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Matthew McConaughey Fans Weigh in After He Posts Statement on Uvalde, Texas School Shooting

Earlier today, Matthew McConaughey posted a statement on yesterday’s elementary school shooting in his hometown of Uvalde, Texas. Fans flocked to the comments section of the Instagram post to weigh in on his statement. McConaughey subtly called for gun control in the face of a national, violent epidemic. He did not take any political sides in favor of putting the spotlight on the families, and how we as people need to do better.

At a Glance

  • On Tuesday, May 24, an 18-year-old Uvalde, Texas resident barricaded himself inside a classroom at Robb Elementary School. He opened fire, killing 19 children and 2 teachers; he was then killed on the scene by police
  • Matthew McConaughey is the biggest celebrity to come out of Uvalde, Texas; fans urged him to make a statement regarding the tragedy in his hometown
  • McConaughey posted a statement on Instagram which urged us to “do better” as a nation; he focused on the devastated families in their time of need

Matthew McConaughey Fans React to His Statement in the Wake of Uvalde Hometown Tragedy

There was plenty of support for Matthew McConaughey’s statement about Uvalde, with fans sharing their thoughts in the comments. “This man is a true example,” wrote Thomas Brag, co-creator of the Seek Discomfort brand. “Beautifully written, thank you,” commented the band Illiterate Light. Some commenters urged him to run for office, while others simply shared that he’d written a “beautiful” post.

There was plenty of criticism in the comments as well. Some fans thought Matthew McConaughey played it safe with his statement; they speculated that if he takes too much of a side against guns he won’t do well if he runs for office. One commenter noted in part, “Why are celebs afraid to call for gun reforms[?]” while another wrote, “I agree Matthew is playing it way safe with this post because if he comes out and advocates for gun control he will fail in texas politics beto-style.”

People seem to think he’s talking like a politician, being purposefully vague, and not presenting any ideas for gun control; he’s simply saying we need to “do better,” which just puts a Band-Aid on a gaping wound.

But nothing is ever that simple in America, where divisive and polarizing politics rule. Though, Matthew McConaughey’s statement on Uvalde is correct in some ways; we need to do better, rearrange our values, and take action to protect our children. But, that involves evaluating how we buy, sell, and distribute guns. For those who support the Second Amendment, that can sometimes be a tough conversation to have.