Matthew McConaughey speaks out after massacre in his hometown of Uvalde

Matthew McConaughey, who was born in Uvalde, where at least 21 people were killed on Tuesday (24), described gun violence as an “epidemic that we can control”.

“Once again, we have tragically proved that we are not being held accountable for the rights our freedoms grant us,” the 52-year-old said in a statement.

“The real call to action now is for every American to take a longer, deeper look in the mirror and ask, ‘What do we really value?’ How do we fix the problem? What small sacrifices can we individually make today to preserve a healthier and safer nation, state and neighborhood tomorrow?’ We cannot once again exhale, make excuses and accept these tragic realities as the status quo,” he said on Instagram.

McConaughey urged all Americans to “renegotiate our wants and our needs,” adding that “we have to reorganize our values ​​and find common ground above this devastating American reality that has tragically become our children’s problem.”

“This is an epidemic that we can control, and whichever side we are on, we all know we can do better. We must do better. Actions must be taken so that no parent has to experience what the parents in Uvalde and others before them have resisted.

“For those who left their loved ones at school not knowing that today was goodbye, no words can understand or heal their loss, but if prayers can provide comfort.”

The star of movies like “Dallas Buyers Club” and “Lincoln Lawyer” has maintained a close relationship with his home state — and last year he considered running for governor.

When he decided not to run, he said in part: “As a simple boy born in the small town of Uvalde, Texas, it never occurred to me that I would one day be considered for political leadership. It is a humble and inspiring path to ponder. It is also a path I choose not to take at this time.”