The attack at Old Dominion University was bad enough, but we all know it could have been so much worse. You had a disarmed student body, a jihadist looking to slaughter people in the name of his cause, and laws that were ignored up and down the line, to say nothing of failures of more than just gun laws.
And in the aftermath, we got the "thoughts and prayers" line.
There's nothing wrong with offering thoughts and prayers in the immediate aftermath of something horrible. It's really the responsible thing to do right then, since everyone is more emotional and, therefore, less rational. We really need more thoughts and prayers after things like terrorist attacks and mass shootings.
But not everyone's thoughts and prayers are appreciated.
When Republican politicians offer “thoughts and prayers” to the families of the victims of campus shootings, Democrats deride them. “We need more than prayers,” they say. But now, in the wake of another campus shooting in a ROTC classroom at Old Dominion University, it is the state’s Democrats who are suddenly thinking and praying.
Attorney General Jay Jones posted on X: “My deepest thoughts and prayers go out to the Old Dominion community.” Governor Abigail Spanberger announced her prayers, too: “I am grateful for his example, deeply saddened by his death, and praying for his family.” Senator Mark Warner, showing the religious restraint of the Presbyterian he is, merely conveyed his thoughts, which is at least better than sending good vibes. State Sen. President Louise Lucas, the ruthless boss of all of them all, did not bother sending anything, but assured us her “heart is broken.” I mark it as a win to learn she has one.
So why is it that Virginia Democrats, who previously rushed to blame gun laws in the wake of tragic shootings at Virginia Tech in 2007 and in Virginia Beach in 2019, are not railing on our firearm statutes this time? Is it because gun laws do not work and this shooting proves it?
Author Brad Todd doesn't take issue with Spanberger and others offering prayers, mind you. He's less of a fan of the "thoughts" part, which is fair, but his issue here is the same one I have, namely that it's a double standard on the "thoughts and prayers" front.
The terrorist responsible for the Old Dominion attack should never have been freed from prison. He was because he completed a treatment program that, frankly, did nothing to treat him of the disease of being a jihadi. So, he was released back out onto the streets because the left really likes releasing bad people from prison, then being shocked when they turn around and do bad things all over again.
Especially when we're talking about a guy who was trying to help terrorists and wanted to engage in the Jihad himself. I mean, can't we find common ground on keeping jihadis locked up for the totality of their sentences?
Clearly not.
When the jihadist nutjob did what jihadist nutjobs do, though, suddenly the people who get angry at a visceral level over "thoughts and prayers" because they claim their policies would have prevented such a tragedy are offering their own while ignoring the role their policies played in the tragedy.
It doesn't matter if you respect the term or not. What matters is at least being consistent, and the left doesn't have a clue how to do that on literally anything.
It's almost enough to make me want to offer them some thoughts and prayers.
