DALLAS (Fwrd Axis) — Golden State Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr used his pregame media availability to rip Congress following the Texas elementary school shooting that left 19 children dead.
“When are we going to do something? I’m tired,” Kerr yelled as he pounded his fist on the table.
His voice cracked with anger and sadness, recalling that just over a week ago, 10 Black people were killed in a supermarket in Buffalo, and churchgoers were gunned down in California.
“Since we left shootaround, 14 children were killed 400 miles from here, and a teacher,” he said. “In the last 10 days, we’ve had elderly Black people killed in a supermarket in Buffalo, we’ve had Asian churchgoers killed in Southern California, and now we have children murdered at school.”
By the time Kerr began his remarks, the death toll from the school shooting had jumped to 18 and later 19. If Kerr’s feelings seem personal, it’s because his father was shot dead in a terrorist attack in Beirut in 1984.
Kerr looked right into the camera, speaking directly to leaders in Washington, urging them to do something.
“So I ask you: [Senate Minority Leader] 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. It’s what we do every week.”
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd shared a similar sentiment before Tuesday’s game.
“We will truly play with heavy hearts tonight for the community, for the school of Robb Elementary School,” Kidd said. “As coaches, as fathers, we have kids, people in this room have kids, elementary school; you can just think about what could take place with any of your family or friends at a school.”
