Hi team!
We have been waiting to send out this email. We wanted the rapidly changing situation to become clearer.
As you will know, a terrorist stuck in Christchurch using a variety of firearms. His manifesto said that he chose guns as his weapon only because it would give the most media attention.
Within hours of this horror the Prime Minister announced changes to our gun laws.
The Police Union told shooters to stay out of it. The Prime Minister immediately seconded this thought and the media ran with the narrative that the 'Gun lobby' must not get a chance to 'dilute' the proposed changes. Whatever they may be.
The interviewer from the 'AM Show' can even be heard cooing "Excellent" in a quiet voice when a National MP gave her the answer that she wanted here.
The propaganda was total. The grieving public were sold a lie. The gun laws had to change NOW. There was simply no reason for having such rifles.
Then came the stunts.
A hero handed in the rifle that he now deemed too dangerous. The media left out the part where he was a Green Party candidate who hates guns. The Prime Minister immediately congratulated "All the shooters handing in guns".
"All" being just him.
Then - only days after the tragedy - Jacinda Adern announces the first law change with zero notice.
An order in council commanded the following:
No consultation. Just a dirty back room deal with God knows who getting their way.
As this was announced so was a total ban on semi auto rifles and shotguns in New Zealand.
Parliament was to meet under urgency and formalize this in a matter of just days. With the bill enacted by April the 11th.
When asked if submissions could be made she laughed and said "Hurry".
A third round of additional gun restrictions is to follow after that.
All this before any investigation into how the horror happened. Even as each day revealed another failing by Police to properly vet the killer or to follow up on warning about him.
We did our best to open the conversation up:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/
news/article.cfm?c_id=1& objectid=12214145 and
and to warn that the proposed laws could not only fail to make us safer but in fact make things worse:
https://www.whaleoil.co.nz/
2019/03/the-danger-of- jacindas-new-gun-laws/ As we have done in the recent past:
https://www.odt.co.nz/opinion/
criminals-use-guns-relative- impunity But the fix was in.
There are five things that YOU need to do RIGHT NOW.
The first is to sign this petition.
It calls for Parliament to actually hear the nation's concerns before acting and only takes a minute.
The last petition had several thousand signatures but was removed by the host site simply because they hate guns. This petition can not be interfered with.
The second thing to do is to make a submission to the committee 'considering' the formal law change in a matter of days.
Just email here:
Don't be intimidated. Just say what you feel. Will a ban on semi automatic firearms stop a future horror?
Keeping in mind that the Christchurch terrorist killed 50 innocent humans with a gun - in specific revenge for another madman killing 87 with a truck?
Do you think the laws could push guns underground and make the situation worse?
Have your say.
The third thing to do is to contact your local MP.
Call or email or visit them. Be respectful but make clear that you expect them to do the RIGHT thing here. Not to just virtue signal.
A list of MPs is available here:
https://www.parliament.nz/en/
mps-and-electorates/members- of-parliament/ The forth thing to do is write to the Prime Minister about your concerns.
Her address is:
jacinda.ardern@parliament.
govt.nz Copy in the following 4 people:
David.Seymour@parliament.
govt.nz Christopher.Bishop@parliament.
govt.nz The last thing to do is check that your mates are OK.
Some people are having a hard time coming to terms with losing their sport and the amazing people that they know because of it. Lets make sure that we are all OK in the face of some pretty horrific online abuse.
Act now team.
The last week has been insanity on fast forward.
Lets insist that reasoned discourse returns to the conversation. Or there will not be a conversation at all.
Share this email with your shooting friends. Sign them up to the lottery.
Now is not the time to dwell on which politicians chose to virtue signal in the media or which shooters sold out their brothers and sisters.
Act NOW to preserve your shooting heritage.
Stay positive!
The Shooters Lottery
The innocent handing in their firearms to stop extremist terror crime of the ONE MAN
Is like a like Every Man chopping of his Penis to stop Rape Crime
JOE GREEN
Firearms Safety Council chairman, and former police national arms control officer
Hastily implemented changes to legislation have the potential to work against the safe use and control of firearms. Right here in New Zealand we have an excellent previous example that is very much relevant to Friday's tragic events.
After the Aramoana shootings in 1992, the government acted quickly to address the issue of semi-automatic firearms. Among much political rhetoric, the features that were thought to constitute a military-style firearm entered into law as what we now know as a military-style semi-automatic, known commonly as an MSSA.
Ever since, this legal construct has provided difficulties for both law enforcement and users.
While those wishing to use MSSAs have to apply for an endorsement on their firearms licence, undergo a higher level of police vetting and have in place a higher level of security, few controls – other than those regarding importation – were placed on the constituent parts that make a semi-automatic firearm an MSSA.
Judge Thorp, in his 1997 Review of Firearms Control in New Zealand, considered that this created a "potential for evasion of the law". An opportunity that Friday's offender took advantage of – he fitted large-capacity magazines to his sporting firearms, placing himself outside the law.
Little attention has been paid to the ability to obtain large-capacity magazines without having to demonstrate that one could lawfully possess a MSSA.
Former chief justice Dame Sian Elias said "legislation should be based on solid facts, not pious hopes". This sounds a warning to legislators. New Zealand already has an enviable record in terms of numbers of deaths in which firearms were the cause.
The possession of firearms in this country is controlled by a licensing regime that has possibly the most intrusive vetting in the world. The firearms community would be concerned at any move to change this process.
Legislators would do well to begin with a close review of the firearms licensing process as it was applied to Friday's offender. It is, after all, the mechanism by which he gained lawful access to firearms.
Finally, close consultation with firearms users is going to be essential if we are not to repeat the difficulties of the hastily made changes to the Arms Act in 1992. It is within this community that the expertise resides. They, too, are reeling from Friday's events and looking for answers.
by Paul Buchanan 15/3/19
Security analyst Paul Buchanan said he had seen the manifesto of the alleged Christchurch shooter and his presence on right-wing platforms online.
"He is a very clear white supremacist who has been planning this for two years," he said.
Mr Buchanan called the Christchurch shooting a watershed moment in New Zealand history.
He told Checkpoint it was worse that the Rainbow Warrior attack and the Trades Hall bombing.
"This is about as bad as it can get because it shows we don't live in a benign environment ... we've been affected with the virus of extremism.
"The thing is it came from white supremacists and not the Islamic community, [they were] the target today."
"Why wasn't he flagged earlier and this whole episode prevented?" - Security analyst Paul Buchanan (6 min 39 sec)
Mr Buchanan said the mosque attack would raise a lot of questions within the security services because the "bulk of intelligence-gathering and efforts at prevention when it comes to terrorism have been directed at the Islamic community of New Zealand".
That meant that resources were not directed towards right-wing extremists.
"The intelligence services were looking the wrong way."
New Zealand succumbs to US 'homicidal politics of confrontation'
he shooter might have been part of a small cell who had some support in the Christchurch area, rather than a lone wolf, Mr Buchanan said.
He said this was because automatic or semi-automatic weapons weren't easily available in New Zealand without a licence.
"The weapon, from what I can tell, may have been modified. It takes some technical skills to modify a hunting weapon into something that's semi-automatic.
"He had high capacity magazines, he may have used a bump stock which was used by the Las Vegas shooter. These guys learn from each other."
The alleged shooter appeared to be on Twitter until a few hours ago.
"He was on right-wing platforms, including the platform that was used by the synagogue shooter in Pittsburgh last year. So, he's been out there with his views for a while.
"Why wasn't he flagged earlier and this whole episode prevented?"
He said this was a time to do some soul searching about how New Zealand had succumbed to "the homicidal politics of confrontation that we see in the US and Europe".
The first order of business would be to apprehend the subject and then his associates who helped him in his venture, he said. Thereafter it would pay to work back towards the planning and motivation.
Mr Buchanan said the shooter's skill set indicated he was either ex-military or had learned at the hands of someone else, who might be ex-military.
"Let's be very clear, Christchurch has a very active white supremacist community. A community that has attacked refugees and people of colour on multiple occasions over the last 20 years. This is the worst of them."
Tagit wrote: While I like my guns, hunted all my life, why does anyone need 'easy'access to MSSA's carrying more than 5 rounds?Yes there are a few specific taks that might need them, so if I undertand correctly you can get a permit for that. So no one loses there MSSA if they have a valid need for it and pass the security requirments. I don't like these fast tracked govt processes, but lets face it - the vast (VAST) majority of NZer's will support the new MSSA rules, mainly becasue they make good sense. So slowing down the process is not because the majority of Kiwis will change their view, it is about giving the gun lobbiests time to try and get a decision that opposes the majority view. I hate lobbiests more than I hate fast tracked govt decisions. |
jackel wrote: Hi Tagit, there seems to have been many errors in the assessment of that individual to get his A Cat firearms licence, as stated by Joe Green (retired) Police Inspector, here are some articles by him. The perpetrator in Christchurch, in my view should not have received his licence in the first place, and secondly illegally fitted a large capacity magazine to the rifle, thereby making it E Cat. Unfortunately, E Cat licence holders who have jumped through hoops (willingly) to obtain this endorsement will be stripped of their rifles and no longer be able to do things such as shoot Service Rifle competitions, nationally and internationally and it will also affect pest control etc. more 1080 |
Tagit wrote: Why did we even have the MSSA loophole that the shooter used? I suspect that falls directly st the feet of our gun lobby after Aramoana. I would love to be able to dig up the truth on that. Maybe those responsible could volunteer to pay the costs of supporting families that lost parents. Probably not going to happen though. MSSA's, like handguns, have very limited useful purposes other than killing people. If you have a genuine purpose then going through the extra checks etc shouldn't be an issue. If it's just your favourite toy then that's not worth people getting killed for IMO. |
After the Aramoana shootings in 1992, the government acted quickly to address the issue of semi-automatic firearms. Among much political rhetoric, the features that were thought to constitute a military-style firearm entered into law as what we now know as a military-style semi-automatic, known commonly as an MSSA.
Ever since, this legal construct has provided difficulties for both law enforcement and users.
jackel wrote:
Hey Tagit, have a re-read of the post above regarding Joe Green-he was in charge of the Police firearms National Arms control section manager from 1998-2013 surely he must carry some weight in your eyes? The govt created the loophole by rushing through legislation. Here is the excerpt to see for yourself. After the Aramoana shootings in 1992, the government acted quickly to address the issue of semi-automatic firearms. Among much political rhetoric, the features that were thought to constitute a military-style firearm entered into law as what we now know as a military-style semi-automatic, known commonly as an MSSA. Ever since, this legal construct has provided difficulties for both law enforcement and users. All the firearms holders want is reasoned and well thought out consultation with those in the know, not those who think they are, there is a difference. To put it another way, there was talk a while ago about creating more marine reserves in NZ. Imagine if the govt just said we are doing it anyway and we arnt going to consult those affected. We are going to ring-fence all islands in the hauraki gulf. Imagine the backlash. We both know that there is a lot more that needs to be discussed in my example, such as is it going to achieve the goal we desire? Who are the affected parties? Are there going to be un-intended consequences? (as there should be). I read 29 gang members received the firearms licence in 2016, surely this would be an area to address wouldnt you think? How did they pass the requirement of being a 'fit and proper person'? At the end of the day we all want to be safer but the 'easy' targets (law abiding gun owners) are going to be hit rather than those who never will hand in any firearms. More scrutiny is fine, but Jacinda has got her political future to take into account so I think its too late. |
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