the town. You could feel the pain, the denial, the disillusion, anger, blame, sadness, loss of lives, dreams halted," McConaughey said of the feeling present in Uvalde upon his and his family's visit to the town.
McConaughey said that he and his wife spent most of the time with the families of those who were killed in his hometown. He showed pictures of their artwork, shared stories of their dreams and even brought a pair of green Converse sneakers that one little girl wore every day -- sneakers that were sadly used to identify her body after the shooting.
"Due to the exceptionally large exit wounds of an AR-15 rifle, most of the bodies so mutilated that only a DNA test or green Converse could identify them," the impassioned actor stated. "Many children were left not only dead but hollow. So, yes, counselors are going to be needed in Uvalde for a long time."
The actor also took the opportunity to push for more action on gun control, calling for universal background checks, raising the minimum age for purchasing an AR-15 to 21, a waiting period for purchasing AR-15s and the implementation of red flag laws.
"These are reasonable, practical, tactical regulations to our nation, states, communities, schools and homes. Responsible gun owners are fed up with the Second Amendment being abused and hijacked by some deranged individuals. These regulations are not a step back -- they're a step forward for a civil society and, and the Second Amendment," he shared.
He also called on Americans to look at themselves in the mirror and use the moment to reassess their values and rebrand this country based on "what we truly are."
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