The ugly political divide over thoughts and prayers

Published August 29, 2025 6:00am ET



A horrific mass shooting in Minneapolis has spawned a heated political debate over the power of prayer versus the power of government.

Liberal Democrats, frustrated by their inability to enact sweeping gun control measures, have long responded with hostility to conservative Republicans offering their “thoughts and prayers” in the wake of mass shootings, viewing it as a dodge on guns.

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