Stephen Colbert Defends ‘Thoughts and Prayers’ for San Bernardino Shooting Victims (Video)

“The reason you keep people in your thoughts and prayers is, admittedly, not to fix the problem, but to try to find some small way to share the burden of grief,” “Late Show” host says

Stephen Colbert weighed in on the mass shootings in San Bernardino and Colorado Springs on Monday’s “Late Show,” and defended those who say they are sending “thoughts and prayers” to the victims.

“Of course, these days even thoughts and prayers have become controversial,” Colbert said, assuming a serious tone. He then held up an edition of the New York Daily News published just after the attack in San Bernardino that read, “God Isn’t Fixing This.” The paper chastised politicians for what they called “meaningless platitudes” in the wake of the shooting.

“I’d like to defend thoughts and prayers as someone who occasionally thinks and prays,” he said. “The reason you keep people in your thoughts and prayers is, admittedly, not to fix the problem, but to try to find some small way to share the burden of grief.”

Colbert then wondered aloud why we are so quick to respond to what is classified as a terrorist attack, but a lone gunmen opening fire in a public place results in no action. “”Why can’t there be anything in between?” he said.

He concluded by calling for enhanced gun control laws to prevent future tragedies from happening. “Why is it so easy to buy bullets when I have to show three forms of ID to buy Sudafed?” he said.

Watch the video.

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