Tim McGraw Defends Himself Against Pro-Gun Advocates Criticizing Sandy Hook Benefit

Tim McGraw has enraged the pro-gun rights crowd by announcing a benefit for a charity that supports gun control, according to Rolling Stone.

As part of his summer tour, the country singer will perform in Hartford, Conn., about 50 miles away from where the 2012 Sandy Hook mass murder took place. His show will benefit Sandy Hook Promise, an organization whose mission is to protect children from gun violence and help the community heal after the tragedy.

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McGraw has a personal connection to Sandy Hook: His fiddle player, Dean Brown, has family friends who lost their 7-year-old son in the shooting.

"Out of this tragedy a group was formed that made a promise to honor the lives lost and turn it into a moment of transformation," McGraw wrote in a statement about the benefit. "Sandy Hook Promise teaches that we can do something to protect our children from gun violence. I want to be a part of that promise -- as a father and as a friend."

Tickets went on sale Friday for the July 17 benefit, but already, conservative outrage has prompted opening act Bill Currington to pull out. Headlines like "Obama Loving Country Singer Tim McGraw To Headline Anti-Gun Concert For Libs" and "Country Singer Tim McGraw Headlining Gun Control Fundraiser" encapsulate the general sentiment of his critics.

On Friday, McGraw released a statement to Fox News underscoring why he's doing the concert.

"Let me be clear regarding the concert for Sandy Hook, given much of the erroneous reporting thus far. As a gun owner, I support gun ownership. I also believe that with gun ownership comes the responsibility of education and safety -- most certainly when it relates to what we value most, our children. I can't imagine anyone who disagrees with that," McGraw said.

He can't imagine anyone who disagrees with him? Guess he hasn't checked Twitter lately.

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