Steve Kerr, coach of the Golden State Warriors and one of the most respected voices in the NBA basketball league, exploded Tuesday against Republican senators for rejecting greater control of firearms and in response to the shooting at a Texas elementary school. in which 19 children and two teachers died.
“When are we going to do something?”, he exclaimed in a press conference before the fourth game of the Western Conference finals that is played tonight in Dallas, Texas, between the Mavericks and the Warriors (with a score of 0-3 until now), and also remembering the recent shooting in Buffalo in which 10 people died.
"I'm so tired of coming up here and offering condolences to the devastated families that are out there," Kerr, a longtime gun control advocate, said in an emotional, tearful speech.
“I'm tired of the minutes of silence.
Enough
," he added angrily.
[The latest on the Texas school shooting: The 19 children and two teachers killed are being identified]
Kerr lashed out at Republican senators (who block the initiatives of their Democratic colleagues despite the fact that they have a slight majority) for acting against a bill to strengthen background checks when purchasing weapons.
This bill, known as HR8, was approved by the House of Representatives in 2021, thanks to the Democratic majority, but its process is still stuck in the Senate.
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“There are 50 [Republican] senators who refuse to vote on HR8 [...].
There is a reason why they will not vote: to stay in power”, condemned the coach.
“I ask you, Mitch McConnell [Senate Republican leader], and all of you senators who refuse to do anything about the violence, the school shootings and the supermarket shootings,” he added, “I ask you: are you going to put your own wish of power ahead of the lives of our children, elderly and parishioners?
Because that's what it looks like."
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“Fifty senators in Washington are holding us hostage.
Do you realize that 90% of Americans, regardless of their political party, want universal background [to buy guns]?” he said.
Kerr was referring to polls such as that by the Morning Consult firm and the Politico news portal, which in 2021 indicated that 84% of citizens (including 77% of Republicans) support that all weapons acquisitions require background checks.
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“We are being held hostage by 50 senators in Washington who refuse to even put [the bill] to a vote, despite what Americans want.
They won't vote for him because they want to keep their own power.
It's pathetic!
I've had enough, ”he closed her with a new cry before leaving the press conference.
"These are children and we continue to put them in danger at school. Seriously, at school", where it is supposed to be safer, "said player LeBron James on the social network Twitter.
With information from AP and Efe.