Celebrities React to Weekend’s Mass Shootings

I know, a lot of people don’t like to hear from celebrities when tragedy occurs…or anytime! But, it’s important to remember that celebrities are no less human or entitled to sharing opinions than you or me.

First, from the President. His messages were resentful, eventually calling for Congress to come together to try and form something meaningful after the tragedies.

We cannot let those killed in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, die in vain. Likewise for those so seriously wounded. We can never forget them, and those many who came before them. Republicans and Democrats must come together and get strong background checks, perhaps marrying….

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 5, 2019

….this legislation with desperately needed immigration reform. We must have something good, if not GREAT, come out of these two tragic events!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 5, 2019

Dwayne Johnson sent this message out on Twitter, keeping things respectful but also staying away from any hot-button topics.

My heart, love & strength go out to El Paso. Victims and their families. Grateful to our first responders. Stay strong as we’re forced to heal yet again. What leader will step up to command wiser/effective talks? Not sure what the answers are but it all starts with open dialogue.

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) August 4, 2019

Actress Julianne Moore is calling on lawmakers.

This is a public health crisis. Hold your lawmakers responsible. @MomsDemand @Everytown 🧡 https://t.co/pVzKPHeYu1

— Julianne Moore (@_juliannemoore) August 3, 2019

Naturally, many are calling for some gun control, but John Legend is also pointing out the ideology of some of the men committing these acts.

My heart aches for El Paso and Dayton. Our nation is experiencing these traumas far too often and we need our leaders to take urgent action: take these weapons of war off the street and fight the evil ideology of white nationalism that motivates many of these terrorists.

— John Legend (@johnlegend) August 4, 2019

Henry Winckler…aka The Fonz…chimed in with a another message for lawmakers to act.

SO ..Shootings are now hourly .. We are getting so good at them .. and our representatives say nothing ..They are good at that too

— Henry Winkler (@hwinkler4real) August 3, 2019

Obviously, these are more of the tame responses. You don’t have to look to far to find opinions, both from celebrities and in our own social circles, that venture off a bit further from center.

Whichever way you lean, I tend to fall in line with The Rock on this one. This issue is far more complicated than a one-headline solution. It’s multi-faceted and nuanced. Gun control is a part of it, and so is mental health care, and better parenting, and bullying, and racism and many many other things. I believe ALL aspects need to be addressed before we see any sort of change. And, as a parent of young kids who will be starting school in a few short years (and a teacher wife who’s in a school every day), I pray it happens sooner rather than later.