Two of country music's biggest stars are speaking out about the ongoing debate over gun control in America.
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In a new profile published by Billboard today (Nov. 9), Tim McGraw and Faith Hill speak candidly about their thoughts on the recent mass shootings across the country, including the Route 91 Harvest Festival tragedy. 4The interview took place weeks before Sunday's shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas.
"In reference to the tragedy in Las Vegas, we knew a lot of people there," Hill says. "The doctors that [treated] the wounded, they saw wounds like you'd see in war. That's not right. Military weapons should not be in the hands of civilians. It's everyone's responsibility, including the government and the National Rifle Association, to tell the truth. We all want a safe country."
McGraw also explained that he's a longtime hunter, but sees cracks in arguments that limiting gun ownership goes against the U.S. Constitution.
"Look, I'm a bird hunter -- I love to wing-shoot," McGraw notes. "However, there is some common sense that's necessary when it comes to gun control. They want to make it about the Second Amendment every time it's brought up. It's not about the Second Amendment."
Many outside of country music have slammed the format's mainstream stars for staying mostly quiet on subjects like gun control and other political issues in the wake of Route 91. Although last night's award ceremony featured a moving tribute to the shooting victims, not a single country artist used the platform to discuss what should or should not change in our social climate. That silence makes McGraw and Hill's statements all the more powerful.
