The country is left stunned following yet another lawless shooting now at a school in Texas.
At least 19 children and two teachers were gunned down inside Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on May 24. This came after a supermarket shooting in Buffalo, New York the previous week. Church leaders, politicians, and celebrities called for prayers and concrete actions following these acts of terror.
Franklin Graham, President of Samaritan’s Purse
“Such a heartbreaking tragedy. 14 students and a teacher were killed in a mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, today,” Graham said in a Facebook post. “Many were also injured by the 18-year-old shooter who is also now deceased and allegedly also shot his own grandmother before entering the school. Join me in praying for these devastated families and their community. May God help, comfort, and sustain them as only He can.”
Rick Warren, Founding pastor of Saddleback Church
In a tweet, Warren wrote: “As a parent who lost one of my children to gun violence, I beg you to pray for the grieving parents of Uvalde.” He said the grief stays on with the survivors and the families of those killed in a shooting. “You’ll quickly forget this horror and move on, but they will have to carry this grief the rest of their lives. Don’t forget them.”
Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, Archdiocese of Chicago
“As I reflect on this latest American massacre, I keep returning to the questions: Who are we as a nation if we do not act to protect our children? What do we love more: our instruments of death or our future?” Cupich asked in Twitter.
National Association of Evangelicals
The NAE tweeted: “Our hearts are heavy with grief over the children and adults who were killed in Uvalde, Texas. We pray for God’s comfort. We pray for God’s help.”
US Conference of Catholic Bishops
The UCCB issued a statement lamenting the latest tragedy in the country. “There have been too many school shootings, too much killing of the innocent. Our Catholic faith calls us to pray for those who have died and to bind the wounds of others, and we join our prayers along with the community in Uvalde and Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller.”
The clerics urged for a swifter resolution to what they called an epidemic. “As we do so, each of us also needs to search our souls for ways that we can do more to understand this epidemic of evil and violence and implore our elected officials to help us take action.”
President Joe Biden
The president sent his sentiments via Twitter: “To lose a child is to have a piece of your soul ripped away. It is never quite the same. And it’s the feeling shared by the siblings, grandparents, families, and communities left behind. I ask the nation to pray for them, to give them strength in the darkness they feel.”
Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors coach
In a pregame news conference on May 24, Kerr delivered a powerful message that quickly went viral on the internet. “When are we going to do something?” the coach yelled as he slammed his fists on the table. “I’m tired. I am so tired of getting up here and offering condolences to the devastated families that are out there. I am so tired of the, excuse, I am sorry, I am tired of the moments of silence. Enough!”
Matthew McConaughey, Actor and native of Uvalde, Texas
“Once again, we have tragically proven that we are failing to be responsible for the rights our freedoms grant us,” McConaughey wrote in a statement on Twitter. “The true call to action now is for every American to take a longer and deeper look in the mirror and ask ourselves, ‘What is it that we truly value? How do we repair the problem? What small sacrifices can we individually take today to preserve a healthier and safer nation, state, and neighborhood tomorrow?'”
Like any other American, he cannot accept that lawless shootings to be the norm. “We cannot exhale one again, make excuses, and accept these tragic realities as the status quo.”
“This is an epidemic we can control, and whichever side of the aisle we may stand on, we all know we can do better. We must do better.”
