Following a mass-shooting last month at a Louisiana screening of Trainwreck – one of more than 200 such shootings to have occurred in the US already this year – an op-ed piece surfaced, asking Amy Schumer how she planned to respond. .
Schumer assured the writer that a response was coming, and overnight, she made good on that, holding a press conference with her cousin, Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer, to call for tighter gun control.
The pair spoke in favour of a more thorough system of background checks for those attempting to purchase guns, providing incentives to states that get on board, and penalties for those that do not, and also called for increased funding for mental health services.
“These are my first public comments on the issue of gun violence, but I promise you they will not be my last,” said Amy, who fought back tears throughout the press conference.
“We’re here today to say enough is enough, to mass shootings in our schools, our college campuses, our military bases, and even in our movie theatres. These shootings have got to stop,” she said.
She described the Louisiana shooting as being committed b a man “who shouldn’t have been able to put his hands on a gun in the first place”, adding that she was “heartbroken” by news of the incident, and thinks about it every day.
“Unless something is done and done soon dangerous people will continue to get their hands on guns,” she said. “We know what can happen when they do.”
Though Senator Schumer’s proposed bill is getting a lot of coverage, many have pointed out that it stands little chance of becoming law, thanks to the fact that the National Rifle Association wield strong influence on both sides of the US congress.
Earlier this year, Barack Obama appeared on Marc Maron‘s podcast, and spoke about his frustration at trying to get tougher gun control laws passed, in a culture where “deranged” individuals can and do cause great harm to others.
via Deadline
Photo: Andrew Burton via Getty Images
Photo: Andrew Burton via Getty Images
