Opinion
New Zealand – -(AmmoLand.com)- Sheep ranching is big business in New Zealand, but after perusing news coverage in the aftermath of the Christchurch mosque attacks, it may be difficult to tell the sheep from the people as some gun owners have voluntarily turned in their semiautomatic rifles to police for destruction?!.
One significant surrender came from farmer John Hart, a former Green Party candidate, according to the Daily Mail. He told a reporter from CNN that he didn’t want the gun falling into the wrong hands, and also sent out a message on twitter:
“Until today I was one of the New Zealanders who owned a semi-automatic rifle. On the farm they are a useful tool in some circumstances, but my convenience doesn’t outweigh the risk of misuse…We don’t need these in our country. We have [to] make sure it’s never again.”—New Zealand farmer John Hart
According to the Daily Mail, he’s not alone. The newspaper reported that, “New Zealanders have begun handing over their semi-automatic weapons to be destroyed as new gun control laws are set to be introduced.” In American gun rights activist parlance, such well-meaning, albeit misguided, folks are often referred to as “sheeple,” a term suggesting they are like sheep, and it is not an expression of endearment.
In the wake of the shooting spree that claimed 50 lives so far, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that there would be new gun restrictions announced within days.
Not surprisingly, U.S.-based gun prohibition lobbying groups moved quickly to exploit the Christchurch tragedy.
One of those organizations, the Seattle-based Alliance for Gun Responsibility, emailed a statement;
“What happened in Christchurch should be a reminder to all of us. This fight to end gun violence isn’t just about our own loved ones, our own communities, or even our own country. It’s a problem that cuts across time and borders. And future generations are counting on us to get it right. To stop it for good.”
What Mr. Hart and his contemporaries didn’t explain was how their firearms might fall into the wrong hands and be misused. If they are responsible gun owners–and there appears no reason to question that–would not those firearms be stored securely unless they were in use, and under the control of their owners?
It appears the suspect in this atrocity legally purchased his firearms, according to various published reports. He didn’t steal them from some careless Kiwi gun owner.
A brief overview of the sheep industry in New Zealand found on Wikipedia says that in 2007, there were an estimated 39 million sheep in the island nation. Some Yank gun rights activists might consider that the “herd” just expanded as humans began voluntarily surrendering their arms, perhaps in some sort of communal expression of guilt and mass remorse.
During a news conference, Prime Minister Ardern told reporters that, “The clear lesson from history around the world is that to make our community safer, the time to act is now.” Yes, it is always best to make decisions in an emotional rush, rather than take a deep breath, step back and allow cooler heads to prevail.
Neither Mr. Hart, nor his law-abiding fellow New Zealanders, opened fire on the worshippers in either mosque. What firearms they happen to own had absolutely nothing to do with the crime that has now placed one man behind bars, charged with murder.
Yet, according to CNN, Hart, who owns 50 acres in Masterton on which he has both sheep and cattle and has owned guns for nearly 20 years, turning in his rifle gave him a “bit of relief.”
New Zealand does not have a Second Amendment, and while there are lots of gun owners, they apparently do not share what anti-gunners would call “America’s gun culture.” Translation: People who own firearms and zealously defend their Second Amendment and state constitutional rights.
Earlier, CNN reported that even with “relatively high gun ownership,” New Zealand has had “relatively few gun-related deaths.” In 2015, the report noted, New Zealand reported 1.24 gun-related homicides per 100,000 people, which is roughly one-tenth the number reported for that year in the United States.
The Blaze reported that Hart turned in gun, magazine and ammunition. It involved the simple completion of a “gun surrender form.” Then he handed it all over to the police.
Second Amendment activists in the U.S. have already warned anti-gun-rights lobbyists against getting their hopes up that anything similar could happen in this country.
RELATED: New Zealand Fallout: Gun Groups Say ‘2A Not Negotiable’
About Dave Workman
Dave Workman is a senior editor at TheGunMag.com and Liberty Park Press, author of multiple books on the Right to Keep & Bear Arms and formerly an NRA-certified firearms instructor.
I love all the women, the PM, police,etc donning hijabs (headscarves) in support of the Muslims. Dummies. They are just showing the Muslim men that they submit to them, and are subservient.
When terror attacks by Muslims occur, do Muslims don three piece suits and stand with us ? Heck no. Not one shows up, and many celebrate behind closed doors our tragedy.
Muslims seek a caliphate-take over the world. These sheep herders are letting the wolves into the pen. Sheer idiots, wanting to show the world how “tolerant” they are.
There is going to be one hell of a black market for guns over there.
Yes the impulse to ban guns is a complete Knee jerk reaction. Crazy.
NZ government who are responsible to the people should, stop-think-relax-and then with the people’s imput decide what should be done.
No criminal will EVER hand in their guns.
Like any and all governments their soul agenda is always to screw the people as “they know best”.
Foolish decision.
Sure! When honest people turn in their guns or, like this freak Hart, are so unable to monitor what’s happening with their own guns that they are afraid that a terrorist or a child will get a hold of them and so they turn them in, that makes for a nice, peaceful, utterly defenseless country. What could possibly go wrong with that? Gun free zones = low hanging fruit for domestic terrorists. Gun free countries = low hanging fruit for foreign invaders. As with a fire extinguisher, you don’t need to defend yourself every day, but when the need arises… Read more »
It is “Horrific” what happened in NZ , would the Muslims turn in there
weapons if the mass shooting had been a Christian Church?
stupid is as stupid does!
The rare instances (I know, some claim it’s an epidemic) of mass shootings are the only examples of an illegal activity where non-participants ie. law-abiding persons, are mandated to surrender rights and property, all because of the actions of sociopaths or psychopaths. This should clearly be called gross injustice.
“New Zealand reported 1.24 gun-related homicides per 100,000 people, which is roughly one-tenth the number reported for that year in the United States.”
Interesting food for thought. If you look at the US on a state-by-state basis, that same figure for New Hampshire is 0.5 gun-related homicides for 100,000 people. Yet New Hampshire’s gun laws are WAY laxer than New Zealand’s. Actually, there are a bunch of states that have lower gun-related homicide rates than New Zealand. Almost as if guns aren’t the problem
Here’s an idea, all those wishing to turn in thier guns, should donate then to the Christians in Nigeria that are being slaughtered by the radical Muslims!! Last I read there’s over 200 killed in less then a week!!
Guess they also failed to realize the false flag likelyhood …
historically it’s proven that gun crimes are more likely thwarted by a citizen with a self protection fire arm, then they are by police!!! Does anyone else see a problem with a police response time of 38 minutes after a supposed shooter is reported???
I remember a 1950’s propaganda movie in which the Communists invaded the United States and promised to free us from having to choose. Freedom, true freedom carries responsibilities as well as rights. This gink has proclaimed that he does not wish to accept the responsibility of owning a semi auto rifle.
Give up your choice, let go of your responsibilities, We will all be safer turning these over to the state.
And the sad part is there are people who believe this nonsense.