New Zealand is Ready to Double Down on Gun Control
Jose Nino
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In the wake of the mass shootings on March 15, 2019, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern pledged to change the country’s gun laws., which is political speak for doubling down on gun control.
At a news conference, Ardern stated “While work is being done as to the chain of events that led to both the holding of this gun license and the possession of these weapons, I can tell you one thing right now: Our gun laws will change.”
The Prime Minster also added:
There were two semi-automatic weapons and two shotguns. The offender was in possession of a gun license. I’m advised this was acquired in November of 2017. A lever-action firearm was also found.
According to Arden, the suspect is an Australian citizen charged with murder who acquired a gun license in November 2017 and began legally purchasing his firearms a month later.
Before Friday’s shooting, the country’s deadliest mass shooting was in 1990. In that event, 13 people were murdered in Aramoana. This massacre spurred the New Zealand government to impose restrictions on semi-automatic firearms.
Despite conventional talking points about New Zealand having “lax” gun control, gun ownership is treated as a regulated privilege and features universal background checks on all gun sales and transfers.
Nevertheless, this shooting has created enough hysteria to propel the New Zealand political class to take action. This was on similar display during the timeframes of the Las Vegas and Parkland massacres, which catalyzed states across the nation to pass gun control.
Anti-gun hysteria is through the roof, so we can expect more calls for gun control and see anti-gun memes permeate throughout the general culture.
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