Matt Damon addresses gun control in Jason Bourne interview
By Tribute on July 7, 2016 | 11 Comments
Matt Damon‘s Bourne films may be gun-heavy, but the actor is far from supportive of his home country’s current gun laws.
While in Australia promoting the upcoming action thriller Jason Bourne, the fifth film in the franchise, Matt applauded the land down under for their gun law reform and said he wishes the U.S. would follow suit.
During an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, the 45-year-old actor said, “You guys did it here in one fell swoop and I wish that could happen in my country, but it’s such a personal issue for people that we cannot talk about it sensibly. We just can’t.”
He added, “People get so emotional that even when you make a suggestion about not selling AK-47s to people on terror watch lists, that’s a non-starter. I don’t know what needs to happen.”
The Oscar winner then touched on the horrific history of mass shootings in the United States.
“Obviously mass shootings aren’t going to do it. There have been so many of them at this point. Sandy Hook, when those children were murdered, if that didn’t do it…I just don’t know. Maybe we just need to evolve further before we can have that conversation…”
Australia instilled nationwide gun law reform years ago, and, according to researchers, it has significantly reduced cases of mass shootings over the last 20 years.
Matt said, “It’s wonderful what Australia did because you guys haven’t had a mass shooting since you went, ‘No, we’re going to be sensible about this.’ And nobody’s rights have been infringed, you guys are fine.”
He also stated, “I wish we could be sensible like that but I don’t think that’s going to happen in my lifetime.”
In the wake of the tragic Orlando shooting in June 2016, there was hope that gun control in the U.S. would be reevaluated. However, the U.S. Senate rejected four new gun control proposals, which prompted many stars and public figures to express their frustrations via social media. Check out what Bette Midler, Mia Farrow and presidential hopeful Hilary Clinton Tweeted below.
Matt’s film Jason Bourne, which also stars Julia Stiles, Alicia Vikander, Vincent Cassel and Tommy Lee Jones, hits theaters July 29.
What do you think about Matt’s comments on gun control? Share your thoughts with us!
How many more will die because of these scum?
Senate Votes Down 4 Measures Meant to Curb Gun Sales https://t.co/TN42EXMxxE— Bette Midler (@BetteMidler) June 21, 2016
The NRA has gifted more than $36 million to the 56 Republican senators who blocked the gun control measures today. https://t.co/mNLQgCXWY0
— mia farrow (@MiaFarrow) June 21, 2016
Enough. -H pic.twitter.com/3herO6i1Pr
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 21, 2016
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If they could even stop the sale of AK-47s and that type of machine gun to the general public, that would be a smart move. I don’t understand why anyone would need one of those.
Or stop the sale of guns altogether!
While still technically possible, it costs upwards of 30k to buy a machine gun in the US.
Machine guns available to the public haven’t been manufactured for over 30 years and due to scarcity and the much higher levels of background checks as well as special fees to the ATF the cost to get one is astronomical.
None of the US mass shootings that make the international headlines involved machine guns though some of the European ones may have.
He is right but he is speaking REASON and unfortunately gun tooting cowboys are reason IMMUNE.
Bloody hypocrite!!
Despite what he says — he ill continue to make “gun” movies!!!
He couldn’t be more on the mark! I just wish the U.S. would put down its guns for a minute to see/hear the sense in what Matt and so many others are saying.
Celebs can be a voice yet they too are making money off (albeit fictional) gun violence. But really, the USA needs to wake up but the gun lobbyists are too powerful and money talks a big game. I just can’t see why they can’t stop selling them (or at least a certain classification of guns like automatic ones) and save them for use only at fully licenced gun ranges. If people want to feel all powerful then just go there where there can be (hopefully) a background check as well (incase a paying gun range customer decides to take that gun and shoot up the place), and let paying customers shot at paper targets. NOT the paper targets like in Vegas which are extremely racist. You can actually get ones that look like certain ethnic groups! Just keep it to imaginary shapes and aliens.
Despite ‘Jason Bournes’ suggestions to the contrary, it is not easy to buy an automatic weapon in the US. While technically possible it takes a detailed background check by the FBI (which takes several months) and tens of thousands of dollars to do. Simply no one is using automatic weapons in any of these shooting crimes.
Banning semi-automatics would be next to impossible since the vast majority of rifles and handguns are semi-automatic and unlike Australia, the US has a constitutional right expressly granting them the right to bear arms so any type of outright ban or ‘forced buyback’ like the Aussies used wouldn’t pass muster there.
In general guns are not the issue since if guns aren’t available people intent on causing mass misery will just find other means like a van full of fertilizer or a pressure cooker filled with products you can buy at your local hardware store or just a simple hunting knife. There needs to be a better system put in place for investigating suspected radicals since in at least 3 of the more recent mass killings in the US the perpetrator(s) were known to the police beforehand and yet nothing was done.
I have been so disturbed by the number of mass shootings that happen in the U.S.A. – and the total lack of action afterwards – that I just cannot bear to think of it over and over again. Until it happens to your kid, I guess it’s an okay thing to have happen there.
Yeah, Jason Bourne is not using an AK 47 to shoot at innocent people.
I really don’t know when all those advocating stricter gun controls will get some kind of brain surge and realize that criminals do not by nature respect laws. Apparently they have not yet learned that and need a reality check.