by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson added his voice Wednesday (May 25) to the chorus urging action to prevent mass shootings.
In a Twitter row (opens in a new tab)the former US Senator (D-Fla.) and one-time space shuttle astronaut said he felt a “heavy burden” after news that at least 19 children and two adults were killed in a shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde , Texas, Tuesday (May 24).
Referring to recent similar mass deaths from gun violence, Nelson said Americans were murdered “while shopping at a Buffalo supermarket while attending a Taiwanese Presbyterian church in Laguna Woods. [California]and yesterday in an elementary school in Uvalde. “
Last week, following the racially motivated Buffalo killings targeting black Americans, US President Joe Biden told mourners that “white supremacy will not have the last word,” according to MSNBC (opens in a new tab).
Related: “We’re with you,” NASA’s Perseverance rover team told the people of Boulder after the mass shoot.
It’s impossible not to feel the weight of recent events across our nation – with Americans murdered while shopping at a Buffalo supermarket, attending a Taiwanese Presbyterian church in Laguna Woods, and yesterday at an elementary school in Uvalde.May 25, 2022
“In any case, human lives have been tragically lost in the course of everyday life … we have seen too many tragedies,” wrote Nelson in his thread on the shootings.
Nelson noted that Tuesday also marked the second anniversary of George Floyd’s death. Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed in police custody on May 25, 2020 after a white police officer knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes, The Guardian wrote. (opens in a new tab) in 2021 after the officer was convicted of murder.
“We must act – out of responsibility, out of justice. For change, for progress. For our children and our fellow Americans. The time has passed to say enough about senseless killings,” wrote Nelson.
While Nelson did not cite statistics in his discussion, Pew Research found that nearly 80%. (opens in a new tab) of the US murders were committed using a firearm.
Nelson isn’t the only person in the space community pushing for action against gun violence in the wake of the Uvalde massacre.
For example, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk just passed stricter background checks on buyers. And former astronaut and current US Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) Posted a tweet on Tuesday pointing out that the Uvalde shooting “requires a response.” Kelly’s wife, former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), Withdrew from politics after being shot in the head in 2011 during a meeting with voters.
Numerous media sources have pointed out the gap between Democrats and Republicans when it comes to implementing gun control in Congress. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), For example, is still expected to attend (opens in a new tab) the National Rifle Association’s annual meeting on Friday (May 27) to speak, following a reservation made long before the Texas school shooting.
In a interview aired on NBC (opens in a new tab) On Tuesday, however, Cruz called the shooting “yet another unspeakable crime”.
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