Jimmy Kimmel is once again using his late-night platform to deliver an emotional plea with the hope of saving lives.
Kimmel made headlines earlier this year for getting involved in the health care debate with a personal story about his son, and now he is delivering an emotional plea after a lone gunman rained down bullets on a crowd of more than 20,000 people in Kimmel’s hometown of Las Vegas.
The shooter killed at least 59 people and injured more than 500 others, reigniting the gun control debate.
On Monday night, Kimmel used the stage during his opening monologue to call for common sense gun control. Kimmel was fighting back tears as he addressed the studio and television audiences.
“It seems to be becoming increasingly difficult lately. It feels like someone has opened a window into hell. What I’m talking about tonight isn’t about gun control; it’s about common sense,” Kimmel said. “Common sense says no good will ever come from allowing a person to have weapons that can take down 527 Americans at a concert. Common sense says you don’t let those who suffer from mental illness buy guns.”
Kimmel later showed photos of all the senators who voted against gun reform and closing loopholes in the law — which many people on both sides of the political spectrum agree should be closed — before once again calling for action.
“With all due respect, your thoughts and your prayers are insufficient,” Kimmel said.
Whether this tragedy leads to an honest discussion and evaluation of our gun laws remains to be seen, but there is no denying the United States has a serious problem and hopefully tragedies of this magnitude do not need to continue happening before lawmakers finally wake up and take action like they were voted in office to do.
You can listen to Kimmel’s full comments below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruYeBXudsds
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