Matt Damon is known for playing expert marksman and super spy Jason Bourne on screen; however, in real life the actor wishes that the United States would pass sensible gun control laws.
Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald in Australia as part of his press tour for his new film Jason Bourne, in which he returns to play the rouge spy, he has revealed his thoughts on what America could learn from the land down under when it comes to guns.
“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,” Damon mused. “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.”
Matt Damon also lamented the fact that mass shootings seem unable to shock the United States government into concrete action.“Obviously mass shootings aren’t going to do it. There have been so many of them at this point.” he reflected. “Maybe we just need to evolve further before we can have that conversation”.
He then pointed out the contrast with Australia that instituted a gun reform law which, according to researchers, has helped reduce the incidence of mass shootings since it’s implementation twenty years ago.
“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 said. Matt Damon concluded “I wish we could be sensible like that, but I don’t think that’s going to happen in my lifetime.”
Which is a really sad reality, the United States Senate has rejected four gun control proposals since June after the Orlando Mass shooting, which is the most recent, and deadliest incident in the United States.
Author
