Actor Ashton Kutcher took to Twitter Thursday to comment on Wednesday’s horrible mass shooting at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California (covered previously by RedState’s Jennifer Van Laar).
Kutcher revealed that he celebrated his birthday this year at Borderline Bar & Grill, the site of the grisly crime. As he pointed out, he could’ve been one of the victims. He also used the incident to call for gun reform:
“My wife threw me a birthday party this year at the Borderline. Only reason we are alive is the shooter chose a different night. My heart goes out to the victims. I’ll say it again… Gun Reform Now! Politicians need to stop standing behind the dollar & Protect the people!”
My wife threw me a birthday party this year at the Borderline. Only reason we are alive is the shooter chose a different night. My heart goes out to the victims. I’ll say it again… Gun Reform Now! Politicians need to stop standing behind the dollar & Protect the people!
— ashton kutcher (@aplusk) November 9, 2018
Ashton, who grew up hunting, challenged legislators to move in order to protect customers, concertgoers, and congregants:
“I grew up a hunter, I worked at a gun club pulling trap growing up. No body is taking your guns!!! Gun reform!!!!! Let it be a test. Your electorate doesn’t want to die when they go to church or a concert or a bar!”
I grew up a hunter, I worked at a gun club pulling trap growing up. No body is taking your guns!!! Gun reform!!!!! Let it be a test. Your electorate doesn’t want to die when they go to church or a concert or a bar!
— ashton kutcher (@aplusk) November 9, 2018
What kind of gun reform doesn’t “take your guns”? It’s a fair question. Ashton doesn’t sound as if he’s in favor of people being able to arm themselves:
“The BS rhetoric around arming more people to protect others is just that, BS! Armed people got killed last night! Gun Reform now!!!”
The BS rhetoric around arming more people to protect others is just that, BS! Armed people got killed last night! Gun Reform now!!!
— ashton kutcher (@aplusk) November 9, 2018
Next, he attempted an appeal to Ivanka Trump, referring to the massacre as well as the Pittsburgh Tree of Life shooting (here):
“@IvankaTrump your brother in law was at that birthday party. He could have just as easily been a victim. You go to synagogues you could be a victim! Talk to your dad! Plead with your dad! Let this be your legacy! Gun Reform now!”
. @IvankaTrump your brother in law was at that birthday party. He could have just as easily been a victim. You go to synagogues you could be a victim! Talk to your dad! Plead with your dad! Let this be your legacy! Gun Reform now!
— ashton kutcher (@aplusk) November 9, 2018
Ashton asserted that gun reform is the product of loving your neighbor:
Love thy neighbor! Gun Reform now!
— ashton kutcher (@aplusk) November 9, 2018
He did advocate for guns in the home, reiterating that he doesn’t believe “reform” involves confiscation:
Nobody is taking your gun or my gun. I can still go hunting. I can still protect my home. Gun Reform Now!
— ashton kutcher (@aplusk) November 9, 2018
To Ashton, reform includes changing mental health laws, beefing up the ATF, and improving support for veterans. The 29-year-old murderer of 12 innocents Wednesday night was a former marine.
Nobody is taking your gun or my gun. I can still go hunting. I can still protect my home. Gun Reform Now!
— ashton kutcher (@aplusk) November 9, 2018
Support mental health care initiatives!!! Gun Reform Now!
— ashton kutcher (@aplusk) November 9, 2018
Beef up ATF. Prevent hostile mentally unstable people from getting guns! Support our veterans that are returning from war with resources! Gun Reform Now!
— ashton kutcher (@aplusk) November 9, 2018
I genuinely like Ashton. He at times speaks about politics, and his views aren’t always conservative. But he never comes across as having a messiah complex (I’m lookin’ at you, Alyssa), and I believe his heart is in the right place.
But aside from mental health issues, when you call upon left-wing politicians to enact “gun reform,” whether you intend to or not, you may very well be placing an order for a ban and, therefore, confiscation (here, here, and here). It’s something to consider.
Moreover, amending gun rights will only affect those who obey the law — not suicidal, mass-murderous lunatics.
Either way, Ashton is right about one thing: the victims of Wednesday night’s slaughter could’ve been any of us or our loved ones. And protections need to be in place to defend the innocent. To many RedStaters, that means more law-abiding citizens being armed.
As the debate rages on and the pundits battle over this latest mass shooting, hug the people you hold dear. Tell them what they mean, on this day of opportunity — an opportunity many broken hearts in Thousand Oaks won’t have.
Please watch the moving tribute to Wednesday’s victims in the video below.
Relevant RedState links in this article: here, here, here, here, and here.
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The post Ashton Kutcher Urges ‘Gun Reform,’ Had His Birthday at Borderline Bar (Plus: Honoring the Victims) appeared first on RedState.