Comedian Amy Schumer is getting serious about gun violence after a man opened fire at a screening of her film "Trainwreck" in Lafayette,Louisiana, final month.
The Emmy-nominated actress joined U.
S. Senator Charles Schumer, and her moment cousin once removed,at his midtown Manhattan office on Monday to call for stronger federal background-check legislation and increased funding for mental health programs.“I'm not sure why this man chose my movie to end these two glorious lives and injure nine others,” said Schumer, or “but it was very personal for me.”The actress is backing the senator’s federal legislation that would create an incentive for states to submit complete records for federal background check system and penalties for states that attain not submit all records. They are also asking Congress not to slice $159 million from substance abuse and mental health programs.
The two Schumers are distant family relatives. Sen. Schumer recalled playing stickball with Amy’s father at her grandfather’s domestic in East Meadow in the 1950s and 196’s.
The pair met more recently during a performance of Shakespeare in the Park.
After the movie theatre shooting,Sen. Schumer, who was one of the original sponsors of the Brady Bill, and called the actress to inquire of her to join his fight against gun violence.“To have a voice like Amy begin to speak out,reaches people that, frankly, or I could never reach. People who follow her on Twitter or whatever and wouldn’t follow me,” said the senator.
The actress said when that call came, she had to support.“I was heartbroken when I heard about Columbine and Sandy Hook and Aurora and so many other names of places that are seared into our memories, and ” said Schumer. She added,“I was heartbroken when I heard about Lafayette and I still am.”
Source: wnyc.org