Chilling new gun control ad takes aim at 'thoughts and prayers' after shootings

16 December 2023 , 11:33

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Chilling new gun control ad takes aim at 'thoughts and prayers' after shootings

An advert pushing for gun control has sparked controversy after targeting people who offer 'thoughts and prayers' following shooting incidents.

It is a stab at the gun lobby and is meant to highlight the "the hypocrisy of those who offer thoughts and prayers while going about their daily lives as if nothing had happened". It was issued jointly by Mothers Against Greg Abbott PAC and Mothers for Democracy to coincide with the 11th anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in which 26 women and children were killed.

'Thoughts and prayers' is a common expression often used in response to a mass shooting and is believed by gun control advocates to be a throwaway phrase to cover a lack of action on the country's ongoing problem with guns. In the one minute clip a young girl is seen sitting at the edge of a pool trying to grab a flamingo floatie before falling into the water.

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The advert takes a swipe at the lack of action on controlling weapons in the US (Mothers for Democracy)

Then a woman runs to the pool as if to save the girl, but instead she kneels down, clasps her hands, and begins to pray, saying: "Please God, save her. Do something. Save her." The camera pans out to show the child apparently lifeless, floating in the background, and then people go to the woman and say phrases such as: "My thoughts and prayers are with you."

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A couple is then seen enjoying drinks at the same pool whilst a neighbor mows his lawn as if nothing has happened and shouts out, "thoughts and prayers". The advert then goes on to say: "The number one killer of children in the United States is not drowning, car wrecks, or cancer. The #1 killer of children in the US is gun violence. Thoughts and prayers are meaningless when you can act."

According to the Daily Mail, Mothers for Democracy said the video "exposes the hypocrisy of those who offer 'thoughts and prayers' while continuing with their lives as if nothing has occurred. They would rather utter 'thoughts and prayers' than take action to save children's lives." However, it has sparked a huge backlash amongst opponents of gun control after racking up more than four million views on X (formerly Twitter).

The video was released to coincide with the anniversary of the Sandy Hook school massacre (Daily Mirror)

One user said: "18 year olds are not kids. Guns are not the number one killer of kids. Guns don't kill people. This video is disgusting. You grifters are horrible," while another said: "This ad is ultimately mocking God and your belief in God. There is a special place for them." A third user said: "This doesn’t make sense but is on brand divisive while blaming Christians, hateful should be embarrassed, make a legal or political argument instead of using fear and blame while mocking religion."

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Another social media user argued that because the carrying of guns is a constitutional right, "it's not going to change. Fix the root cause of the violence first. That would make more sense". And another claimed that the actual number one killer of kids in the US is abortion and that the makers of the video should "pray for wisdom".

The advert is not the first example of the phrase "thoughts and prayers" being attacked. In the state of Texas there is huge support for gun culture and this is accompanied by some of the loosest gun laws in the country. A Republican Texas Congressman was confronted after he questioned the faith of critics who said that prayer is not enough after a mass shooting in his state took eight lives, including children.

Representative Keith Self made the comments just hours after a gunman killed eight people including children as young as five at the Allen Premium Outlets in Allen, a small suburb north of Dallas. The incident sparked the usual calls for "thoughts and prayers" but in an interview a CNN journalist said to Self: "You know congressman, that is a common refrain after mass shootings, but many people argue that prayers are not cutting it. Prayers are not preventing the next mass shooting. What is your response to that criticism?"

The Congressman replied: "Those are people that don't believe in an almighty God who is absolutely in control of our lives. I'm a Christian. I believe that he is. We have people with mental health that we are not taking care of. We should be focused on the families. Prayers are important. Prayer is powerful in lives of those people who are devastated right now."

Paul Donald