Matthew McConaughey has called for "gun responsibility" rather than "gun control" laws to be introduced in the United States.
Last month, an 18-year-old fatally shot 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas - the Oscar-winning actor's hometown.
Reflecting on the tragedy in an op-ed published by USA Today on Monday, McConaughey argued there is a "difference between control and responsibility" and insisted there is "no constitutional barrier" to the latter.
"Depraved acts of violence, with guns as the weapon of choice, are ripping apart families, tearing at people's faith and shredding the fabric of our society. We have an epidemic of indiscriminate mass shootings, of parents burying their children, of inaction, and buck-passing. Saving the unnecessary loss of lives is not a partisan issue," he stated. "We need to focus on corrections and countermeasures that can also and immediately reduce the gun violence tragedies that have become too common in our country."
As part of the essay, McConaughey set out four ways he believes U.S. leaders can restore responsible gun ownership.
He wants to see all gun purchases require a background check, people be at least 21 years old to buy an assault rifle, the introduction of "red flag" laws that will offer people the ability to "petition courts to temporarily prevent individuals" from buying weapons, and institute a national waiting period for assault rifles.
"I want to be clear. I am not under the illusion that these policies will solve all of our problems, but if responsible solutions can stop some of these tragedies from striking another community without destroying the Second Amendment, they're worth it," the 52-year-old concluded. "This is not a choice between guns or no guns. It's the responsible choice. It's the reasonable choice. It's a quintessentially American choice."
