Entertainment

Australian Star Causes Controversy By Tweeting About American Gun Laws

Alexis Gulino Contributor
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Australian comedian and actress Rebel Wilson express her disdain on Twitter Friday for the increasing number of gun-related deaths in America.

The “Pitch Perfect” star’s tweets emerged on Friday in reaction to the mass shooting at a “Trainwreck” film screening in Lafayette, La., during which the shooter murdered two people and injured nine before killing himself.

Wilson began by saying, “I don’t like getting political but America you really have to follow Australia’s example re gun laws.”

She continued, “I don’t remember a mass shooting in Australia since they overhauled the gun laws. It seems like every week in America there’s a shooting.”

Following a 1996 mass shooting in Tasmania that killed 35 people, John Howard, the prime minister of Australia from 1996 to 2007, instituted a law that banned semiautomatic and automatic rifles and shotguns.

After conducting a comprehensive study, Australian National University discovered after looking at gun deaths before and after the ban that homicides by gun fell 59 percent and suicides fell by a stunning 65 percent, according to the Washington Post.

Wilson tweeted again, “I just want people to be safe, especially people that are doing one of my favorite things in the WORLD – going out to the movies 2 have fun.”

In response to the actress, many people have logged on to Twitter to show their support or to express their disdain for her opinions about the lax attitude of American gun laws.

Actor Ian Somerhalder tweeted similar sentiments to Wilson. He wrote, “Anyone else as fed up and as pissed off as I am? Raise your voice! Lets start building the next generation to not be violent but smart&loving.”