The world was
horrified earlier this week by the nation’s deadliest mass shooting ever, in
which 59 people were killed and over 500 wounded by a shooter who rained
thousands of rounds down from his Las Vegas hotel room onto the defenseless
audience of an open-air country music festival.
As with all such
acts of mass murder or terrorism, social media teemed afterward with politicians,
celebrities, and “ordinary” folk worldwide sending out the all-too-familiar chorus
of “thoughts and prayers” to the victims. Many others dismissed such
condolences as an empty gesture, declaring angrily that “thoughts and prayers
are not enough,” that the government needs to take concrete actions to prevent
further such atrocities. Political commentator Kirsten Powers even wrote
in the Washington Post that “Politicians
have managed to make a once benign, if not comforting, phrase sound almost
profane.”
So, has this “once
benign” offer of thoughts and prayers become overdone? Are we burnt out on this
predictable, kneejerk response after every tragedy? Has sending thoughts and
prayers become just a way for people, especially public figures, to signal their
momentary concern and move on without having to actually do something?
