Kacey Musgraves slams Donald Trump after back-to-back mass shootings: 'True leaders don't stand back and watch the world burn'
Kacey Musgraves is hoping her rally cries from the stage in Chicago are heard by Trump in Washington, D.C. or on social media.
During day four of Lollapalooza on Sunday, the country singer — clearly stunned by the back-to-back mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio the day before— rallied her concert-goers to send a message to the president and other lawmakers. That message was succinct and oh so very Kacey: “Somebody f**king do something.”
“This sh** that’s happening in the last 24 hours — much less everything that has happened in the last 200 and f**king 15 days in America — so I don’t know what the answer is but obviously something f**king has to be done. Maybe somebody will hear us if we all yell together and say, ‘Somebody f**king do something.”
THIS. @KaceyMusgraves pic.twitter.com/cygboFFHO6
— Parker (@ParkerrJennings) August 5, 2019
It was a powerful moment — and one the 30-year-old talent didn’t stop talking about when the show was over. After her set, she took to Twitter to thank fans who are “still brave enough to come out to festivals like this to see us play,” despite there being more mass shootings than days in the U.S. this year. (And, of course, concerts, in general, have been targets, including the Route 91 Harvest country music festival in 2017.)
Musgraves asked, “How many of us will have to die before SOMEBODY F***KING DOES SOMETHING.”
Thank you to everyone still brave enough to come out to festivals like this to see us play. We all need music & each other more than ever right now but how many of us will have to die before SOMEBODY FUCKING DOES SOMETHING. Heart broken for El Paso & Dayton. https://t.co/7U1nzDMBcq
— K A C E Y M U S G R A V E S (@KaceyMusgraves) August 5, 2019
The six-time Grammy winner then retweeted a post from Rep. Katherine Clark from Massachusetts saying that the House passed two gun safety bills months ago, but Republicans continue to block them. She then got more targeted in her message, directing it to Trump. She asked if the president hears “our pain” and told him he has “the power to become a hero” by solving this crisis.
Don’t you hear us, @realDonaldTrump? Don’t you hear our pain? You have the power to become a hero. Why don’t you take it? https://t.co/xyvGSDW0OW
— K A C E Y M U S G R A V E S (@KaceyMusgraves) August 5, 2019
Though Musgraves seemingly didn’t have much faith. In a post after that, she wrote, “It’s indescribably mind-numbing to see” Trump “blatantly and murderously ignore doing ONE THING that would not only make people happy but would SAVE PEOPLE’S LIVES. True leaders don’t stand back and watch the world burn.”
For a man who clearly loves being well-liked, it’s indescribably mind-numbing to see him blatantly and murderously ignore doing ONE THING that would not only make people happy but would SAVE PEOPLE’S LIVES. True leaders don’t stand back and watch the world burn. @realDonaldTrump
— K A C E Y M U S G R A V E S (@KaceyMusgraves) August 5, 2019
Needless to say, she had some critics telling her to “stick to singing.” She had a response for them as well.
In case you forgot - I’m, too, a fellow human. The only difference is that I have to consistently do my job at places of mass public gatherings. What part of you is bothered with me being bothered that were consistently being slaughtered? Best of luck staying alive, ma’am. ??
— K A C E Y M U S G R A V E S (@KaceyMusgraves) August 5, 2019
I love keeping things about the music and usually stay out of politics publicly UNTIL it barrels past political party preference points and dangerously encroaches on fundamental human rights. It’s then not political issue anymore. It’s a matter of heart. Of humanity. Of survival.
— K A C E Y M U S G R A V E S (@KaceyMusgraves) August 5, 2019
Let me be clear - I’m from Texas. I grew up around hunting and guns. There’s a time and place for that and even self protection in ways..but this is different. The system is majorly flawed and NOBODY NEEDS ANYTHING REMOTELY AUTOMATIC. PERIOD. They’re mass killing machines. https://t.co/C4JvQWykRO
— K A C E Y M U S G R A V E S (@KaceyMusgraves) August 5, 2019
Hold your politicians accountable. Hold the president accountable. Start paying attention to actual ways we can make change happen. I promise I will too ?? Love to anyone out there w/ fear & anxiety like me. Hold on to your loved ones & let’s all get thru this awful period alive.
— K A C E Y M U S G R A V E S (@KaceyMusgraves) August 5, 2019
Trump held a press conference Monday address the two shootings. Shortly before, he took to Twitter to write that “something GREAT” can come out of shootings — and linked a background check bill to immigration reform. He also blamed the media for causing “anger and rage” to build up in this country
A total of 31 people were killed during Saturday’s shootings — and approximately 50 people injured.
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