STEVE Kerr is a longtime supporter of gun control after his father, Malcolm, was killed in Beirut in 1984.
And the assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump 40 years later reopened old wounds for the NBA legend.
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“This is a moment where we feel very proud to represent our country by wearing the USA on our chest, competing in the Olympics,” said the head men’s basketball coach of the USA national team in Abu Dhabi.
“We talked to the players about how important it is to show the best version of ourselves as human beings to represent our country in a respectful and dignified way.
“It makes me want to do this even more, because it’s really shameful for us to sit here and think about what happened and what’s happening in our country.”
Kerr was an 18-year-old freshman at Arizona when his father was murdered by Islamic Jihad terrorists.
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His father was targeted because he was president of the American University of Beirut.
Unidentified gunmen fired two bullets into the 52-year-old man’s head as he walked to his office.
Malcolm was given a bodyguard, but he didn’t think it was appropriate for a university president to have such protection.
He was fully aware of the dangerous situation he found himself in in Lebanon in the early 1980s.
“I bet there’s a 50/50 chance I’m going to be eliminated right from the start,” he told his daughter Susan in March 1982, according to his memoir One Family’s Response to Terrorism.
Kerr, who was born in Beirut, said basketball helped him overcome the pain of his father’s death.
“Playing basketball took my mind off what was happening.” Kerr said.
“That helped me. It gave me something to come back to; it gave me some time to relax.
Since taking over the Golden State Warriors, Kerr has spoken out numerous times about gun violence in America.
“It’s such a demoralizing day for our country and it’s yet another example of not only our political divide but also gun culture,” Kerr added of Trump.
“A 20-year-old with an AR-15 trying to shoot the former president.
“It’s difficult to process everything and it’s scary to think where this will lead because of the problems that already exist in the country.
“So this is a terrible day.
“Thank God Trump didn’t get hit, but it’s so demoralizing in every way.”
Following the 2022 Uvalde, Texas school shooting, Kerr spoke passionately about gun control.
“Since we left the shooting, 14 children have been killed 400 miles away. And a teacher,” Kerr said, patting the table in front of him.
“And in the last 10 days we have had elderly black people killed in a supermarket in Buffalo, we have had Asian churchgoers murdered in Southern California and now we have children murdered at school.
“When are we going to do something?”
Donald Trump rally security
Donald Trump was reportedly shot at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, July 13.
Trump’s rally was held at the Butler Farm Grounds, which can accommodate tens of thousands of people.
There were 8 to 10 metal detectors on site, according to former USUN ambassador Kip Tom.
Tom told CNN that anyone within a certain distance of the president was required to go through these metal detectors.
Despite being held at an open fairgrounds, the rally was fenced, meaning a perimeter was set up.
Secret Service countersnipers were stationed in the area to monitor the perimeter.
In addition to metal detectors for the public, in addition to local and state police, the Secret Service is assigned to protect the president.
Secret Service agents immediately jumped to cover Trump after he appeared to have been shot.
“We practiced thousands of times for these situations,” Jonathan Wackrow, a former agent, told CNN.
CNN also reported that the Secret Service shot and killed the alleged shooter.
The FBI took over the broader investigation of the shooting, working closely with the Secret Service.
“I’m tired, I’m so tired of coming up here and offering condolences to the devastated families out there.”
Kerr then launched an attack on the US Senate for not doing enough to prevent such tragedies from occurring.
“Will you put your own desire for power ahead of the lives of our children, our elderly, and our faithful?” Kerr asked.
“Because that’s how it feels.
“We are being held hostage by 50 senators in Washington who refuse to even put the issue to a vote, despite what we, the American people, want.
“They won’t vote because they want to maintain their own power.
“It’s pathetic. I’ve had enough.”
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
