Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr joined Vice President Harris on Friday for a call with students about gun violence prevention, warning about the dangers of a second term for former President Trump.
“The vast majority of people in this country, regardless of party affiliation, agree with commonsense gun safety measures. Eighty percent of…Americans believe in universal background checks. We know there is no way that Donald Trump is going to actually try to get some legislation that would accomplish this,” Kerr said in comments on a virtual call.
The NBA coach, whose father was shot and killed in the 1980s, made headlines with his impassioned response at a press conference to the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, in which he challenged lawmakers to advance background checks and other gun protections.
Kerr also strongly supported the Biden-Harris re-election bid, saying there is “no question” who he will vote for in the fall “because of their leadership on the issue of gun violence prevention.”
The Biden administration has been involved in a series of events this week surrounding National Gun Violence Awareness Day, which falls annually on the first Friday in June. Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff is expected to attend a Washington Mystics game on Friday to “Wear Orange Weekend” kickoff, and the White House will be illuminated with orange lights on Friday night to honor the victims and survivors of gun violence.
Following comments from student leaders on Friday’s conference call, Harris made an on-screen appearance to praise the administration’s work on preventing gun violence — including the White House’s first office on the issue and its work to close the so-called viewing loophole. of weapons. — and to echo Kerr’s warnings about Trump’s 2024 candidacy.
“This November, to continue the fight to end gun violence, the choice is clear. While President Biden and I stood up to the NRA and the gun lobby, Donald Trump bowed. He has opposed reasonable gun safety reforms and cut funding for gun violence prevention. And a second term could be even worse,” said the vice president.
“If he wins in November, you can bet he will repeal our bipartisan gun safety law. He will reopen the gun show loophole and veto any new gun safety laws. Remember, on gun violence, Donald Trump offered a clear message to the people of America, and I quote, he said, ‘Get over it,’” she said.
Earlier this year, Trump offered “the deepest condolences” to the victims of a shooting at Perry High School in Iowa, calling it a “horrible” incident, but then controversially added, “but we have to get past this.” , we have to change. advance.”
Research has long indicated that gun violence is a main concern for Americans, as the country continues to see mass tragedies on school campuses and elsewhere.
Democrats have targeted the former president on gun violence, seeing it as an area where they have an advantage over Republicans among the general public.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
