Director and writer Kevin Smith recently suffered from a heart attack, and in response, Chris Pratt offered his thoughts and prayers. "Kevin we don't know each other too good but I have loved you since Clerks and I'm praying my ass off for you cause I believe in the healing power of prayer," he tweeted.
Twitter users responded pretty negatively for "praying" for Smith, referencing what many—including Donald Trump—have sent in the days following the shooting in Parkland, Florida. A heart attack isn't really comparable with gun violence, but users were still upset. "Prayer does nothing," tweeted one user. In response, Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn came to Pratt's defense.
“So I just read Chris Pratt’s tweet to Kevin Smith saying he would pray for him & made the mistake of reading the comments, many of which go off on Chris for saying he’d pray. I think people misunderstand the backlash against ‘thoughts & prayers,'” Gunn tweeted. “There is nothing wrong with sending someone positive thoughts & prayers. But when this is coupled with inaction when action will benefit the situation, it’s empty.”
So I just read Chris Pratt’s tweet to Kevin Smith saying he would pray for him & made the mistake of reading the comments, many of which go off on Chris for saying he’d pray. I think people misunderstand the backlash against “thoughts & prayers.” (thread)
2 There is nothing wrong with sending someone positive thoughts & prayers. But when this is coupled with inaction when action will benefit the situation, it’s empty.
3 If you’re offering Parkland shooting survivors prayers, but are unwilling to deal with the problems of gun violence in this country in a practical way, those prayers are empty.
4 And if you’re going to offer prayers to the folks suffering in Puerto Rico, you might consider adding a link for a donation or calling on your representatives to take action, in addition to those prayers. Prayers alone will not change the world.
5 But no one expects Chris Pratt to shoulder doctors out of the way and perform heart surgery on Kevin Smith. Nor does Kevin need Chris to pay his medical bills. So I think his prayers are appreciated, and about all he can do.
He continued tweeting, explaining, “If you’re offering Parkland shooting survivors prayers, but are unwilling to deal with the problems of gun violence in this country in a practical way, those prayers are empty. But no one expects Chris Pratt to shoulder doctors out of the way and perform heart surgery on Kevin Smith. Nor does Kevin need Chris to pay his medical bills. So I think his prayers are appreciated, and about all he can do.”
He wraps up the tweets by saying that he'd "gratefully accept" thoughts and prayers if he was ever sick, preferring that over a vigilante surgeon.
