Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was blasted Friday for a tweet mocking the power of prayer after at least 49 people were reportedly killed in mass shootings at mosques in New Zealand.
The two mosques were attacked around the time of midday Friday prayer, and at least some of the incident was captured on video and live-streamed by the shooter, according to The New York Times.
“At first I thought of saying, ‘Imagine being told your house of faith isn’t safe anymore.’ But I couldn’t say ‘imagine,'” Ocasio-Cortez said in her first reaction to the massacre. “What good are your thoughts & prayers when they don’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
Ocasio-Cortez then attempted to clarify her tweet, writing in the thread, “‘Thoughts and prayers’ is reference to the NRA’s phrase used to deflect conversation away from policy change during tragedies.”
(“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
Conservatives slammed Ocasio-Cortez for her decision to denigrate prayer immediately during the aftermath of an attack on people of faith.
“This is incredibly insensitive to my Muslim brothers and sisters who were slain in cold blood while they were literally praying because they want to be closer to their creator and they want to become better people,” the Washington Examiner’s Siraj Hashmi wrote.
this is incredibly insensitive to my muslim brothers and sisters who were slain in cold blood while they were literally praying because they want to be closer to their creator and they want to become better people. https://t.co/uq9VzofTsN
— siraj hashmi (@SirajAHashmi) March 15, 2019
Lots of people — Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims — are lifting our Muslim brothers & sisters up in prayer tonight.
We’re praying for the victims & their families and are praying for the strength to make a better world.
Prayer unites.
Prayer heals.
Prayer is good. https://t.co/IDQJClc5AG
— Jerry Dunleavy (@JerryDunleavy) March 15, 2019
Targeted Victory’s Caleb Hull declared, “Imagine thinking it’d be a good idea to attack prayer after a terrorist attack on a place that only exists because people pray.”
imagine thinking it’d be a good idea to attack prayer after a terrorist attack on a place that only exists because people pray https://t.co/PknPR7nlb1
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) March 15, 2019
Prayer is the reason for places of worship.
— jon gabriel (@exjon) March 15, 2019
These poor, innocent people were murdered by a despicable terrorist in their house of prayer, and you choose to denigrate prayer in the aftermath? What is wrong with you?
— Chet Cannon (@Chet_Cannon) March 15, 2019
If one of your first 1000 thoughts after a horrific mass shooting is to go dunk on a person, a religious belief or an organization on Twitter, you should delete your account.
— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) March 15, 2019
Maybe hold off attacking the beliefs of others in the immediate aftermath of a tragedy, especially when it was people of faith who suffered?
— Susan_Wright [Insufficiently Partisan] (@SweetieWalker) March 15, 2019
Dana Loesch, spokeswoman for the National Rifle Association (NRA), responded specifically to Ocasio-Cortez’s assertion that the congresswoman’s reference to “thoughts and prayers” was merely a commentary on the NRA.
“Pretty sure thoughts and prayers isn’t anyone’s phrase,” Loesch said.
Pretty sure thoughts and prayers isn’t anyone’s phrase, and prayer especially (which you mocked earlier after what happened in a house of prayer?) is a real action, a petition to, a conversation with, God — in this case, to request protection, comfort for those suffering.
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) March 15, 2019
Clearly, she needs prayers for thinking this little of God and the importance of acknowledging how we need God in our lives. Usually, I laugh at what she says, but this is just sad. https://t.co/8MGzqdTAoM
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) March 15, 2019
The White House released a statement Friday condemning the attack, stating, “The United States strongly condemns the attack in Christchurch. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with the people of New Zealand and their government against this vicious act of hate.”