Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Julianne Moore, and other celebrities call for gun control in wake of Las Vegas mass shooting

Suzy Byrne
·Editor, Yahoo Entertainment
Lady Gaga, pictured on Sept. 8, is among the Americans demanding tougher gun laws. (Photo: Getty Images)
Lady Gaga, pictured on Sept. 8, is among the Americans demanding tougher gun laws. (Photo: Getty Images)

In the wake of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history — a gunman firing on concertgoers at the Route 91 Harvest music festival on the Las Vegas Strip Sunday and killing at least 58 people — celebrities are among the many fed-up Americans calling for better gun control laws.

Lady Gaga was one of the many to speak out on social media on Monday, declaring suspected gunman Stephen Paddock’s shooting spree an act of “terrorism, plain and simple” and asking “Democrats and Republicans” to “unite now” on gun control.

In one post, she called out President Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan directly, saying that “blood is on the hands of those who have the power to legislate.”

The singer also announced she’ll be holding a 20-minute “meditation/silence/prayer” later today on Instagram to provide some peace amid the chaos of the world.

4 anyone who'd like to join, I'm doing a 20 minute moment of meditation/silence/prayer on my InstagramLive for calming of the @ 3:30 PST My intention is to provide a forum for us all connect to around the world, as a calling for world peace and inner peace. We are one body, I believe we can calm inflammation in the earth by calming each other. #meditation #prayer #silence If you choose to meditate with me I will explain how meditation is important in my life and how I will be doing I practice it before we get started. See you then ✌️

A post shared by xoxo, Gaga (@ladygaga) on Oct 2, 2017 at 9:04am PDT

Ariana Grande, whose Manchester, England, concert venue was the scene of another horrific mass shooting just months ago, also shared her thoughts. “My heart is breaking for Las Vegas,” wrote the singer. “We need love, unity, peace, gun control & for people to look at this & call this what it is = terrorism.”

Julianne Moore has long been an outspoken advocate for gun violence awareness and she spoke out again today. “Today we mourn for Las Vegas, tomorrow we fight for them,” she wrote, while encouraging “everyone join the movement to end gun violence.”

Today we mourn for Las Vegas, tomorrow we fight for them. Please everyone join the movement to end gun violence. Text ACT to 64433

A post shared by Julianne Moore (@juliannemoore) on Oct 2, 2017 at 8:41am PDT

Emmy Rossum, who described herself as “heartbroken” over the news, took to Twitter to tell her followers that prayers aren’t enough. She also demanded action from politicians and urged people to do the same. “I believe in prayer, but it’s not enough by itself,” she noted in one of several tweets on the topic. “We need better LAWS. In no world does a CIVILIAN need a MACHINE GUN. Let’s fix this.”

Jessica Chastain described it as “shameful that this keeps happening.”

Billy Eichner of Billy on the Street fame wasn’t mincing words either.

(Image: Billy Eichner via Twitter)
(Image: Billy Eichner via Twitter)
Music fans duck and cover at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival. (Photo: David Becker/Getty Images)
Music fans duck and cover at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival. (Photo: David Becker/Getty Images)

Here are some of the other stars demanding better gun control laws on this sad day:

Today we mourn for Las Vegas, tomorrow we fight for them. Join the movement to end gun violence: Text ACT to 64433. @everytown

A post shared by @amyschumer on Oct 2, 2017 at 10:29am PDT

What happened in Vegas is an unspeakable tragedy. And these acts of seemingly Random violence are happening With more and more. frequency. And the chaos pain and suffering in the world is increasing exponentially. And YES its too easy to buy a GUN in The U.S. or have access to automatic weapons. And this needs to stop!! But the only way we are really going to change the trajectory that the world seems to be heading for is to change our consciousness! Each and everyone of us……..,,,,, …..,,,. Let Us Pray for Vegas. And all of the Victims and everyones loss but we also need to Pray for Peace.in the. World. Personally and Globally. . Lets Pray for the strength to maintain a higher level of consciousness. ☮️. Let's I Pray that we find a way back to our humanity. Let's. pray that we do not forget to treat all living creatures with compassion dignity and respect. and Let's Pray for Vegas.

A post shared by Madonna (@madonna) on Oct 2, 2017 at 8:57pm PDT

This is what gun violence looks like. #voteforguncontrol

A post shared by Rachel Bloom (@racheldoesstuff) on Oct 2, 2017 at 7:22am PDT

The lights have gone out in the City of Lights. An act of terror was cruelly & cowardly enacted on a crowd of people peacefully enjoying music. The horror and pain suffered by the families & friends is unimaginable. Please God, be there for all who are in need. A fact that people must consider is that NV has no limit on the number of guns a person is allowed to have. The terrorist had a room full of automatic weapons. The body count from this atrocity would not have been nearly as high if there was #commonsensegunreform. As a white American man, this terrorist is ours. We must do more to protect our kids. Bless the souls of the departed, and pray for healing of the injured and the city as a whole. please join the movement to end gun violence. Text ACT to 64433

A post shared by Debra Messing (@therealdebramessing) on Oct 2, 2017 at 8:49am PDT

#prayforvegas #voteforguncontrol

A post shared by jordanabrewster (@jordanabrewster) on Oct 2, 2017 at 7:56am PDT

A post shared by January Jones (@januaryjones) on Oct 2, 2017 at 7:01am PDT

This is the most horrific act. My heart, prayers and love to ALL of the families, friends, responders & those that we have lost and that are injured. BELOW ARE WAYS WE CAN HELP! The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department urges residents to DONATE BLOOD to the more than 400 people wounded❣️ The United Blood Services is set to START TAKING DONATIONS at 7 a.m. local time at 6930 West Charleston Boulevard in Las Vegas or 601 Whitney Ranch Drive in Henderson. The University Medical Center of Southern Nevada is also preparing to launch a blood drive Monday at the Delta Point Building, though the exact time of that event has not yet been announced. ❣️ There are prescheduled American Red Cross blood drives taking place at the SpringHill Suites Las Vegas Convention Center at 2989 Paradise Road and Ernest May Elementary School at 6350 West Washburn Road. ❣️ NOT IN AREA? GIVE $ to the Southern Nevada chapter of the American Red Cross, accepting donations on its website, by phone at 702-369-3674 or mail at 1771 East Flamingo Road, #206B, Las Vegas, Nevada, 89119. Support the National Compassion Fund, which directly distributes donations from the public to victims of a mass crime. The fund has previously partnered up with the relatives of victims of disasters like 9/11 & the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and vows to be transparent in how it handles the money it collects. ❣️ After you've written a check, MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD POLITICALLY. ☎️ your representative, talk to them about gun laws in your state & nationwide. The House of Representatives' switchboard number is (202) 224-3121. In Nevada, gun owners don't have to have licenses, can open carry firearms without a permit. Nationally, the House of Representatives is weighing legislation that would ease rules concerning gun silencers, which law enforcement officers argue could make it harder to identify in mass shootings. If you want to change that, FIND YOUR REPS # CALL your representatives & senators let them know what you think. If you believe gun laws are too lax, get in touch w/ groups like Everytown for Gun Safety & the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

A post shared by Jaime King (@jaime_king) on Oct 2, 2017 at 9:06am PDT

THIS. Text ACT to 64433

A post shared by Sarah Paulson (@mssarahcatharinepaulson) on Oct 2, 2017 at 9:40am PDT

My thoughts and prayers are with all the victims and their families and with everyone who was there. I'm so heartbroken and sickened by what has happened, I honestly don't even know how to process it fully. It's unimaginable and yet, at the same time, horribly unsurprising. But I know we need to work harder to make sure that this stops happening. Because we are failing our children and each other right now. ENOUGH. ☮️ #Repost @everytown (@get_repost) ・・・ Today we mourn for Las Vegas, tomorrow we fight for them. Join the movement to end gun violence: Text ACT to 64433.

A post shared by Busy Philipps (@busyphilipps) on Oct 2, 2017 at 9:51am PDT

Dear friends of every color, and I am mainly talking Blue and Red .. it's time to come together to finally enact stricter gun laws. NO ONE except our military should have assault weapons! There is no rationale for possessing these WMD 's ! How many tears must we shed before we act? We didn't do ANYTHING after watching the Sandy Hook Shooter mow down 20 children between the ages of six and seven years old, as well as six adult staff members and his own mother. My heart still painfully aches at the thought Let's not rehash the programmed response ( " it's not guns it's mentally ill , he could have done it with a knife of a car etc) let's not go there. We are past that. Change is MANDATED . Statistics prove stricter gun laws work. Let's work really hard to be open and understanding with each other to find sensible solutions. Let's not allow the NRA to dictate policy. Afterall gun owners want a safe America too right? And EVERYONE in every shade of Red and Blue can hear the terrifying sounds of the non stop storm of bullets and the horrified screams of the 58 dead and 500 + wounded (so far ) in last nights unthinkable nightmarish massacre. I implore everyone, do not allow this tragic event to be added to the list of other mass shootings that simply fade away as our attention turns to the next breaking news.. The next one could be in YOUR home town! Let's honor the fallen and the mourning families by taking each other's hand and UNITING in the name of sanity, peace, and our love of this great country that allows us the right to choose the kind of country we want. Here's my hand.✌❤️ #lasvegas #sympathy+love ⭐️also to find loved ones in Vegas Police have given this number 1 866 5355654⭐️and they are asking for blood donations also to get going on #strictergunlaws check out @everytown to hear more about gun safety and ways to make our country safer.

A post shared by Christie Brinkley (@christiebrinkley) on Oct 2, 2017 at 9:34am PDT

We can pray but we should probably do some other things too.

A post shared by Vanessa Carlton (@vanessacarltonactual) on Oct 2, 2017 at 11:09am PDT

This is a list of the deadliest mass shootings in recent US history. Now we add the deadliest to this list. There is no post I can make that will heal the pain and heartache that is being felt in Las Vegas today, but we NEED change. We can not continue to let this list grow. We can not grow accustom to waking up to this kind of terrorism in our country. We can not make this normal. How are we going to end gun violence?

A post shared by Zendaya (@zendaya) on Oct 2, 2017 at 11:08am PDT

Find out more about how to help the Las Vegas shooting victims, whether it’s by donating money, giving blood, or reaching out to your reps.


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