Those boycotting moments of silence and arguing “thoughts and prayers” are insufficient gestures in the wake of the Las Vegas tragedy are largely fighting a strawman.
Two members of the House of Representatives from Massachusetts boycotted the lower chamber’s scheduled moment of silence on Monday. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., tweeted, “Now is not a moment for silence; it’s a time for action.” Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., also boycotted the moment of silence, explaining, “Moments of silence have become years of silence on an epidemic that kills thousands. We weren’t sent to Congress for our thoughts & prayers.”
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., echoed these sentiments, reacting to the tragedy by tweeting, “This senseless violence must end — thoughts and prayers are simply not enough. We must act to prevent this from happening again.”
This cliche seem increasingly popular each time the country is forced to face a new tragedy.
But virtually nobody is arguing that thoughts and prayers are “enough.” Likewise, nobody would contend pausing for moment of silence to honor victims is an acceptable substitute for taking preventative action. If the will to take legislative steps exists, whether or not there is agreement on what those steps should be, a moment of silent reflection won’t prevent any bills from passing. Moulton asserted moments of silence have become an “excuse” for inaction, but when has one of his colleagues declined to support gun control efforts because the House paused for a moment of silence?
Do these members believe their colleagues are offering thoughts and prayers and hosting moments of silence to pretend they care for the victims when they really care more about receiving money from gun lobbyists? If that’s the case, they should make that argument. Otherwise, they are constructing strawmen to exploit inherently decent gestures that do not distract or detract from the very efforts the wish to pursue. Unless, again, they really believe their colleagues are indeed using these gestures to distract and detract, in which case they should be so bold as to say as much.
Certainly, offerings of “thoughts and prayers” and moments of silence can be mindless. They can feel like lazy shortcuts to show sympathy in the face of unthinkable violence. It’s all too easy to tweet “thoughts and prayers” or to go through a moment of silence without actually pausing to think and pray in a meaningful way.
But serious efforts to think and pray about tragedies are essential. Where else but in thought and prayer, in meaningful reflection on hatred and violence, do we find the wisdom to take appropriate action? Gillibrand herself has shifted positions on gun laws, a transition the senator says was motivated in part by meeting with victims and educating herself on the topic. Did her change of heart come without thought, prayer, or silent reflection?
Perhaps in the future, Moulton and Clark and Gillibrand could ask their colleagues to honor victims by thinking and praying and silently reflecting on whether to support specific pieces of legislation or even on the money they receive from lobbyists. Perhaps they could spend time thinking and praying and silently reflecting on how to change the hearts of their colleagues.
That some people offer their thoughts and prayers more for show than substance does not justify attacks on those valuable actions that do the same.
Emily Jashinsky is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
