1996 all over again. Have to disagree with this choice of words from the NZ Deerstalkers:
“The NZ Deerstalkers’ Association mourns with the country and the families affected by the terrorist act in Christchurch. We abhor the perpetrators action’s that promoted division and hate.
New Zealanders pride themselves on getting along with all races, creeds and religions.
Let’s turn this act of hate around and use it as an opportunity to draw our community’s closer together.
The NZDA recognises that gun law needs to change to make our country safer.
As members on the Firearms Community Advisory Forum, we have consistently promoted improvement to our gun laws to the NZ Police and Government.
To date our communities have been kept safe by some of the best gun laws in the world. Effectively, loopholes in the law have contributed to this tragedy. Now is the time to close them in a smart considered manner.
Well thought out and cost effective improvement to our laws will protect all New Zealanders, whilst maintaining the recreational & sporting uses that so many law abiding Kiwis enjoy.
The NZDA will continue to be the voice of reason for gun laws in our country, our people and our members.
But for now our thoughts are with the victims families.
Kia Kaha.”
And look at their response to one of the comments:
“Don’t jump to conclusions people. Read very carefully what we have said before you comment. We haven’t proposed any changes or massive re-writes of the arms act. But if you think things are going to remain the same then you are sadly mistaken.”
We absolutely disagree, gun laws don’t need to change at all. Apart from the condolences, this is very negative messaging.
Take it from Australian gun owners: this is not the way to do things. Appeasement gets you nowhere, it just means you are eaten last.
This is the exact same thing that happened in Australia in 1996. Afraid of being emotionally bullied, the appeasement started, shooting groups started attacking each other and telling them to go after other groups instead of them because they weren’t personally affected and then the government ran roughshod over everyone eventually.
There are still fractured relationships among shooting groups in Australia 23 years later because of what happened. Although those relationships are a lot better now, it still exists because of attitudes and messaging like this.
One maniac committing a massacre for the first time in nearly 30 years is absolutely no reason to change what are already very effective and balanced firearm laws. All that needs to happen is the prosecution of the offender, proper enforcement of the current laws and a proper inquiry into Police and security agencies – that’s it. Accepting collectivist punishment on any scale is cultural suicide.
Note to Kiwis: your semis, suppressors, magazine limits, Airsoft, everything is under threat. You give them a little, they’ll take everything via salami tactics because that’s exactly what they have done everywhere ad infinitum.
We’ve lost all of that.
You thought it couldn’t happen in NZ? Well, it’s happening right now and you need to do something about it. You negotiate from a position of strength, not weakness. Unite, fight and win or you’re going to lose it all and join us under the globalist jackboot – there’s 250,000 of you for a start.
The choice is yours, NZ gun owners.
Standard knee jerk reaction by politicians to get voters support.. ….by tightening gun laws……it has proven in Australia that it weakens LFAOs n legal laws HAS NEVER STOPPED criminals getting their hands on unlicensed firearms n that leaves us defenceless……imagine if the Govt turned around and stated “let’s arm every licensed citizen with conceal n carry” ……the effect that would halt criminals n make them think twice b4 they draw out their firearms…… have a look at stats of areas in the world where Conceal n Carry is legitimate…….
Why can’t these people take the offensive for once and offer a proactive solution? They could try arguing for Czech-style concealed carry so the people concerned about the inevitable reprisal (or copycat) attacks could protect themselves. You can hardly make things worse at this point so may as well go for broke.