While it’s customary for social media users to express sympathy for the victims in any given tragedy, the tag #thoughtsandprayers quickly took on another meaning following Wednesday’s shooting attack against a San Bernardino social services facility, with Twitter users turning into a way to rip Republicans for not taking more action against gun violence.
The New York Daily News directly mocked Republican presidential candidates on the cover of its Thursday edition, which reads “GOD ISN’T FIXING THIS” alongside tweets from several contenders:
New York Daily News cover on #SanBernadino NAILS it. pic.twitter.com/weyLaQH4od
— Tom McKay (@thetomzone) December 3, 2015
Think Progress Contributing Editor Igor Volsky used the tag to link lawmakers expressing “thoughts” or “prayers” following the shooting to their campaign contributions from the National Rifle Association, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY):
NRA dumped $922K into McConnell's re-elect bid, so when it comes to preventing gun violence all u get is this tweet https://t.co/RsSvFRDlZr
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) December 3, 2015
NRA spent $30,650,008 in independent expenditures during the 2014 election cycle.
You read that right. $30,650,008.
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) December 3, 2015
Can #thoughtsandprayers reverse climate change?
— rockapotato muscle (@rockapotatomusc) December 3, 2015
Other users shared a clip from a routine by comedian Anthony Jeselnick:
“The day of a tragedy, the victims are not on Twitter. The day of a tragedy, victims have got victim sh*t to do. No one has ever been putting on a tourniquet asking, ‘Are we trending?'” he says. “This is who I’m making fun of when I post a tweet on the day of a tragedy: The people who see something horrible happen in the world and they run to the Internet.”
I have no problem with politicians offering #ThoughtsAndPrayers for #GunViolence victims. But if that's all they offer, they're complicit.
— Ian Grubman (@IRGrubsy) December 3, 2015
To quote @TheSamDeWitt, “It occurs to me that this strategy isn’t working.” #thoughtsandprayers #SanBernadino pic.twitter.com/hO92NOziq7
— Aᴀʀᴏɴ Wᴇɪss (@aweiss) December 2, 2015
End #gunviolence ! save your #thoughtsandprayers & demand more regulated #guncontrol https://t.co/y8BZrl94rb
— Danny Bernardo (@that1guydannyb) December 3, 2015
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