A WNBA team did a 'media blackout' and fervently called on elected officials to enact 'sensible gun laws'

• The WNBA's Washington Mystics beat the Atlanta Dream 70-50 in DC Tuesday night.
• Mystics players did a "media blackout" after the game to shed light on "senseless gun violence."

Players for the Washington Mystics — the WNBA franchise located in DC — refuse to stay silent on the "senseless gun violence" plaguing the United States.

After their 20-point home victory over the Atlanta Dream Tuesday night, the Mystics held a "media blackout" to shed light on the issue. Hours before the game, at least 21 individuals — including 19 children — were shot and killed in a Uvalde, Texas, elementary school classroom. And just 10 days earlier, 10 Black people were murdered by a white supremacist at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket.

"We have an issue in this country," Washington guard Natasha Cloud said after informing members of the press of the team's decision. "Not only white supremacy: We also have a gun violence issue. And this is us using our platform."

"This game doesn't matter," she added.

Cloud then discussed the need for common-sense gun control measures across the United States. The Bipartisan Background Checks Act — which would require background checks on all gun sales in the country — was passed in the House of Representatives last March.

But with all Democrats and 10 Republicans necessary to overcome a filibuster in the Senate, the legislation has been stagnant for over a year.

"We're talking about our kids not being safe to go to school, and our government is still not implementing sensible gun laws," an impassioned Cloud said. "This isn't about taking people's rights away from bearing arms, this is about putting sensible gun laws in so this doesn't happen again."

"We cannot continue to make the same mistakes," she added. "We cannot continue to allow these things to happen in our country, and nothing is being done with it for money, for profit."

Cloud sported a "Wear Orange" WNBA Players Association tank top — meant to honor victims of gun violence — during warmups ahead of Tuesday's contest. And as an outspoken advocate for racial justice initiatives and several other causes, the 30-year-old point guard didn't hesitate to call on everyone listening to "write to not only your local representatives but your federal representatives."

"Tell them we are tired of lives being lost in this country for senseless shit," Cloud said. "It's time to implement gun laws and stop caring about profit and money over people and lives."

"If the government isn't going to do their job, then we've gotta do our job and come together as a community, because this is absolutely ridiculous at this point," she added.

Cloud closed with a heartfelt message to those impacted by Tuesday's tragedy in Texas.

"To the families in Texas, the Mystics are sending our love, our prayers," she said. "We pray for y'all today. We continue to pray for you and continue to fight for you. And we will fight for everyone in this country."

Listen to her full comments below: