There will be no “American Pie” at this weekend’s NRA convention in Houston.
Don McLean, who wrote the classic song and played The Sharon in February, canceled his scheduled performance at the National Rifle Association gathering.
The reason was the massacre of 19 children and 2 teachers this week at an Uvalde Texas Elementary School. An 18-year old male used assault weapons to shoot them, before he himself was killed by law enforcement.
Lee Greenwood, who has frequently performed in The Villages, also canceled his appearance. Greenwood is known for the patriotic anthem, “God Bless the U.S.A.,” which frequently brings tears, applause and goosebumps.
“The unfortunate shooting in Texas took place at a very bad time,” Greenwood told Fox News. “And for me to go and play at the NRA just days after the shooting would be an endorsement. And people would then deem that as, I like this weapon. And obviously, that weapon killed kids. And I just couldn’t go.”
Larry Gatlin, a country and gospel singer, also dropped out of the NRA event, as did Larry Stewart of the country band Restless Heart.
“In light of the recent events in Texas, I have decided it would be disrespectful and hurtful for me to perform for the NRA at their convention in Houston this week,” McLean said in a statement. “I’m sure all the folks planning to attend this event are shocked and sickened by these events as well. After all, we are all Americans.
“I share the sorrow for this terrible, cruel loss with the rest of the nation. I cannot, in good conscience, perform at the NRA convention in Houston this weekend.”
Gatlin stated: “While I agree with most of the positions held by the NRA, I have come to believe that, while background checks would not stop every madman with a gun, it is at the very least a step in the right direction toward trying to prevent the kind of tragedy we saw this week in Uvalde— in my beloved, weeping Texas.”
Larry Stewart stated: “I want to honor the victims, families, the town and our friends in the great state of Texas the best I know how.”
There has been an outpouring of grief and anger from entertainment figures, as well as sports celebrities.
Late night host Jimmy Kimmel was in tears as he talked to the camera with no audience, before the show began on the day of the shooting.
Kimmel grew emotional as he spoke about “the little boys and girls whose lives have been ended and whose families have been destroyed.”
Kimmel added most Americans support common sense gun laws but can’t get them, “because our cowardly leaders just aren’t listening to us ― they’re listening to the NRA.”
Here is his video:
Steve Kerr, coach of the Golden State Warriors, also passionately spoke about the tragedy in a pre-playoff game press conference before his team played the Dallas Mavericks.
“In the last 10 days, we’ve had elderly Black people killed in a supermarket in Buffalo. We’ve had Asian churchgoers killed in Southern California. And now we have children murdered at school,” Kerr said, and then slapped a desk in front of him. “When are we gonna do something!” he shouted, before storming out of the room.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5x4eHn_3tA