We reported earlier on the deadly mass shooting that took place in Nashville Monday where an as-yet-to-be-identified 28-year-old woman, an alleged former student, opened fire on students and faculty at Covenant School, killing six including three children. It’s not known as of this writing if there were injuries sustained by others.

Covenant School is a private Christian school, and according to various news reports, is home to some 200 students in pre-school through the sixth grade.

Shortly after a press conference held in the aftermath of the tragedy, a so-called “gun safety” lobbyist added to the chaos by trying to make the story all about her and her supposed efforts at making schools safer by advocating for restrictions on guns.

But during a saner moment at the same presser, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director David Rausch offered up prayers to the victims, the families of the victims, and the community. Immediately after, he noted that he knew he’d probably be criticized for doing so but said “that’s the way we do it in the South. We believe in prayer, and we believe in the power of prayer, so our prayers go out to these families.”

Watch:

Director of TBI David Rausch: "I know there'll be people who want to criticize us for prayers, but that's the way we do that in the South. We believe in prayer, and we believe in the power of prayer. So, our prayers go out to these families." pic.twitter.com/hOKXuJDrPZ

— Media Research Center (@theMRC) March 27, 2023

A short, simple, and sweet defense of the power of prayer. In my opinion, that’s the way to do it. No apologies.

But just as Rausch predicted, it didn’t take long for the mini-meltdowns among social media leftists to commence just as they always do when thoughts and prayers are offered.

Leftist actor John Wesley Shipp exemplified their responses in this tweet:

“If you believe that prayer works—and you & GOP gun lobbyists keep praying—how do you explain that your prayers aren’t working, as the number of children and adults murdered with easily-obtainable military grade assault weapons continues to rise?”

As I’ve said before, praying is not about preventing future tragedies, as much as we’d like them to be prevented simply by turning to God in our hour of need.

Thoughts and prayers provide an immeasurable feeling of comfort and peace and – for some – answers in the aftermath of tragedy and loss. For instance, in the days after the gunman stormed the Kennedy building at UNC-Charlotte in the spring of 2019, prayer vigils and prayer walks were held on campus. Individually, students held hands, hugged each other, and prayed together.

People all across the city and state – and the nation – offered their thoughts and prayers for Charlotte in the aftermath. As a person of faith myself who was in so much shock after it happened, it provided me comfort and solace as I began the grieving and healing processes.

My mother was diagnosed with cancer last October, and I can’t tell you how much prayers have helped guide us through the uncharted waters we’ve faced, with me as her caregiver and her as the person having to go through the surgeries and chemotherapy treatments.

Any true person of faith who has read and studied the Bible knows better than to say that offering up thoughts and prayers is meaningless. I don’t know if Shipp is a believer but even if he’s not, there are countless other leftists out there who are who have echoed a similar sentiment to his in the past.

People can want solutions to prevent future mass shootings AND pray about it at the same time. The two aren’t mutually exclusive, despite what the Very Online Left might want the masses to think otherwise.

The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of RedState.com.

Flashback: Brian Stelter Keeps a Running Total of Mitch McConnell’s Offers of Thoughts and Prayers Because Journalism