There was a terrible terrorist attack overnight in New Zealand. At least 49 people who were at two different mosques for Friday prayers were gunned down by what appears to be a group of four shooters. There are an avalanche of reports on this horrendous crime, but I want to focus on just two things:
1. The attack was carried out with various "assault style" weapons. In New Zealand, it is not possible to buy such a weapon without passing a detailed background check run by the national police. The police have the last word on just who can and who cannot buy a gun, and that is any gun. It is the equivalent of universal background checks on steroids. Further, some of the weapons used by the terrorists appear to be of a sort that are even further restricted in New Zealand. These weapons can only be purchased if the buyer can show a valid need for the rifle. None of these gun laws are being mentioned in the media.
It's important to note the New Zealand gun laws because they impact on the debate here in the USA on various gun control legislation. The big push for the legislation is that it will supposedly stop mass shootings. Well, they have the law in NZ and it didn't stop this horrific massacre.
2. Every media report I've seen about the attack keeps repeating that the shooters were white or Caucasian. For example, in a 90 second report on CBS radio news this morning, the listeners were told six different times that the shooters were white. I understand that this is a relevant fact and should be reported. Nevertheless, when a mass shooting happens in the USA, we can go for days without learning that the perpetrator was a minority. Remember the terrorist attack on the Christmas party in Southern California that killed 15 a few years back? It took three days before the shooters were identified as Muslim and even more before it was labeled a terrorist act.
Don't get me wrong. I'm in favor of full disclosure of all the facts. I want the identity of the shooters announced to the public as quickly as it is known. If they are white racists like in NZ, that should be announced. But if they are Islamic terrorists that too should be announced. The politically correct limitations followed by the media in their reporting of this sort of terrible event should be jettisoned.
1. The attack was carried out with various "assault style" weapons. In New Zealand, it is not possible to buy such a weapon without passing a detailed background check run by the national police. The police have the last word on just who can and who cannot buy a gun, and that is any gun. It is the equivalent of universal background checks on steroids. Further, some of the weapons used by the terrorists appear to be of a sort that are even further restricted in New Zealand. These weapons can only be purchased if the buyer can show a valid need for the rifle. None of these gun laws are being mentioned in the media.
It's important to note the New Zealand gun laws because they impact on the debate here in the USA on various gun control legislation. The big push for the legislation is that it will supposedly stop mass shootings. Well, they have the law in NZ and it didn't stop this horrific massacre.
2. Every media report I've seen about the attack keeps repeating that the shooters were white or Caucasian. For example, in a 90 second report on CBS radio news this morning, the listeners were told six different times that the shooters were white. I understand that this is a relevant fact and should be reported. Nevertheless, when a mass shooting happens in the USA, we can go for days without learning that the perpetrator was a minority. Remember the terrorist attack on the Christmas party in Southern California that killed 15 a few years back? It took three days before the shooters were identified as Muslim and even more before it was labeled a terrorist act.
Don't get me wrong. I'm in favor of full disclosure of all the facts. I want the identity of the shooters announced to the public as quickly as it is known. If they are white racists like in NZ, that should be announced. But if they are Islamic terrorists that too should be announced. The politically correct limitations followed by the media in their reporting of this sort of terrible event should be jettisoned.
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