Opinion
Fayetteville, AR – -(AmmoLand.com)- In a statement a day after the mosque attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern declared her intention to change the nation’s gun laws, and in a follow-up, the attorney general, David Parker, clarified that semiautomatic rifles will be banned.
This is an unsurprising reaction in a country that lacks the explicit hurdle of a bill of rights on the order of what we enjoy in the United States and in particular does not have protections for gun owners. The Kiwi gun laws are already bad enough, requiring licenses for law-abiding gun owners and restricting several types of firearms—handguns are in the list, and carry is heavily restricted—and declaring that loading a semiautomatic with more than seven rounds to be naughty. Surprise, surprise, the Christchurch shooter broke the law before he broke the law.
And according to advocates of control, piling on more laws is supposed to stop future attacks, even though the present terrorist said that he could have used any of a number of other means of killing and chose guns to promote further gun control in hopes of sparking civil war in the United States.
Or some such muddle. If we’re seeking to hand out blame, the constant push to punish people who didn’t participate in the attacks should get first in line, though that line will extend around the block. The desire to curtail rights is a constant across many groups, and the attitudes of white supremacists looks a lot like that of many gun control advocates with whom I’ve had conversations, namely the notion that some people are more deserving of basic rights than others.
The reality is that some people—be they white supremacists, violent fundamentalists, or agents of tyrannical governments—will seek to kill their fellow human beings. And as the shooting over the weekend in Utrecht in the Netherlands reminds us, a case in which the murderer already had a lengthy criminal record, someone intent on violence against innocents will find a way—even in countries that make legal ownership of firearms exceedingly difficult.
The drumbeat to control guns in response to mass shootings is consistently a failure to recognize the root problems.
Demanding that millions must give up their guns—or some subset of their guns—when a few do something wrong or telling the vast majority that even though we did not commit the particular crime, we must now accept a long list of post hoc burdens that are aimed primarily at making the ignorant feel safe is not a sensible answer, no matter how many times gun control advocates say otherwise, when the causes of violence remain.
I praised Prime Minister Ardern’s statement that New Zealand values diversity and human rights. But that needs to be carried to its conclusion. Gun owners are also a part of a diverse society, and just as with other categories—white, male, religious, or right wing—most members of the group are just trying to get through the day.
I’m not a citizen of New Zealand. Those who are will be the ones who have to deal with their country’s gun laws, and many of them will think that the United States doesn’t offer a good example. But I will suggest that lashing out against people who didn’t commit murder is in the same category—not the same degree, but the same category—as murdering people for being different.
About Greg Camp
Greg Camp has taught English composition and literature since 1998 and is the author of six books, including a western, The Willing Spirit, and Each One, Teach One, with Ranjit Singh on gun politics in America. His books can be found on Amazon. He tweets @gregcampnc.
The Criminals are Cheering in NZ…
And this essay is supposed to heave been written by an English major who teaches other people how to write in English? This must be some sort of a bad joke. Maybe not, considering the quality and intellectual content of the people writing responses. If stupid was a requirement for the ownership of firearms in America, it would all be understandable; maybe ownership of firearms in America is exactly such a self imposed requirement. The people of New Zeeland have the right to decide what laws best provide for the safety and security of their citizens and have taken the… Read more »
Grimaldy, it is always amusing when someone critiques grammar, spelling, and intelligence, that often, as in your case, too, those that do so lack the very characteristics they are commenting about. Your stupidity and ignorance is duly noted.
Fortunately here in the states it’s the bill of rights not the bill of needs. All over the U.S. today thousands of semi automatic weapons weren’t used to kill anyone. Why should everyone give theirs up because of something someone else did? And they aren’t banning automatic weapons. SEMI-automatic. For someone complaining about a writer that’s laughable of you. Apparently you don’t know as much as you think you do. Just remember – It’s ALWAYS the fault of the shooter NEVER the fault of the tool used.
“The people of New Zeeland have the right to decide what laws best provide for the safety and security of their citizens”. FIRST: It’s New Zealand, not New Zeeland, which even your spellchecker should have caught. SECOND: The People should have the Right to Decide what is best for their own security, NOT the PM and AG in a dictatorial style.
Appears the PM and her anti-gun pals will be top gun sellers this month.
“Nobody spikes gun sales like liberal gun-grabbers.
Firearms owners posted online about “panic buying”, where people were rushing to stores to purchase firearms, following the prime minister’s comments about plans to tighten gun laws.
On the Facebook group Kiwi Gun Blog, firearms owners and sellers said there was heightened buying of semi-automatic weapons, ammunition and magazines around the country on Saturday.”
https://granitegrok.com/blog/2019/03/in-wake-of-tragedy-new-zealanders-rush-to-hand-over-guns-wait-sorry-i-meant-buy-guns
Ann Coulter is on my scheiss list since she turned on my president for thing he has no ultimate control over, but she’s correct: liberalism is a mental disease or at least an intellectual deficiency. Liberals want to “feel good” so they concoct Schemes to make them feel superior and caring ad nauseum. Mark Twain was right when he said “ nothing needs to be corrected so much as OTHER people’s bad habits.And what are our bad habits, the liberals or progressives or whatever They cook up as a wonderful sounding name, consider anything they don’t like our bad habits.… Read more »
Wow. So in a world full of sheep, sheep dogs and wolves they want to disarm the sheep dogs? The ONLY honest answer to a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun–period. New Zealand is trying to make a country that is “military looking gun” free. Every time something bad happens here in the States with a “military looking gun” every socialist–I mean democrat– and even a few rinos are calling for a ban on them and high capacity mags. The ONLY thing that accomplishes is a lot of unarmed people who are wholly dependent… Read more »
They sure got that done in a hurry, like they were waiting for it so they could pounce. The shooter was an Australian, did anybody ever find out where he got his gun. Not in his home country and probably not is NZ. They can wait for the next one to develop and they might be able to use bear spray, or is that outlawed.
Don’t worry, be happy that only 37 people turned guns into government hands due to their stupidity….
It’s reported that the reprobate, John Podesta was there when this happened. Is he going to cause the same thing to happen in Australia this week too?
It’s reported that the reprobate, John Podesta was there when this happened. Is he going to cause the same thing in Australia this week?
When the United States was still reeling under the largest terrorist attack in our history, did we decide to ban the tool that was used to carry out the attack? Of course not… we still use airplanes for their intended purpose daily, millions of us. So WHY are New Zealand barmy enough to banish the tool used to perpetrate THEIR largest terror attack thus far? Stupid people. Just think… what if, as at my own church, the people attending any given meeting were armed with personal defensive weapons at about the same rate as are the general population, how far… Read more »
Tionico, right on .
Always punish the innocent !
Pure political pandering on the part of the PM at best, government tyranny at its worst. Hang on folks there is a growing crowd here in the USA beating the drum for the same thing here. Look what the loons in HI have proposed.
Isn’t Hawaii an island off the coast of North Korea?
it should be. wonder how the deceased combat-hero Senator Daniel Inyoue (mispelled?) would respond to these a**holes?
Of course the leftist horde is whining loudly, asking why we can’t be just like them.
Wankers!
Just Great! Another group of people without the ability to protect themselves or retake the government once it has it’s citizens disarmed! Those History lessons just don’t seem to make an impression on some peoples minds! We seriously need to attach a rider to the next gun control law that includes all motorized vehicles over 250 lbs. Any control applied to firearms would also ban automobiles, Now we are saving lives!! RH
This is history repeating itself. The Dunblane shooting in Scotland caused thousands of law abiding shooters in the UK to loose their weapons. I think it is a great shame but NZ does not have a NRA to help them.
Don Watson, the same NRA that helped us by writing the 1934 NFA, helped pass the 1968 gun control act, the 1986 automatic weapons ban and sat on their hands for the 1994 “assault” weapons ban? No, we don’t need their help. They have already agreed to red flag laws and the bump stock ban. What more do you want them to help us with?
How sad. NZ better start teaching Chinese in their elementary and high schools. If the Chinese decide to follow the same route the Japanese did during WWII, the tiny NZ armed forces will not slow them down, and the people won’t have arms or experience to become a guerrilla force. I used to run an NROTC unit. I insisted that we train students with 9mm and 5.56 even though it wasn’t required. Only 30% of my students had even touched a gun, let alone fired one. Now, these were folks destined to go into mostly combat arms! Given that only… Read more »
JDC, you are so right. Like I’ve written before, the Chinese have used up all their countries resources so they are now eyeing New Zealand, Australia and the USA. What better way to invade is make sure the countries citizens have no right to own firearms. (And they keep electing the same power crazed mentally unstable politicians!) Makes it easier to invade when you have no resistance. (I suppose in kommiefornia they would welcome the Chinese army as their saviors!) yup, New Zealand should start teaching Chinese to school children as they will be their slaves and sex servants! And… Read more »
If you look at the NZ PM’s policies it is no surprise she would take any opportunity to further disarm the people she intends to force into totalitarian socialism. Bringing in lots of third world immigrants used to submitting to islamic domination makes things much easier than forcing your income redistribution on a populace used to freedom. Somehow the PM will end up with much more of the people’s wealth as equality will not apply to her. She is a despot in the making.
Between 1911-1979, approximately 59 Million people, from 7 countries were murdered after they had been disarmed by their governments. Why should good people have the ability to defend themselves stripped, because of governments inept ability to control criminals? We all know what their agenda is. They have plans….they have plans….
maybe nz d-suckers could institute a national jizya-tax to fund your pets
d-suckers attempting to exercise un-Constitutional gun “control” do so @ their own risk
to a guy with a hammer, everything looks like a nail. To a guy who is a d, everybody is a d-sucker. Grow up. That thing between your legs ain’t what you are…. or is it? My firearms are no more pets than are all my sockets, spanners, screwdrivers……. they are all tools, and it remains MY perogative to decide WHICH tools are the most suitable for ME to do the things I have do get done. And WHOOOO are YOOOOO to decide what I have tp pick up to do MY work? You don’t protect me…. so get over… Read more »