The beginning was with White House spokeswoman Caroline Levitt, who called on Americans to pray for the victims and their families following the tragedy. However, former White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki responded with a post on the ‘X’ platform, saying, ‘We’ve had enough of thoughts and prayers… they don’t bring children back to life,’ indicating that these calls are not enough to address the phenomenon of gun violence.
Levitt considered Psaki’s statements as ‘inappropriate and disrespectful to millions of believing Americans’ and reiterated the importance of prayer as part of spiritual support for grieving families. She was supported by J.D. Vance, the Vice President of the United States, who criticized Psaki, questioning, ‘Why do you feel the need to attack others for their prayers while children in Minneapolis were killed during prayer?’
The debate widened further with the entry of Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic representative who switched to the Republican Party and currently serves as the Director of National Intelligence. She strongly attacked Psaki, accusing her and other critics of public prayer of ‘hating God,’ describing them as ‘agents of darkness,’ and considering that ‘the light and love of God pose a threat to their dark ambitions,’ according to her description.
This debate brought back to the forefront the traditional American division between those who see prayer as an expression of spiritual solidarity in the face of tragedies and those calling for more stringent legislative steps and practical measures to reduce the recurring shootings in schools and public places.
