Bob Iger Speaks Out on Gun Control at Sandy Hook Promise Benefit

Bob Iger was joined by former President Barack Obama and Matthew McConaughey in New York this past Tuesday to speak on the continuing issue of gun violence. The gathering occurred on the 10th anniversary of the Sandy Hook school shooting.

“As a grandfather, as a father, as CEO of The Walt Disney Company, I believe there is no greater or more important task than ensuring the safety and well-being of our children,” Iger said.

(Photo by Kimberly White/Getty Images for Vanity Fair)

“Those of us who are in positions to affect change, whether it’s by influencing laws of shaping culture or supporting organizations on the frontlines, I think we have an extra responsibility,” he added. 

The Sandy Hook Promise Benefit

The Sandy Hook Promise Benefit is a special event that honors the Sandy Hook organization. Established by parents of the victims, the non profit trains students, teachers, and adults to recognize the signs of gun violence,.

Photo: Sandy Hook Promise

Iger agrees that recognizing these signs and preventing shootings before they happen “should be among our highest priorities.” Iger was also honored for his support of gun reform and the organization’s Start with Hello initiative.

Photo: MSN

The evening was especially significant for Obama who recalls this event as one his darkest. He shared his frustration and despair at the lack of congressional action that followed. 

“Perhaps the most bitter disappointment of my time in office, the closest I came to being cynical, was the utter failure of Congress to respond in the immediate aftermath of the Sandy Hook shootings,” Obama said. “To see almost the entire GOP, but also a decent number of Democrats equivocate and hem and haw and filibuster and ultimately bend yet again to pressure from the gun lobby.”

(Photo by Kristina Bumphrey/WWD via Getty Images)

He further shared, “I will admit, I still get angry every time I read about the latest senseless shooting, whether it is in a church or a synagogue, in a grocery store or on a college campus or in a home or on a city street.”

Obama decried the continuation of gun violence in the country. He further emphasized his stance by sharing the statistic that there has not been a week in 2022 without a U.S. mass shooting and urged the audience to action. 

. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

McConaughey, an outspoken advocate and leader for gun reform acknowledged the anger and sadness surrounding the issue. In addition, he praised the parents behind the Sandy Hook Promise and also encouraged action.

“I think it’s time that we start selling, evangelizing and celebrating prevention,” McConaughey said.

Photo: MickeyBlog

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Feature Article Source and Feature Photo: The Hollywood Reporter