Following Wednesday’s horrific school shooting in Florida, when a heavily armed 19-year-old former student tragically killed 17 and injured numerous others, Julianne Moore is calling out politicians to bear responsibility for continually ignoring the issue of gun control after yet another incident of gun violence in the U.S.
In an essay she wrote for People, the longtime gun-control activist offers some tough words for America’s legislators.
“Yesterday’s school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School resulted in at least 17 people killed and more than a dozen shot and wounded,” writes Moore, noting this is the 18th shooting on school grounds since Jan. 1, and the 291st school shooting since 2013. “In 2016, more than 1,600 American children were killed with guns, and at least 6,000 were shot and injured — this equates to an average of 23 children shot every day. And our lawmakers continue to show a lack of regard for our children’s safety by refusing to pass any significant legislation to end this gun violence crisis.”
Moore, a mother of two — who is also the founding chair of the Creative Council at Everytown for Gun Safety, a non-profit organization that advocates for gun safety and legislative reform — asks a provocative question.
“So whose fault is this? Who do we hold responsible? Who do we persuade to stop this? I am done cajoling, persuading and attempting to convince our lawmakers to change policy,” writes the 57-year-old actress.
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“Find out where your representation stands on these issues, ask them how they voted,” she advises her fellow citizens. “In February 2017, President Trump signed a bill making it easier for people with severe mental illnesses to obtain guns. Yesterday, a young man with a history of disturbing behaviour killed 17 people at a high school in Florida.”
Moore concludes: “Hold our lawmakers responsible. And if they don’t do something, VOTE THEM OUT.”
