According to current reports, 17 people were killed this Wednesday when 19-year-old gunman Nikolas Cruz walked into a high school in Parkland, Florida and began shooting. Cruz, who is now in custody, is a former student at the school and was reportedly expelled for disciplinary reasons.
On social media, the debate over gun control is already back in full force. The argument as always splits down the usual lines: More gun regulation is needed; more gun regulation won’t solve the problem, etc. Then there’s always the ‘thoughts and prayers’ trope. According to RedState’s Ben Howe, the claim that thoughts and prayers is actually presented as a solution by conservatives is a fallacy.
“The chief fallacy is the idea that offering thoughts and prayers was ever presented as the solution,” Howe tweeted this Wednesday. “It is addressed to those suffering. It’s just saying ’empathy.’ Can we not get mad at expressions of empathy? Can we retain some of our humanity? Please?”
It’s a fair point. And yet, there are people who are literally offering prayer as the solution to school shootings. Enter extremist Christian radio host Bryan Fischer.
In his first tweet addressing the Florida shooting this Wednesday, Fischer wondered “why don’t we pray in schools BEFORE these shootings happen instead of waiting until we have dead students?”
“Why does somebody have to die before even start talking about prayer?” he asked. “This is the 19th school shooting this year. What do we have to lose?”
Hey, here's an idea: why don't we pray in schools BEFORE these shootings happen instead of waiting until we have dead students? Why does somebody have to die before even start talking about prayer? This is the 19th school shooting this year. What do we have to lose?
— Rev. Bryan Fischer – Host, Bryan Fischer Podcast (@BryanJFischer) February 14, 2018
He then once again demonstrated his consistent misrepresentation of the separation between church and state. In short, Judeo-Christian prayer should be allowed at public schools.
I've read the Constitution, too. It doesn't say, "You can't pray in schools" anywhere in there. Why do we let activist judges who mangle the Constitution push us around, make our sons and daughters vulnerable to violence?
— Rev. Bryan Fischer – Host, Bryan Fischer Podcast (@BryanJFischer) February 14, 2018
In sum, Fischer believes that the lack of established prayer in public schools is what’s making children “vulnerable to violence.” I’d refute this stupid logic, but Twitter did a much better job than I possibly could.
Prayer in schools as a solution to gun violence. Prime example of the reason for the religious right's waning relevance.
— Crisis Actor Talent Management Agency LLP (@SVP_Govt_Affs) February 14, 2018
Are you saying Christians aren't praying at school? Why not?
They can pray at their desks, in the cafeteria, on the bus, and pretty much anywhere else. Nobody can stop them, why aren't they praying?
— Overthewhether… and through the woods… (@Overthewhether) February 15, 2018
You are right! We only have our kids to lose.
— Scott Harrison (@ranger_ray) February 15, 2018
Sarcasm. ^^
If god is such a psychopath that he won’t listen to prayers after a shooting, what makes you think that same psychopath would listen to prayers before a school shooting? (Weren't prayers ‘after’ the last one ‘before’ this one? How do those logistics work?)
— godSwill Ministries (@MightyGodSwill) February 14, 2018
https://twitter.com/HelmMatthews/status/963912125260488709
https://twitter.com/Paragryn/status/963915563306074112
Featured image via screen grab/YouTube
