Mass shooting in NZ

[K. A. Pital]

Gun control will help to minimize damage. It won’t, alas, help from Nazis being Nazis. They will band in groups and hunt down “em forinners”.

[Wild Zontargs]

If I had to peg the Christchurch Shooter; based off his manifesto and what descriptions I've seen of his gear, it would be:

right leaning accelerationist utilizing meme warfare (so to speak) to hit all the "hot buttons" to ensure wider dissemination (wear black sun patch, write '14 words' (literally) on his rifle, etc).

Same reason he said "subscribe to PewDiePie": now the media are (again) calling for Pewds to be banned, and his ~90 million fans are going "WTF?!" and finding out about the shooter's manifesto.

It's having effects on internet regulation/censorship, too: NZ is leaning on companies to take down copies of the manifesto and videos. Some are complying (YouTube disabled search features to keep people from finding it, Reddit is banning entire subreddits), and anyone who doesn't comply is getting DNS-banned by (some?) NZ ISPs (4chan, 8chan, KiwiFarms, ZeroHedge, Archive.fo, Dissenter, etc).

[bilateralrope]

Trying to prevent people who want to see it from finding it seems doomed to fail. At the same time, I don't want people stumbling across it if they weren't expecting it. Which does sound achievable, but requires that level of effort.

[Broomstick]

First off, they'll have to mate psychological evaluation (which are free of charge and are done with five psychologists and are recorded to ensure fairness) with gun licences.

If the exams are "free of charge" are those psychologists working for free? I somehow doubt it - who is going to pay for this "free exam"?

If you fail the psychological exams, then you can't get a firearm at all. You must have a licence for every firearm you own and must take the psychological exams every half to full year.

Are you sure there are enough psychologists to do all these six-month exams? Especially if you're expecting the to work for free.

Automatics are locked behind further licencing and psychological evaluation.

Why allow civilian ownership of automatic weaponry at all? And I ask that as an American who is actually in favor of allowing civilians access to firearms (although not unlimited access). In the US you are just a hair's whisker from a ban on all civilian ownership of automatic weapons (the process to get one is time-consuming and expensive).

Privacy is going to die no matter what we do. Period.

And that is a social and psychological catastrophe I don't expect you to understand.

[Gandalf]

This has caused right wing politicians in Australia in something of an awkward spot. Our angry right wing politicians are is all sorts of trouble politically, and appealing to their usual anti-immigrant sentiment won't be as palatable in this environment.

Enter far right politician Fraser Anning...

An Australian senator has been strongly criticised after he blamed the New Zealand shooting on Muslim immigration.

Following the attack, which left 49 people dead at two mosques in Christchurch, Fraser Anning tweeted: “Does anyone still dispute the link between Muslim immigration and violence?”

In a statement shared by an Australian journalist on Twitter, the Queensland senator also wrote: “As always, leftwing politicians and the media will rush to claim that the causes of today’s shootings lie with gun laws or those who hold nationalist views, but this is all cliched nonsense.

“The real cause of bloodshed on New Zealand streets today is the immigration program which allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place.”

The remarks were denounced by the UK home secretary, Sajid Javid, who accused the senator of stoking extremism.

“At a time for grieving and reflection, this Australian senator … fans the flames of violence and extremism,” he tweeted.

“Australians will be utterly ashamed of this racist man. In no way does he represent our Australian friends.”

Australia’s prime minister, Scott Morrison, said: “The remarks by Senator Fraser Anning blaming the murderous attacks by a violent, rightwing, extremist terrorist in New Zealand on immigration are disgusting. Those views have no place in Australia, let alone the Australian parliament.”

The former Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull wrote: “Fraser Anning’s comments today are contemptible. He is a disgrace to the Senate and, what is worse, by spreading hatred and turning Australians against each other, he is doing exactly what the terrorists want.”

Tony Burke, a frontbencher in Australia’s Labor party, said Anning’s comments amounted to “hate speech” and were “horrific and sick”.

Burke told Australia’s ABC that “the normalisation of bigotry is something that is not only confined to him … We need to call it out, we need to make sure that no way any member of parliament fosters it. He wants the conflict and he wants the notoriety”.

So those are the pieces of shit we have in politics in Australia. But enter a hero...

An Australian senator who blamed the New Zealand terror attack on Muslim immigration has punched a 17-year-old boy after he was egged at an event in Melbourne.

Video footage recorded at the event appears to show Fraser Anning, a far-right independent Queensland senator, halfway through a press conference when the teenager cracked an egg over his head while filming with a mobile phone. The senator responded by punching the 17-year-old. The teenager was then tackled to the ground by Anning’s supporters and held in a chokehold.

The boy was later taken away by police and released without charge. Victoria police are investigating the incident.

Anning was criticised on Friday after trying to seek attention by saying the mosque attack highlighted a “growing fear over an increasing Muslim presence” in Australian and New Zealand communities.

The Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, said Anning’s comments blaming the Islamic community for the shooting were “appalling and ugly and they have no place in Australia”.

The prime minister announced the government would censure him.

The Australian Labor party leader, Bill Shorten, said Anning was “chasing a headline”.

“I do wonder if he’s made Australians less safe overseas,” he said. “That’s another reason not to give this fool any more oxygen.”

A change.org petition calling for Anning’s expulsion from parliament has amassed about 250,000 signatures.

Egg Boy is currently a national hero.

[Vympel]

ScoMo, the shitbird, is still going for the racist vote the Coalition have been pandering to since forever. His attack on Waleed Aly is calculated. It's a dog whistle for all the usual racists.

https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/nationa ... sentiment/

Scott Morrison has cancelled a planned appearance on The Project after host Waleed Aly aired “a disgraceful smear” that he once discussed capitalising on anti-Muslim sentiment in a 2010 shadow cabinet meeting.

After terminating a press conference on Wednesday when he was asked about the claims, first published in 2011, Channel Ten revealed that the Prime Minister’s office had pulled him from the schedule after a viral editorial on the New Zealand mosque massacre by broadcaster Aly.

[mr friendly guy]

If the coalition are still pandering to racists, it saves me time researching policy from all the major parties for the election. Just vote anyone but the Coalition (or One nation or what Clive Palmer's party is called these days). This will translate into the ALP or the Greens, since the others most probably aren't worth a damn in terms of influencing policy.

[madd0ct0r]

Arden continues to impress.

Jacinda Ardern has said she will render the person accused over the Christchurch terrorist attack “nameless” and urged the public to speak the victims’ names instead. Addressing parliament for the first time since Friday’s attack, the New Zealand prime minister said the accused would face “the full force of the law in New Zealand” but that she would never speak his name.

Opening with the Arabic greeting “as-salaam Alaikum”, she said the day of the attack would “now be forever a day etched in our collective memories”.
“He sought many things from his act of terror but one was notoriety, that is why you will never hear me mention his name,” she said of the gunman. “He is a terrorist. He is a criminal. He is an extremist. But he will, when I speak, be nameless.

“And to others, I implore you: speak the names of those who were lost rather than the name of the man who took them. He may have sought notoriety but we, in New Zealand, will give nothing – not even his name.”

was there any substance to her? That question is asked of all women leaders. What is underneath? Where is the steel?

Now, in the most horrific of circumstances, we have seen the steel. We have seen the qualities that define leadership in such a way that it is clear she is a lioness and that to call so many of our current leaders donkeys is a disservice to hardworking donkeys the world over.

She has communicated quickly and immediately, giving New Zealanders as much information as she could. She has given them a language in which to talk about the unspeakable, to vocalise the shock and sadness. “They are us,” she said simply of the dead and wounded. The “othering” of Muslims as separate, as somehow different, as not quite belonging, was felled in one swoop. “They are us.”

choking back tears here.

[bilateralrope]

Details on the gun control being proposed

That's a wrap from the Prime Minister's press conference.
To recap:

All Military Style Semi-Automatic weapons and assault weapons have been banned effective immediately.

The Government has also moved to ban a number of accessories which can take lower capacity semi-automatic to weapons of far greater killing capacity.

Related parts used to convert those guns into MSSAs are also being banned, along with all high-capacity magazines.

There will be an amnesty period, with a buy-back scheme to pay gun owners fair market value for the surrender of their weapons to police. Details of that are yet to be announced.

And an important PSA: There will be an online form made available in the next few days to begin the surrendering process to police.

Do not bring your guns to a police station unannounced.

And National has thrown its full weight behind the law changes.
Leader of the Opposition Simon Bridges has welcomed the changes proposed by the Government today to reform our firearms legislation.

“The terrorist attack in Christchurch last week has changed us as a nation.

“National has been clear since this devastating attack that we support changes to our regime and that we will work constructively with the Government.

“We agree that the public doesn’t need access to military style semi-automatic weapons. National supports them being banned along with assault rifles.

“We also support the Government’s proposals to limit the access to other high powered semi-automatic weapons and ammunition.

“We remain committed to ensuring the safety of New Zealanders and fighting extremism in all forms.

“National will work constructively with the Government to ensure we get this right.”

With National and Labour in agreement, this is going to get passed.

More detail

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced a ban on military style, semi-automatic guns and assault rifles in the wake of the Christchurch mosque shootings.

She also announced immediate action to prevent stock-piling, and a buyback scheme that could cost anywhere between $100m and $200m.

However, Cabinet had still to consider issues surrounding a gun register.

Speaking on Thursday in Wedllington, announcing the stronger gun laws, she said changes to the laws after the Aramona massacre in 1990, and subsequent additions in following years, did not go far enough.

She reaffirmed there were a large number of loopholes in the laws.

"On 15 March our history changed forever. Now, our laws will too. We are announcing action today [Thursday] on behalf of all New Zealanders to strengthen our gun laws and make our country a safer place," Ardern said.

All semi-automatic weapons used during the terrorist attack on Friday would be banned.

Related parts used to convert these guns into MSSAs would also be banned, along with all high-capacity magazines.

An amnesty will be put in place for weapons to be handed in, and Cabinet had directed officials to develop a buyback scheme, she said.

"I strongly believe that the vast majority of legitimate gun owners in New Zealand will understand that these moves are in the national interest, and will take these changes in their stride."

When Australia undertook similar reforms, their approach was to allow for exemptions for farmers upon application, including for pest control and animal welfare.

New Zealand has taken similar action to identify the weapons legitimately required in those areas, and preclude them, she said.

"Legislation to give effect to the ban will be introduced when Parliament sits in the first week of April. We will provide a short, sharp select committee process for feedback on the technical aspects of the changes. We are looking to progress the amendments to this legislation under urgency and expect these amendments to the Arms Act to be passed within the next session of Parliament," Ardern said.

Police Minister Stuart Nash said the Bill would include narrow exemptions for legitimate business use, which would include professional pest control.

Police and the Defence Force will also have exemptions and issues like access for mainstream international sporting competitions were also being worked through, he said.

"We have also acknowledged that some guns serve legitimate purposes in our farming communities, and have therefore set out exemptions for 0.22 calibre rifles and shotguns commonly used for duck hunting. These will have limitations around their capacity."

While the legislation was being drafted, the Government would take immediate action on Thursday to restrict the potential stock-piling of these guns and encourage people to continue to surrender their firearms, Nash said.

Earlier on Thursday afternoon, an Order in Council of the Arms Act was signed by the Governor-General to reclassify a wider range of semi-automatic weapons under the Act. It came into effect at 3pm Thursday.

"This interim measure will ensure that all of the weapons being banned under amendments to the Arms Act are now categorised as weapons requiring an E endorsement on a firearms licence.

"The effect of this is that it will prevent the sale of MSSAs and assault rifles to people with A category gun licences," he said.

The Order in Council was a transitional measure until the wider ban took effect.

There would be transitionary measures for gun owners to hand in their guns to police to hold until details of a buyback were announced.

"Again, we encourage gun owners to phone in to police ahead of time to advise them they are bringing their guns in to the station," Nash said.

The actions announced would be the first step of the Government's response.

It would be developing stronger and more effective licensing rules, storage requirements and penalties for not complying with gun regulations.

Cabinet agreed to overhaul the law when it met on Monday, 72 hours after the horrific terrorism act in Christchurch.

[mr friendly guy]

Idiot washed up sports star Sam Newman thought it was awesome making fun of Arderns accent as grating, which is a pasttime in Australia making fun of kiwi accents. However it's not the appropriate time and he got roasted. Obviously it's grating on his ears, she didn't once make a racist or homophobic statement.

Wonder if it's worth a cling these guys by suggesting New Zealand adopts a Trump style Australian ban, but I suspect the satire would be beyond them.

[mr friendly guy]

Idiot washed up sports star Sam Newman thought it was awesome making fun of Arderns accent as grating, which is a pasttime in Australia making fun of kiwi accents. However it's not the appropriate time and he got roasted. Obviously it's grating on his ears, she didn't once make a racist or homophobic statement.

Wonder if it's worth a cling these guys by suggesting New Zealand adopts a Trump style Australian ban, but I suspect the satire would be beyond them.

Stupid autocorrect, it should be mocking these guys.

[Gandalf]

SBS addresses the elephant in the room regarding Ardern's "this is not us" comment.

Some Maori leaders are recalling ancient colonial atrocities as they reject Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's "this is not us" response to the killing of 50 Muslim worshippers in Christchurch.

It has been widely adopted as a tagline by New Zealanders horrified by the mosque massacres but Maori are sending out another message: this wasn't the first time.

Ngati Rangi leader Che Wilson recalled the invasion and destruction by Crown troops of the Parihaka settlement in Taranaki in 1881.

"They were all promoting peace, they were praying - the Crown wanted their land and destroyed their lives," he told Radio New Zealand.

"The fact that we are saying 'this is not us' is denying the fact that it has happened in our nation before."

Waikato University associate professor Tom Roa said Crown troops set fire to a whare karakia (church) in Rangiaowhia in 1864 during morning prayer, incinerating those inside.

"We have this story about an eight-year-old boy who ran out of the burning whare. He was shot dead."

Prof Roa said New Zealanders were responding to the mosque killings in the right way.

"But it causes an itch with statements like 'this is our darkest day'."

Maori Council executive director Matthew Tutaki said there was racism within New Zealand communities.

"I don't want to see the opportunity pass us by that we don't have an honest conversation about the fact that racism is alive and kicking."

[bilateralrope]

Judith Collins tells US lobby group NRA to 'bugger off' over New Zealand gun reform

National Party MP and former police minister Judith Collins has told the National Rifle Association to "bugger off" out of New Zealand's affairs as it prepares to introduce sweeping gun law reforms following the deaths of 50 people in an attack on two Christchurch mosques.

Collins said that when she sought to introduce gun law reforms during her two stints as police minister, she was inundated by lobbying from a small, vocal and passionate group of lobbyists from New Zealand's gun industry.

She told the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age that these lobbyists typically directed massive amounts of material that appeared to be sourced directly from the National Rifle Association to her office and those of other MPs.

"They talked about how we were trying to take away their Second Amendment rights to own guns. We don't have a right to bear arms. To own a gun in New Zealand is absolutely a privilege and not a right," she said.

"When I met with these lobbyists they spoke the language of the NRA."

She said she had again begun receiving similar material, but now deleted them without reading.

"Firstly, I am no longer the police minister so I don't have to read them. But also I know what my position is and it is not going to change. We have lost 50 people."

Earlier this week it was reported that Nicole McKee from the New Zealand Council of Licensed Firearm Owners had received messages of condolence from the NRA on the weekend after the shooting.

"The first point of correspondence has been about sharing the grief and acknowledging the terrorist attack," she told Newshub.

She said her organisation had not been given any advice on potential changes to the gun legislation.

"There's been lots of offers of help which has been great, but until we understand and know what the Government intent is no one can help us with anything."

Collins said she fully supports the Government's move to ban semi-automatic weapons with magazines that hold more than five rounds, and urged the Government to go further by introducing a gun registry.

She said she understood the current police minister, Stuart Nash, had begun receiving the same sort of lobbying material that she did when in the role.

As police minister, Collins was able to introduce just two minor gun law reforms.

High-powered air rifles were categorised as firearms after a police officer was shot dead with one, and pistol grips for military-style semi automatic weapons were banned to make them harder to fire from the hip.

The NRA is widely viewed as America's most feared lobby group, with the political power to shape policy simply by publishing pre-election rankings of candidate's stance on gun policy.

When American politicians step "out of line," not only does the NRA campaign against them, they typically channel massive amounts of funding to their opponents.

This is how I like to see politicians respond to the NRA.

Also, the police charged the terrorist with the murder of someone who is still alive. That mistake will be corrected.

[Ritterin Sophia]

Same reason he said "subscribe to PewDiePie": now the media are (again) calling for Pewds to be banned, and his ~90 million fans are going "WTF?!" and finding out about the shooter's manifesto.

Good, PDP is just playing dumb and I think it's time we stop pretending he is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-ltfxVv07k

[The Romulan Republic]

Judith Collins tells US lobby group NRA to 'bugger off' over New Zealand gun reform

National Party MP and former police minister Judith Collins has told the National Rifle Association to "bugger off" out of New Zealand's affairs as it prepares to introduce sweeping gun law reforms following the deaths of 50 people in an attack on two Christchurch mosques.

Collins said that when she sought to introduce gun law reforms during her two stints as police minister, she was inundated by lobbying from a small, vocal and passionate group of lobbyists from New Zealand's gun industry.

She told the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age that these lobbyists typically directed massive amounts of material that appeared to be sourced directly from the National Rifle Association to her office and those of other MPs.

"They talked about how we were trying to take away their Second Amendment rights to own guns. We don't have a right to bear arms. To own a gun in New Zealand is absolutely a privilege and not a right," she said.

"When I met with these lobbyists they spoke the language of the NRA."

She said she had again begun receiving similar material, but now deleted them without reading.

"Firstly, I am no longer the police minister so I don't have to read them. But also I know what my position is and it is not going to change. We have lost 50 people."

Earlier this week it was reported that Nicole McKee from the New Zealand Council of Licensed Firearm Owners had received messages of condolence from the NRA on the weekend after the shooting.

"The first point of correspondence has been about sharing the grief and acknowledging the terrorist attack," she told Newshub.

She said her organisation had not been given any advice on potential changes to the gun legislation.

"There's been lots of offers of help which has been great, but until we understand and know what the Government intent is no one can help us with anything."

Collins said she fully supports the Government's move to ban semi-automatic weapons with magazines that hold more than five rounds, and urged the Government to go further by introducing a gun registry.

She said she understood the current police minister, Stuart Nash, had begun receiving the same sort of lobbying material that she did when in the role.

As police minister, Collins was able to introduce just two minor gun law reforms.

High-powered air rifles were categorised as firearms after a police officer was shot dead with one, and pistol grips for military-style semi automatic weapons were banned to make them harder to fire from the hip.

The NRA is widely viewed as America's most feared lobby group, with the political power to shape policy simply by publishing pre-election rankings of candidate's stance on gun policy.

When American politicians step "out of line," not only does the NRA campaign against them, they typically channel massive amounts of funding to their opponents.

This is how I like to see politicians respond to the NRA.

Also, the police charged the terrorist with the murder of someone who is still alive. That mistake will be corrected.

Wow, I just love that they claimed a violation of their Second Amendment rights in New Zealand. They... do know that the US Constitution is not, in fact, the World Constitution, don't they?

Don't they?

[U.P. Cinnabar]

Of course not. Americans claim universal jurisdiction over all other countries, at the same time they bitch and moan about "globalists" and "the ebbil UN" eroding American sovereignty.

[bilateralrope]

The gun reform goes into law next week.

New gun bill around assault rifles and military-style assault rifles passes third reading, will become law

The banning of a range of rifles will become law less than a month after the massacre that prompted the swift change.

In parliament on Wednesday night MPs of all political persuasions overwhelmingly voted in favour of The Arms (Prohibited Firearms, Magazines and parts) Amendment Bill after its crucial third reading.

The law, which needs Royal Assent, will become law by the end of the week. It will mean there will be a ban on all semi-automatic and military-style weapons, such as those used during the Christchurch terrorist attack that killed 50 and injured dozens.

In parliament on Wednesday night an at times emotional Police Minister Stuart Nash reminded people that there were still many people suffering from the effects of the March 15 attack.

"Families and friends have been tending to the 14 people still lying in hospital beds recovering from gunshot wounds and other injuries.

"That includes a five year old girl at Starship in Auckland, and her father in the hospital next door.

One patient remains in intensive care in Christchurch Hospital. Others are at Burwood."

He said that the legislation is just the first step of many to "make our country safer".

Nash also made mention of law-abiding gun owners.

"There are good people in all of our communities who will find themselves in possession of banned firearms, parts and magazines.

"This is because we are changing the law, not because these people have done anything wrong."

All MPs voted in favour of the bill, except ACT's David Seymour who had said there hadn't been enough consultation with the public.

Earlier in the day Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern reflected on her hospital visit to victims of the mosque shootings.

Ardern, who was the first to speak during the reading of the bill, said she was proud of the work that had been done to get the bill passed.

"We are ultimately here because 50 people died and they do not have a voice. We in this house are their voice. Today we can use that voice wisely."

She told the House the weapons used in the Christchurch terror attack were designed to kill.

When she visited the hospital, not one victim had just one gunshot wound, she said.

"I struggle to recall any single gunshot wounds. In every case they spoke of multiple injuries, multiple debilitating injuries that deemed it impossible for them to recover in days, let alone weeks. They will carry disabilities for a lifetime and that's before you consider the psychological impact. We are here for them."

She recalled how after the attack she spoke to the Police Commissioner and how he described to her the nature of the attack that had occurred, the nature of the weapons that had been used - and that they had been obtained legally.

"I could not fathom how weapons that could cause such destruction and large scale death, could be obtained legally in this country."

Straight after that she made the decision to ban the weapons, knowing parliament would be with her, she said.

"We are here just 26 days after the most devastating terrorist attacks created the darkest of days in New Zealand's history," she said.

"We are here as an almost entirely united Parliament… there have been very few occasions when I have seen Parliament come together in this way and I can not imagine circumstances where that is more necessary than it is now."

She had heard a minority argument about process.

"My question here is simple. You either believe that here in New Zealand that these weapons have a place or you do not. If you believe, like us, that they do not, you should be able to believe we can move swiftly.

"An argument about process is an argument to do nothing."

The law was not demonising legitimate use of firearms and she took the feedback as an endorsement that fair and legitimate use had been acknowledged and responded to within the new law, she said.

She also acknowledged the buyback scheme for compensation, which would be worked up over the next few weeks.

"We will operate fairly."

National's police spokesman Chris Bishop spoke on behalf of National in support of the bill and wanted to acknowledge the Prime Minister for her remarks and her leadership in the hours and days following the shooting.

"I have received many comments in the last few weeks around your leadership. I think all of New Zealand has been impressed by your steadfastness in time of great trial for our country."

Earlier, during the final stages, before the third reading, Bishop tabled amendments on Firearm Prohibition Orders and international sporting competitions, which National would like to have seen included in the bill.

He was outvoted and said he hoped they could still be considered during the second tranche of gun laws.

As for that one MP who voted against the change, earlier this month he was too busy talking to the press about how he opposed gun reform going through under urgency to vote against it going through under urgency.