Texas School Massacre: Warriors coach Steve Kerr shares an emotional speech to have gun laws
The emotional reaction of Golden State Warriors Coach Steve Kerr to the horrific shooting at a Uvalde, Texas primary school on Tuesday was not a publicity stunt.
Steve Kerr, a member of the Chicago Bulls (and the San Antonio Spurs) championship teams that included Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman, among others, has long advocated for gun regulation, and there is a personal reason for why (more on that later).
Kerr was extremely distraught during his press conference. He slammed his desk at one point and ordered that something be done.
“When are we going to do action?” I’m sick of coming up here and delivering condolences to the bereaved family. I’ve had enough of the silence. “That’s enough,” he said.
“We’ve had elderly Black individuals assassinated in a store in Buffalo in the last ten days.” In Southern California, Asian churchgoers have been murdered. Kerr thumped the table to emphasise, “Now we have children slain at school.”
Kerr also went after veteran Republican and House Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, accusing him of holding the US hostage with the help of 49 other members.
“Right now, 50 senators refuse to vote on HR 8, which is a background check rule enacted by the House. “They won’t vote on it because they want to keep power,” Kerr explained.
According to a report by NPR, Kerr was alluding to the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019, which would require background checks on all gun sales, including private firearm purchases done online or at gun fairs.
KERR REACTED VIOLENTLY DUE TO A PERSONAL HISTORY OF VIOLENCE.
Dr. Malcolm Kerr, Steve’s father, was shot and killed by two unknown gunmen at the American University of Beirut on January 18, 1984, during the Lebanese Civil War.
“When my phone rang at 3 a.m. in my dorm, I knew something was wrong.” ‘Steve, I have awful news,’ a family friend just remarked. So… yeah. All I could think about was basketball to distract myself from what had transpired. So the next day, I went to practise. Kerr explained, “I didn’t know what else to do.”
Later in a docuseries, basketball superstar Michael Jordan would explain how this helped him and Kerr form a deep bond ahead of the Bulls’ NBA Championship triumphs in 1997, 1998, and 1999.
‘DO NOT GROW TIRED OF IT’
The American sports community and the NBA demonstrated through Kerr that athletics can be used to communicate a social message. “I want everyone here to think about their own child or grandchild, mother or father, sister or brother,” Kerr added.
“This is our platform in action.” “It makes no difference,” he remarked. Even after 18 children were killed by gun violence, Kerr claims that the government is unwilling to enact gun control legislation.
