Name:	MrHodja -	Reply
Subject:	Matthew McConaghey Speech
Date:	6/7/2022 3:18:15 PM (updated 6/7/2022 3:21:31 PM)

Our breakfast room TV was inadvertently left on after lunch and as I was busy editing a draft cybersecurity media protection policy (booooring), I overheard some guy talking about the kids who died in the Texas shooting, and he was making it very personal, talking about the kids' aspirations that woiuld never be fulfilled and the parents' grief at not having the chance to witness all the events of the childrens' growing up. He spoke of the horror of trying to identify the remains through DNA because the child was so disfigured from the gunshot wound that they were unrecognizable.  I wondered who was speaking so went back into the breakfast room and saw that the person was not a politician, not a preacher, not a law enforcement official, but an ACTOR, Matthew McConaghey  (who happens to be from Uvalde Texas).  He passionately spoke to a reasoned approach that would get to the root of the problem, while at the same time preserving the Second Amendment.  Hopefully his words will get some traction in the media, although because they don't help the gun control agenda, the chances are slim that they will.  I urge you to use your search engine of choice to find, listen to, and absorb his words.  They are a reasonable compromise that make getting an AR-15 a little more inconvenient, raising the age to get one to 21 (unless in the military), mandates background checks for all purchases, and imposes a four day waiting period before actual possession.  His approach would also enhance mental health and red flag laws but does NOT impinge on the basic rights given in the Second Amendment.  

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	Matthew McConaghey Speech
Date:	6/7/2022 4:04:13 PM

I haven't seen it yet but I am always amazed at the forum given to people who make gobs of money pretending to be someone else and reading lines written by someone else.  Usually it's the left wing nuts that get that chance. I still recall seeing a panel discussion with some leftist comedian droning on about economics and someone asked her what her qualifications were and what degrees she held.  Hint: she didn't even have a high school diploma.  She became enraged and asked the questioner what her being an actor had to do with anything and he had the perfect response....it's the only reason you are here.  Literally she was there because she was a celebrity.  Otherwise no one in their right mind would take policy advice from her.

I'll listen to his speech and hopefully he made some sense.  But the reality in Uvalde is the perp passed a background check and bought the guns legally.  Waiting periods, making the legal age 21, red flag laws and all that are not going to prevent these kinds of acts.  And they don't address the real issue in our society which is the destruction of the family and the loss of faith in God.  What common attribute is there with all these crimes?  The person grew up in a dysfunctional family and there was no father in the home.  I hope he touched on the societal rot that is causing these people to act in such a horrendous manner.  Otherwise he may mean well but he is not offering anything to the discussion that will actually solve the problem.  And when all these ideas, if enacted and deemed constitutional, will not work and they will ask us to give up even more of our freedoms because their goal is to disarm law abiding Americans, not to solve the problems of mass shootings.  They are the vehicle to get them to their real goal.

Name:	MrHodja -	Reply
Subject:	Matthew McConaghey Speech (one key edit)
Date:	6/7/2022 4:53:10 PM (updated 6/7/2022 5:32:46 PM)

Please do listen...you reacted pretty strongly without having heard it...taken as a whole I think you will find it a serious attempt to find some common ground so at least we can move forward, albeit obviously not a perfect solution.  BTW, I do believe HE wrote what he presented; he isn't an Alec Baldwin type of actor.

The question we need to be able to answer is "Is somethng that doesn't go far enough preferable to doing nothing?"  I've always been told that the way you eat an elephant is one bite at a time.  That approach is probably the only way we will ever make any real progress toward correcting the current sad state of affairs.  As to the destruction of the family and the loss of faith in God, I agree whole heartedly.  Do you have a solution for that?

Name:	CRD -	Reply
Subject:	Matthew McConaghey Speech
Date:	6/7/2022 5:52:25 PM

Mr. H,

From your description, his statements seemed passionate and intelligent.  As he covered the topic of responsible gun ownership, I am sure he also discussed, while on the pulpit, his recommendations for bipartisan legislative input regarding appropriate sentencing for those convicted of crimes performed with a gun of any sort.  It would seem logical that both sides of this issue be debated, regardless of whether or not the perpetrator(s) decide to commit suicide. 

Name:	MrHodja -	Reply
Subject:	Matthew McConaghey Speech
Date:	6/7/2022 6:07:55 PM

I don't recall that subject explicitly, but I also didn't hear the entire talk.  I agree with you 2000% that illegal use of firearms, especially in the commision of another crime, and even more if that other crime causes injury or death to another person, should be dealt with swiftly and severely, unlike what goes on in LA and SF.  

Name:	MrHodja -	Reply
Subject:	Matthew McConaghey Speech
Date:	6/7/2022 6:43:16 PM

I watched it again.  (Fox News has a replay available)  He does mention consequences for violating laws and he explicitly mentions getting our family values straight.  The rest of it is more about the kids...what I found interesting is it was done in the White House Brioefing Room.  I don't imagine the adminstration and the Dem goons on Capitol Hill were too happy about his conclusions.

Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	Matthew McConaghey Speech
Date:	6/7/2022 7:11:26 PM

He's a quasi-politiion, and toyed with the idea of running for Governor of Texas last cycle.  

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	Matthew McConaghey Speech (one key edit)
Date:	6/8/2022 9:04:52 AM

Not sure I acted strongly but I did respond in accordance with my experience with celebrities that are given a megaphone simply because they are celebrities.  I will watch what he said and based on your summary it sounds like it was common sensical.  Which means Democrats will not listen.

Name:	MrHodja -	Reply
Subject:	Matthew McConaghey Speech (one key edit)
Date:	6/8/2022 9:45:34 AM

Agree that celebrities get more attention just because of who they are and often they are really not qualified to comment on the subject at hand.  Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, and Madonna are typical examples.  I give this guy a little more credence because he has a history of giving....he was one of the first to pitch in and help with response to Hurrican Katrina for one.  And while NRA might object to one or more of his proposals (I am a member but think they could do better by trying to find compromise solutions rather than stonewalling every proposal), he is saying to ditch the partisanship and work together to figure out how to better protect our most precious assets, our children.

Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	Matthew McConaghey Speech
Date:	6/8/2022 1:18:17 PM

I found that interesting too, that it was in the WH Briefing Room.  I believe that Biden is so desperate to appear to be doing something, he'll take anything he can get and claim credit for it.  

I understand that a lot of the things McConaghey mentioned have been taken off the table.  I don't know why they would think that it would be unacceptable to make the sale of ARs available to those 21 and older.  The military argument doesn't work for me, because, as you well know, military weapons are kept under control and only used for training or for combat.  

What bothers me about the whole thing is this: murder is illegal,  but is still being committed on a daily basis and they are not addressing the underlying rage that seems to be underneath.