Honestly just let people grieve. I agree with the idea that thoughts and prayers dont change anything in the future, and I would say its okay if they waited a bit before going on about it and didnt intentionally attack the people who were grieving but really. The other one doesnt really mean any harm. This one attacks the other and just makes a bad situation worse.

That being said, this should follow up after some time in a manner that isnt trying to make people feel worse than they already might.

^

As Zeppie said, sometimes people are powerless or feel powerless to help the situation. So they at least offer to keep the people in their thoughts. In times of tragedy you don't really know what to say; you can't just be like "it'll be okay" because that's often times the last thing a person wants to hear and in some cases it's not okay at all. So a safe bet is to tell someone you'll keep them in your thoughts and ask if there's anything you can do to help.

Like Zeppie said, some peoples are powerless enough to solve any tragedy happen. Prayers and thoughts don't give big impact but at least we can share our emphathy for them and motive them to be stronger, at least the victims know they're not alone and many peoples cares with what happened with them.

I mean I think either are pretty much fine. The latter can be worded more tactfully, but it's also people speaking from a position of frustration that those in power and seemingly doing nothing to prevent the tragedy and wasteful loss of life that might otherwise have not occurred. I haven't often seen it in the context of personally attacking someone except distant authority figures. Quite sure this is what most people mean when they say this.

A related contentious issue I've seen crop up on social media is whether we can talk about preventative measures in the wake of a tragedy. To which I would say: yes we can, and we should.

I understand where both are coming from, so I find neither annoying...?

From average citizens, thoughts and prayers are all they can give. For politicians, I would sincerely like to see some ideas of how to avoid these tragedies.

It's unbelievably disrespectful and hateful. Even if you don't think prayer works, you aren't entitled to tell people how to cope with observing terror in the world, especially when the average person has no power at all to do anything.

I remember Will Wheaton and some other hacks saying this with the last tragedy. Bro, what is your wealthy butt doing to help being yelling on Twitter?

I was pretty mad.

I am with Cinders and ThePrincesTale. Look at the shooting in Parkland and other shootings in tons of neighborhoods before that. If Gun Control was better in the states. It'd be harder for something like that to happen. Yes let the parents,relatives grieve BUT there must be a plan to do something to solve issues like this.

^^ Not to mention how the survivors have mobilized. God, those Parkland kids give me hope. <3

I can legit see both sides of this.

Sometimes, the prayer thing can be a bit much, and some people probably CAN do something but may not want to. In that sense, saying prayers to avoid taking action is just not helpful at all. Go ahead and pray, but faith without work is dead. I've heard that quote a few times around the net, and I agree with it.

But on the other hand...

While I personally don't think prayer is legit, I am very much aware that others feel differently. I understand that my views aren't the only one's on this planet, and I'm mature enough to let people grieve how they say see fit. Would you really want someone to bitch at you for how you grieve, directly after a tragedy? No, of course not. So don't do that shit to them, that's also not helpful. It's almost as bad, IMHO. No matter who believes what, no one gets to dictate how we're supposed to grieve. Step of your pedestal, because tragedy affects us all in different ways. Religious or not.