Picking a side in this often heated and intense issue that is plaguing our country can lead to blowback from either side of the argument – and many times, celebrities choose to keep their opinions to themselves.
However, in the eyes of one of Florida Georgia Line‘s members, that isn’t the best way to go about it.
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“We’ve been given a platform and a voice for a reason, and it’s really time to start using that voice for more than just talking about our music and ourselves,” Tyler Hubbard said in an interview with Rolling Stone. “Whether it’s at a country bar or a country concert, every artist in our genre has been affected by gun violence directly or indirectly, and it’s something that really hits close to home and something that everybody wants to talk about, but doesn’t really know how to. But there’s no better time than now.”
A Georgia native, husband, and father of a young girl explained that his position on things took a turn once he got older and became a father, adding “I really start to think about things from a different perspective and I really want to start trying to make a change.”
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Hubbard, who has been riding a massive wave of success over the last few years, feels empowered by his position as an influencer and hopes fellow country stars will join him in his efforts to change gun laws across the country.
The singer, who has partnered with apparel company TOMS, is seeking to rewrite gun laws in favor of universal background checks and called out 34 other country artists to help him get the message out.
“You’d have to be hard-pressed to find somebody that thinks there shouldn’t be background checks,” he explained. “It’s not really as confrontational or controversial as one may think.”
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This young father, who is an avid firearms supporter, wants to expand the already-placed National Instant Background Check System (NICS) to close loopholes left by the original 1993 law. One of which is the ability to purchase firearms from unlicensed dealers at a gun show – all without a background check.
Joining Hubbard almost instantly after his call-to-action were country stars Dierks Bentley, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild, and more.
“This isn’t about taking anyone’s rights away,” Fairchild explained in a heartfelt Instagram post.
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What do you think about Hubbard’s decision to push for a nationwide no-loophole background check policy? Do you agree? Let us know in the comments.