Steve Kerr’s pregame news conference had nothing to do with basketball ahead of Tuesday’s Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals between the Warriors and Mavericks. Instead, the Warriors head coach delivered a three-minute monologue in response to Tuesday’s shooting at Rob Elementary School in Uvald, Texas, Killed at least 19 students and 2 adults.
Cole, who has been speaking openly about gun violence in the U.S. and campaigning for gun control, was visibly trembling and on the verge of tears at times when he spoke to the media on Tuesday. Here’s everything he has available before the game, along with a video of his speech.
I’m not going to talk about basketball. Nothing has happened to our team for the past six hours. We’ll start the same way tonight. Any basketball problems don’t matter.
Since we left the shooting range, 14 children have been killed 400 miles away. And teachers. In the past 10 days, we’ve killed older black people in a supermarket in Buffalo, and we’ve killed Asian church members in Southern California. Now we have kids murdered at school.
When do we do something? I’m tired. I am tired of standing here and offering my condolences to the families who have been devastated. I am so tired. excuse me. Sorry. I’m tired of silent moments. enough!
Fifty senators now refuse to vote on HR8, a background check rule passed by the House of Representatives a few years ago. It has been sitting there for two years. There’s a reason they won’t vote: to retain power.
So I ask you, Mitch McConnell, and I ask all of you senators who refuse to do anything about violence, school shootings, supermarket shootings. I ask you: Are you putting your lust for power above the lives of our children, the elderly, and church members? Because that’s what it looks like. This is what we do every week.
So I’ve had enough. I have had enough. We have a game tonight. But I want everyone here, everyone who hears this, to think about your own child or grandchild, or mother or father, sister, brother. How would you feel if it happened to you today?
We cannot be numb to this. We can’t sit here and just read it and go, well, let’s be silent for a moment – yes, Go Dubs. Come on, calf, let’s go. That’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to a basketball game.
Fifty senators in Washington are holding us hostage. Did you realize that 90% of Americans, regardless of political party, need a background check—a universal background check? Ninety percent of us. We are being held hostage by 50 senators in Washington who refuse to even put it to a vote despite what we the American people want.
They won’t vote because they want to keep their power. This is sad! I have had enough!
Cole’s father, Malcolm, was killed by gunmen in 1984 while he was president of the American University of Beirut. The Warriors coach has spoken out against various shootings over the past few years, imploring government officials to make meaningful changes to U.S. gun control laws.
many NBA players, including lebron james, expressed outrage over Tuesday’s shooting. The NBA issued a statement via Twitter:
“The NBA family is heartbroken by the horrific shooting in Uwald, Texas today. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families and friends of the victims, as well as the entire Rob Elementary and Uwald community.”
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Mavericks coach Jason Kidd also talked about shooting before Game 4.
“It’s hard. You know, as coaches or fathers, we have kids. People in this room have kids. Elementary school. You just think about what happens to your family or friends at school,” Kidd said. “It’s on-the-job training. We’re going to try to play games. We have no choice. Games are not going to be called off. But we have to find a way to be pro, find a way to win and move on.
“But the news about what’s going on, not just in Texas, but in our entire country, is sad.”
