Their names, outlined on a screen in the background, sent an unspoken message of the latest spasm of gratuitous violence and pain to strike America upside down, its stubborn head and corrupt government runners.
They were all gone, all 18, killed in two mass shootings, a week apart, by men who managed to buy weapons of war to turn them against innocents.
We should all be fed up and angry about it, but Warriors coach Steve Kerr, with good reason, is on the front line or almost on the front line among the indignant.
“You notice the names behind me on the screen, the names of the victims in Atlanta and Denver in the past two weeks, during the mass shootings that we suffered,” said Kerr, opening his videoconference before the game on Tuesday.
“It is important to refer to their names,” he continued. “These are human beings. These are people who got lost. And the thought of mothers and fathers and sisters, brothers, daughters and sons who are now suffering from the loss of the people behind me is simply devastating, especially in the wake of what is just a common occurrence in our country and an inability of our representatives in the government to do anything about it. “
Ten people were killed in a mass shootout on Monday in Boulder, Colorado. Eight were killed on March 16 in a mass shootout in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The suspect in Georgia was found to have bought a gun hours before the shooting. The suspect in Colorado was found to have bought an AR-15 last week, six days before entering a supermarket and shooting customers and employees.
The AR-15 is designed to maximize disposal efficiency. It was built for war, but it is legal in the United States because the ban on these weapons was not renewed in 2004. The weapon is used in many mass shootings in America, which constantly ranks first in the world in the world category of mass shootings. .
The destruction caused in recent days has caused many artists and sports personalities to speak out. President Joe Biden on Tuesday asked representatives to pass a law to reimplement the ban on assault weapons.
Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone collapsed on Tuesday when he spoke of the tragedy that unfolded 30 miles away. Other NBA coaches and franchises are expressing sympathy.
Kerr, however, has a more personal connection to these incidents. He knows the feeling of losing someone to unprovoked armed violence. His father, Malcolm Kerr, was the president of American University in Beirut in 1984 when he was approached by armed men and murdered on campus.
“This is why this issue is very dear and dear to my heart,” said Kerr. “My family had to deal with the loss of my father and my mother’s husband. And we have had to deal with the consequences since then. We don’t want other people to have to deal with what we do. “
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Kerr cited the efforts of several groups that met in recent years to seek safer and healthier gun laws, such as the Giffords Law Center, Brady: United Against Gun Violence and Sandy Hook Promise. Each of them has been personally affected by armed violence.
And while some have made inroads toward stricter firearms laws in America, there is always opposition. Republican Senator Ted Cruz on Tuesday referred to Democratic members who have mobilized – again – to act on the issue as a “ridiculous theater”.
Tell that to the families of the 18 victims who are trying to deal with the latest episode of mass shootings in America.
Clearly, it is a national crisis. Just as clearly, it is filled with division.
“I’m kind of speechless right now,” said Kerr. “We cannot just sit here and accept that we are going to allow our fellow citizens to destroy each other with weapons of war. It is the most disgusting thing that exists in our country. It’s ridiculous. It’s disgusting. It’s devastating. There are so many people suffering out there.
“We have to do something about it.”
If that sounds familiar, it is. It has been said before by many, including Kerr, that he feels in his gut. We all should, too.
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