An emotional Steve Kerr demanded that lawmakers act on gun violence before the Warriors' playoff game Tuesday, May 24, 2022. (YouTube/Screengrab)
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Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, whose father was assassinated in 1984 in Beirut, said he wouldn’t field basketball questions during the news conference before Tuesday night’s fourth game of the NBA Western Conference finals in Dallas.
“Any basketball questions don’t matter. Since we left shootaround, 14 children were killed 400 miles from here, and a teacher,” Kerr said, his voice overcome with emotion as he held back tears.
“I’m fed up. I’ve had enough. We’re going to play the game tonight. But I want every person here, every person listening to this, to think about your own child or grandchild, mother or father, sister, brother. How would you feel if this happened to you today?”— Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr
After referencing recent mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Southern California, Kerr raised his voice and said, “Now we have children murdered at school. When are we gonna do something?
“I’m fed up. I’ve had enough. We’re going to play the game tonight. But I want every person here, every person listening to this, to think about your own child or grandchild, mother or father, sister, brother. How would you feel if this happened to you today?”
Kerr Holds McConnell to Account
Kerr called on lawmakers to act to protect innocent Americans from the slaughter of gun violence.
“There’s 50 senators right now who refuse to vote on H.R. 8 which is a background check rule that the House passed a couple of years ago. It’s been sitting there for two years. And there’s a reason they won’t vote on it – to hold on to power.
“So I ask you, Mitch McConnell, I ask all of you senators who refuse to do anything about the violence and school shootings and supermarket shootings, I ask you: Are you going to put your own desire for power ahead of the lives of our children and our elderly and our churchgoers? Because that’s what it looks like. That’s what we do every week.”
Kerr’s words are reaching Americans. A tweet of his remarks by the Warriors had 25 million views as of 8:20 a.m. Wednesday.
Bill McEwen is news director and columnist for GV Wire. He joined GV Wire in August 2017 after 37 years at The Fresno Bee. With The Bee, he served as Opinion Editor, City Hall reporter, Metro columnist, sports columnist and sports editor through the years. His work has been frequently honored by the California Newspapers Publishers Association, including authoring first-place editorials in 2015 and 2016. Bill and his wife, Karen, are proud parents of two adult sons, and they have two grandsons. You can contact Bill at 559-492-4031 or at Send an Email
