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Kerr, whose own father was a victim of gun violence, appeared visibly frustrated as he told reporters he would not talk about basketball and yet address what occurred some 400 miles away from Dallas where the Warriors will play the Mavericks Tuesday night.
“Since we left shoot around, 14 children were killed 400 miles from here, as well as a teacher,” he said. “And in the last 10 days, we’ve had elderly black people killed in a supermarket, in Buffalo.”
He went on to mention the deadly shooting of churchgoers in Southern California that killed a man trying to stop the gunman and injured several others.
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“When are we going to do something?” he asked. “I’m tired. I’m so tired of getting up here and offering condolences, to the devastated families that are out there. I’m so tired of the excuse, but I’m sorry, I’m tired of the moments of silence. Enough.”
The head coach then called out the 50 senators, saying they have refused to vote on the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019 (HR8), which would require background checks for every firearm sale.
“So I ask you, Mitch McConnell, ask all of you senators who refuse to do anything about the violence in school shootings and supermarket shootings, I ask you — are you going to put your own desire for power ahead of the lives of our children and our elderly and our churchgoers?” said an emotional Kerr.
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He went on to say that the 50 senators in Washington, D.C. who refuse to vote on H.R.8 are holding Americans hostage since a majority support the bill.
“You realize that 90% of Americans, regardless of the political party, want background checks, universal background checks,” Kerr said. “Ninety percent of us. They won’t vote on it because they want to hold on to their own power. It’s pathetic. I have had enough.”
As Kerr closed out his remarks, he called on everyone to think about their own child, grandchild, mother, or father and think about how they would feel if this happened to them.
“We can’t get numb to this,” he said. “We can’t sit here and just read about it and go, ‘Well, a moment of silence.'”
Watch the video player above and read the text below for Golden State Warriors Coach Steve Kerr’s full speech at the press conference in Dallas.
“I’m not going to talk about basketball. Nothing’s happened with our team in the last six hours. We’re going to start the same way tonight. Any basketball questions don’t matter.
Since we left shootaround, 14 children were killed 400 miles from here. And a teacher. And in the last 10 days, we’ve had elderly black people killed in a supermarket in Buffalo. We’ve had Asian churchgoers killed in Southern California. And now we have children murdered at school.
When are we going to do something?
I’m tired. I’m so tired of getting up here and offering condolences to, to the devastated families that are out there. I’m so tired of the excuses, but I’m sorry, I’m tired of the moments of silence. Enough.
There’s 50 senators, right now, who refuse to vote on HRA, which is a background check rule that the House passed a couple of years ago. It’s been sitting there for two years. And there’s a reason they won’t vote on it: to hold on to power.
So I ask you, Mitch McConnell, I ask all of you senators who refuse to do anything about the violence in school shootings and supermarket shootings, I ask you — are you going to put your own desire for power ahead of the lives of our children and our elderly and our churchgoers? Because that’s what it looks like. It’s what we do every week.
So, I’m fed up. I’ve had enough.
We’re gonna play the game tonight, but I want every person here every person listening to this to think about your own child or grandchild or mother or father, sister or brother — how would you feel if this happened to you today?
We can’t get numb to this. We can’t sit here and just read about it and go, ‘Well, let’s have a moment of silence. Yeah, go Dubs.’ You know? ‘Come on, Mavs, let’s go.’
That’s what we’re gonna do. We’re gonna go play a basketball game. And 50 senators in Washington are going to hold us hostage. You realize that 90% of Americans, regardless of political party, want background checks, universal background checks. Ninety percent of us.
We are being held hostage by 50 senators in Washington who refuse to even put it to a vote. Despite what we the American people want. They won’t vote on it because they want to hold on to their own power.
It’s pathetic. I’ve had enough.”
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