Matthew McConaughey says keeping guns away from dangerous people is the 'best way to preserve the Second Amendment'

• Matthew McConaughey said the "best way to preserve the Second Amendment" is by "keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous people."
• He explained that while gun control can "infringe on our right," gun responsibility is a "duty that will preserve" the Second Amendment.

Matthew McConaughey said the "best way to preserve the Second Amendment" is by "keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous people."

In an op-ed published Monday in the Austin-American Statesman, McConaughey — a native of Uvalde, Texas, where a gunman opened fire on Robb Elementary School two weeks ago, killing 19 students and two teachers — called for "gun responsibility" instead of the "status quo" debate on gun control.

"I believe that responsible, law-abiding Americans have a Second Amendment right, enshrined by our founders, to bear arms. I also believe we have a cultural obligation to take steps toward slowing down the senseless killing of our children," the Academy Award-winning actor said.

He went on to say that while gun control can "infringe on our right," gun responsibility is a "duty that will preserve" the Second Amendment.

The best way to practice gun responsibility, he said, is to ensure dangerous people in the U.S. can't get their hands on any guns.

McConaughey recognized "mental health care, school safety, the prevalence of sensationalized media coverage, and the decaying state of American values are all long-term societal factors that must be addressed." But he added that we do not have the "luxury of time" to address multiple factors immediately.

"We have an epidemic of indiscriminate mass shootings, of parents burying their children, of inaction, and buck-passing. Saving the unnecessary loss of lives is not a partisan issue," he said.

McConaughey proposed a four-point plan to practice gun responsibility, including mandatory background checks for all gun purchases, raising the age to buy an assault rifle from 18 to 21, implementing so-called Red Flag laws in all 50 states, and requiring a waiting period for the purchase of assault rifles.

"I am not under the illusion that these policies will solve all of our problems," McConaughey said, "but if responsible solutions can stop some of these tragedies from striking another community without destroying the Second Amendment, they're worth it"

"This is not a choice between guns or no guns," he said. "It's the responsible choice."

This story is developing. Please check back for updates.