Steve Nash advocates for stricter gun laws after Florida school shooting
Feb 23, 2018, 7:14 PM
Two-time NBA most valuable player Steve Nash is introduced into the Suns Ring of Fire at halftime of an NBA basketball game between the Phoenix Suns and the Portland Trail Blazers, Friday, Oct. 30, 2015, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
PHOENIX – Former Phoenix Suns star Steve Nash advocated for gun control and offered support for the victims of the Florida shooting in a self written article on The Players’ Tribune.
Published on Thursday, Nash shared his heartfelt opinion on the shooting that claimed the lives of 17 students and faculty in Florida.
“I wave goodbye to my kids so many times, every day, not thinking anything of it,” Nash wrote. “And that was one of the first things that came into my head when I heard about last week’s shooting in Parkland, Fla.
“I just couldn’t help but think about it like a dad.”
A father of four, Nash admitted that the shooting left him “heartbroken,” especially for the families of those slain in the shooting.Nash pleads for change in the article, asking for measures that he believes would save lives right away.
The first involves stricter background checks for those wishing to purchase guns, as well as proof of proper storage for the weapon in the home.
The wish for proper storage stems from a study by the Center for Injury Control, which found that for every act of self-defense or legally justified use for a gun in the home, there are four unintentional shootings.
The second measure involves the regulation of semiautomatic weapons, such as the AR-15.
I’m just not sure what weapons like the AR-15 offer everyday society. But we do know the harm they cause: Without these weapons, deranged individuals such as the killer in Las Vegas wouldn’t have be able to murder and injure so many victims in such a short amount of time. Lives would have been saved. Those people would be here with us now, going to work or school, or packing their kids a lunch.
The debate over gun control has sparked controversy with the latest shooting. Some believe that placing guns in the hands of teachers will deter possible acts of violence.
Nash asked the nation to join him in showing support for the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, who appeared at the Florida state capitol this week calling for gun reform.
In Arizona, students from local high schools have planned marches in support of the Florida survivors.
One march involving students from across the Valley took place Friday, while other students showed support by walking out of class.
Nash said that he wishes to bring the country together to fight this issue, instead of driving each other apart.
“Whether you’re a gun owner or not: We are all just trying to protect our families, and we are all just trying to keep our communities safe,” he said.
“We have to do something. We are in this together.”
