Yankees Speak Out Against Gun Violence After Uvalde Massacre

NEW YORK CITY — The New York Yankees took a swing against gun violence after the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas.

The Yankees announced Thursday night they would collaborate with the Tampa Bay Rays to speak out against gun violence, in a tweet that had been shared more than 37,000 times as of 9:30 a.m. Friday.

"We will be using our channels to offer facts about the impacts of gun violence," the Yankees' Twitter account stated.

"The devastating events that have taken place in Uvalde, Buffalo and countless other communities across our nation are tragedies that are intolerable."

Yankees players themselves had already paused for a moment of silence Tuesday after news of the Uvalde massacre — in which 19 children and two teachers were gunned down in a school — shocked the nation.

The massacre and the Buffalo shooting put gun violence back in the sights of Americans. But, as the Yankees' Twitter pointed out, it's a persistent fact of life in the United States.

Responses to the Yankees' media campaign were as varied, and heated, as Americans' stances on gun control legislation.

Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat who earlier this week proposed raising New York's legal purchasing age for AR-15-style rifles to 21, thanked the Yankees and promised to fight to "combat this crisis."

Some sports fans were less grateful.

"Instead of entertaining you, we're going to preach at you," tweeted Washington Times columnist Tim Young. "This is what you need in your life... more politics, no fun or enjoyment of life in hard times."

"I call on the Yankees and Devil Ray executives, ownership, and players to give up all security," replied Ray Bateman. "In exchange I will turn over the 2 handguns in my home."

"Guns don’t kill people. People kill people," wrote Twitter user Dax Steadman. "Pencils don’t answer questions on tests, shoes don’t walk. Blame the people, not the item."

"Yes, people kill people," replied Glenn Webber. "With guns."