Jim Carrey: I Never Wanted to Take Your Guns Away

I disagree wholeheartedly with those who say that there are just too many guns out there to control and that more gun laws won't make a difference. Change must start someplace. I'm pretty sure that no worthwhile endeavor has ever been accomplished without a beginning and reducing gun violence in America is a worthwhile endeavor.

These mass shootings and daily body counts on your local news are terrible tragedies. The utter devastation that must be endured by the victims' families is unfathomable. These horrific events are also an invitation for us to become more civilized and to deal with our addiction and entitlement to violence. Not to shut our eyes and ears and scream at those with a different opinion than ours to "fuck off and go back to Canada." I will gladly go back and visit Canada as I have many friends and loved ones there. I am so proud of that country and everything it's given to me, but I am also a naturalized American citizen and I have been bringing as much joy as I can to people in this country for 30 years. I care deeply about our future and I feel it's my duty as a citizen to do everything in my power to make this a better place.

For those who say I'm a hypocrite because I have an armed bodyguard, lets make one thing clear: No one in my employ is allowed to carry a large magazine and NO ONE IS ASKING ANYONE TO GIVE UP THEIR RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS, though it is in the vested interests of those who profit by gun sales to make it seem so. It's just the type of arms, the easy access and the means with which to cause massive devastation to good and innocent people that I hope we can limit. It's the quality of mercy, the tiniest spark of empathy that I know lives in every one of us that I wish to ignite in you.

And to the bullies who will try to marginalize and discredit me by saying, "Shut up, you're just an actor," while they brag about what a great president the ACTOR Ronald Reagan was, who threaten me with the demise of my acting career and much worse, I say SO BE IT! How shallow do they think I am? I would trade my money, my fame, my reputation and legacy if there were the slightest chance of preventing the anguish of another Columbine, Virginia Tech, Aurora, or Sandy Hook Elementary School. I ask you, truly, what manner of human being would not?

I have been aghast at the level of hatred heaped upon me, my family and the people I work with over a mere difference of opinion on this issue. Perhaps my words were a bit harsh at the onset, but calling someone a "Motherfucker" is far different than wishing them to die. It is shocking to see this concerted effort to brutally intimidate anyone who speaks of a compassionate compromise.

These thugs, though menacing, are a minority but they will have their way if good people don't step forward now and make a difference. Every American has the right to speak their mind. Every American has the right to bear arms. But it is up to every American to draw the line when it comes to the type of guns that are considered a reasonable means of self-defense.

No one is allowed to own a bazooka. In a movie theater an assault rifle with a 100-round drum magazine can cause just as much damage.

So don't just sit there and do nothing. Contact your representatives and let them know that their jobs depend upon change. It won't always be someone else's kids in the line of fire.

The time is now. LET YOUR HEART BE HEARD.

Alabama

Richard C. Shelby (R) - @SenShelbyPress

Jeff Sessions (R) - @SenatorSessions

Alaska

Lisa Murkowski (R) - @LisaMurkowski

Mark Begich (D) - @SenatorBegich

Arizona

John McCain (R) - @senjohnmccain

Jeff Flake (R) - @jeffflake

Arkansas

Mark L. Pryor (D) - @senmarkpryor

John Boozman (R) - @johnboozman

California

Dianne Feinstein (D) - @senfeinstein

Barbara Boxer (D) - @senatorboxer

Colorado

Mark Udall (D) - @markudall

Michael F. Bennet (D) - @senbennetco

Connecticut

Richard Blumenthal (D) - @senblumenthal

Christopher Murphy (D) - @chrismurphyct

Delaware

Thomas R. Carper (D) - @senatorcarper

Christopher A. Coons (D) - @ChrisCoons

Florida

Bill Nelson (D) - @SenBillNelson

Marco Rubio (R) - @MarcoRubio

Georgia

Saxby Chambliss (R) - @SaxbyChambliss

Johnny Isakson (R) - @SenatorIsakson

Hawaii

Brian Schatz (D) - @brianschatz

Mazie K. Hirono(D) - @maziehirono

Idaho

Mike Crapo (R) - @mikecarpo

James E. Risch(R) - @senatorrisch

Illinois

Richard J. Durbin(D) - @senatordurbin

Mark Kirk (R) - @senatorkirk

Indiana

Daniel Coats (R) - @sendancoats

Joe Donnelly (D) - @sendonnelly

Iowa

Chuck Grassley(R) - @chuckgrassley

Tom Harkin (D) - @senatorharkin

Kansas

Pat Roberts (R) - @senpatroberts

Jerry Moran (R) - @jerrymoran

Kentucky

Mitch McConnell(R) - @mcconnellpress

Rand Paul (R) - @senrandpaul

Louisiana

Mary L. Landrieu (D) - @senlandrieu

David Vitter (R) - @davidvitter

Maine

Susan M. Collins (R) - @senatorcollins

Angus S., Jr. King (I) - @senangusking

Maryland

Barbara A. Mikulski (D) - @senatorbarb

Benjamin L. Cardin (D) - @senatorcardin

Massachusetts

Elizabeth Warren (D) - @elizabethforma

William M. Cowan(D) - @senmocowan

Michigan

Carl Levin (D) - @sencarllevin

Debbie Stabenow (D) - @stabenow

Minnesota

Amy Klobuchar (D) - @amyklobuchar

Al Franken (D) - @alfranken

Mississippi

Thad Cochran (R) - @senthadcochran

Roger F. Wicker (R) - @senatorwicker

Missouri

Claire McCaskill (D) - @clairecmc

Roy Blunt (R) - @royblunt

Montana

Max Baucus (D) - @maxbaucus

Jon Tester (D) - @jontester

Nebraska

Mike Johanns (R) - @mike_johanns

Deb Fischer (R) - @senatorfischer

Nevada

Harry Reid (D) - @senatorreid

Dean Heller (R) - @sendeanheller

New Hampshire

Jeanne Shaheen (D) - @senatorshaheen

Kelly Ayotte (R) - @kellyayotte

New Jersey

Frank R. Lautenberg (D) - @franklautenberg

Robert Menendez (D) - @senatormenendez

New Mexico

Tom Udall (D) - @senatortomudall

Martin Heinrich (D) - @heinrich4NM

New York

Chuck Schumer (D) - @chuckschumer

Kirsten Gillibrand (D) - @sengillibrand

North Carolina

Richard Burr (R) - @senatorburr

Kay Hagan (D) - @senatorhagan

North Dakota

John Hoeven (R) - @senjohnhoeven

Heidi Heitkamp (D) - @heidi4ND

Ohio

Sherrod Brown (D) - @sensherrodbrown

Rob Portman (R) - @robportman

Oklahoma

James M. Inhofe (R) - @jiminhofe

Tom Coburn (R) - @tomcoburn

Oregon

Ron Wyden (D) - @ronwyden

Jeff Merkley (D) - @senjeffmerkley

Pennsylvania

Robert P., Jr. Casey (D) - @senbobcasey

Patrick J. Toomey (R) - @sentoomey

Rhode Island

Jack Reed (D) - @senjackreed

Sheldon Whitehouse (D) - @senwhitehouse

South Carolina

Lindsey Graham (R) - @grahamblog

Tim Scott (R) - @senatortimscott

South Dakota

Tim Johnson (D) - @senjohnsonSD

John Thune (R) - @johnthune

Tennessee

Lamar Alexander (R) - @senalexander

Bob Corker (R) - @senbobcorker

Texas

John Cornyn (R) - @johncornyn

Ted Cruz (R) - @tedcruz

Utah

Orrin G. Hatch (R) - @orrinhatch

Mike Lee (R) - @senmikelee

Vermont

Patrick J. Leahy (D) - @senatorleahy

Bernard Sanders (I) - @sensanders

Virginia

Mark R. Warner (D) -@markwarner

Tim Kaine (D) - @timkaine

Washington

Patty Murray (D) - @pattymurray

Maria Cantwell (D) - @mariacantwell

West Virginia

John D., IV Rockefeller (D) - @senrockefeller

Joe, III Manchin (D) - @sen_joemanchin

Wisconsin

Ron Johnson (R) - @senronjohnson

Tammy Baldwin (D) - @tammybaldwin

Wyoming

Michael B. Enzi (R) - @senatorenzi

John Barrasso (R) - @senjohnbarrasso