Vice President JD Vance strongly disagreed with former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki after she criticized Americans for offering prayers following a deadly school shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school. The exchange highlights a growing divide over faith’s role in America’s response to tragedy.
The Shooting
Two young children lost their lives Wednesday morning in what should have been a safe place. Eight-year-old and ten-year-old students were attending their first-week-back Mass at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis when evil struck.
A shooter opened fire through the church windows during morning Mass, killing two children and wounding 17 others.
The suspect, identified as Robin Westman, fired from outside through the church windows as children worshiped during their first week of school mass. Police said the shooter was armed with a rifle, shotgun and pistol, and shots were fired from all three weapons.
Psaki’s Attack on Prayer
As families grieved and America mourned, MSNBC host Jen Psaki chose to attack prayer itself.
She posted on social media:
“Prayer is not freaking enough. Prayers does not end school shootings. prayers do not make parents feel safe sending their kids to school. Prayer does not bring these kids back. Enough with the thoughts and prayers.”
Think about that timing. Children were literally shot while praying. And Psaki’s response? Go after the very thing those kids were doing when they were attacked.
Vance Fights Back
Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic himself, wasn’t having it.
He responded:
“We pray because our hearts are broken. We pray because we know God listens. We pray because we know that God works in mysterious ways, and can inspire us to further action. Why do you feel the need to attack other people for praying when kids were just killed praying?”
Vance followed up with another post:
“Of all the weird left wing culture wars in the last few years, this is by far the most bizarre. ‘How dare you pray for innocent people in the midst of tragedy?!’ What are you even talking about?”
Why This Matters to Conservatives
This isn’t really about prayer versus action. It’s about something much deeper. For millions of Americans, faith provides comfort in dark times. Prayer connects us to something bigger than ourselves. When government fails, when evil strikes, when the world feels broken – faith remains.
The attack on prayer reveals a troubling mindset among some political elites. They see faith as weakness. They view religious Americans as naive. This attitude explains a lot about why so many feel disconnected from political leadership.
What Critics Are Saying
Liberal voices argue that offering prayers without policy action is meaningless. They want gun control measures and claim prayers are just empty gestures that politicians use to avoid real solutions.
CNN host Dana Bash dismissed prayer, saying:
“Forget about thoughts and prayers. These kids were literally praying when they were murdered through a church window.”
Did you hear that sound? It’s the sound of my jaw hitting the floor.
Bash seems to hold the same ideology as the Church shooter ie: “Where is your God now?”
I’m not sure there is anything more insensitive the media could possibly say, other than to full-on side with the shooter and attack tenants of the religion itself over the graves of murdered kids.
The Bigger Picture
FBI Director Kash Patel said the shooting is being investigated as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics. This wasn’t random violence. It was targeted evil against people of faith.
For conservatives, this attack represents exactly why we need both strong security measures AND the moral foundation that faith provides. Limited government works best when citizens have strong moral moorings. Prayer and action aren’t opposites – they work together.
What’s Next
This tragedy will likely fuel more debates about school security, mental health resources, and religious freedom. Conservatives should push for practical security measures while defending the right of Americans to turn to faith in times of crisis.
The attack on prayer shows how some political leaders have lost touch with ordinary Americans. Most people understand that prayer and action can coexist. You can pray for victims AND support better security. You can seek God’s comfort AND work for solutions.
What Conservatives Can Do
Support school security initiatives that protect children without turning schools into fortresses. Defend religious liberty when political elites attack faith. Show up for grieving families with both prayers and practical help.
Don’t let anyone tell you that faith is weakness. In times like these, it’s often the strongest thing we have.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
