Matthew McConaughey calls for ‘gun responsibility’ at white house stage

Following the shooting at an elementary school in his hometown of Uvalde, Texas, actor Matthew McConaughey spoke at the White House on Tuesday, making an emotional plea for “gun responsibility.”

“We are in a window of opportunity right now that we have not been in before, a window where it seems like real change, real change can happen,” the 52-year-old McConaughey told reporters.

McConaughey spoke movingly about some of the youngsters who died when he visited Uvalde and met with victims’ relatives after 19 children and two teachers were shot dead on May 24.

He presented a vibrant picture by Alithia Ramirez, a 10-year-old who aspired to one day attend art school in Paris.

Another of the victims, Maite Rodriguez, was represented by a pair of green Converse sneakers held by McConaughey’s wife, Camila Alves.

“Green Converse with a heart on the right toe,” McConaughey said. “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.

“How about that?” he said, pounding the lectern in a hushed White House briefing room.

McConaughey, who met with President Joe Biden and members of Congress before addressing the White House press corps, said the families of the victims told him that they wanted to make “their loss matter.”

“They want their children’s dreams to live on,” he said.

“We consoled so many people,” he said. “And you know what they all said? ‘We want secure and safe schools and we want gun laws that won’t make it so easy for the bad guys to get these damn guns.’

“We need to invest in mental health care. We need safer schools,” he said. “We need to restore our American values and we need responsible gun ownership.

“We need background checks,” he continued. “We need to raise the minimum age to purchase an AR-15 rifle to 21.”

McConaughey, who won the best actor Oscar in 2014 for the film “Dallas Buyers Club” and has flirted with running for governor of Texas, said it should be a “nonpartisan issue.”