AOC Tweets ‘What Good Are Your Thoughts & Prayers’ After Mass Shooting at Christchurch Mosques
In her address to her nation, the Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern said that her thoughts as well of those of all residents were with the victims of the terrible mass shooting earlier that evening.
The horrific attack, as we have outlined here, was a mass shooting that took place at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. Four people are in custody as the investigation and recovery are both underway in the country.
CNN tweeted a video of the Prime Minister offering her thoughts for those killed while praying. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) retweeted that and said “what good are your thoughts & prayers when they won’t even keep the pews safe?”
At 1st I thought of saying, “Imagine being told your house of faith isn’t safe anymore.”
But I couldn’t say “imagine.”
Because of Charleston.
Pittsburgh.
Sutherland Springs.What good are your thoughts & prayers when they don’t even keep the pews safe?pic.twitter.com/2mSw0azDN8
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 15, 2019
About 47 minutes later, she tweeted a follow-up saying that wasn’t referring to the remarks from the Prime Minister but for some reason instead to American gun organization the NRA.
(“Thoughts and prayers” is reference to the NRA’s phrase used to deflect conversation away from policy change during tragedies. Not directed to PM Ardern, who I greatly admire.)
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 15, 2019
She did not address the fact that the victims were themselves praying, although many Twitter replies made that point to her.
Prayer is the reason for places of worship.
— jon gabriel (@exjon) March 15, 2019
imagine thinking it’d be a good idea to attack prayer after a terrorist attack on a place that only exists because people pray
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) March 15, 2019
[Featured image via screengrab]
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