Gun Ban Being Disobeyed By New Zealand Citizens

Following the mass shootings at two mosques in Christchurch back in March, the New Zealand government has attempted to disarm its citizens.

Following the attack, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced moves to ban semi-automatic weapons. They were banned within a week of the shootings with legislation rushed through Parliament and passed within a month.

So far only 530 weapons out of 300,000 have been handed in.

The Free Thought Project reports: The terrorist who murdered 50 people earlier this year was engaging in a classic propaganda of the deed in which he predicted—accurately—that his murder would spark the restriction of gun rights. Lawmakers took his bait.

“On 15 March, our history changed forever. Now, our laws will too,” said Ardern as she carried out the will of this terrorist. “We are announcing action today on behalf of all New Zealanders to strengthen our gun laws and make our country a safer place.”

“What we’re banning today are the things used in last Friday’s attack,” she said, adding: “It’s about all of us, it’s in the national interest and it’s about safety.”

According to a new report from the NZ Herald, however, the citizens feel “safer” by holding on to their guns.

It is estimated that roughly 250,000 people own the recently-banned semi-automatic weapons in New Zealand. Estimates show that these 250,000 gun owners — who were turned into criminals overnight by their government — own around 300,000 firearms.

Since the government attempted to disarm these 250,000 people, only 530 guns have been turned in. 

Government officials are attributing the lack of gun turn-ins to citizens wanting to be properly compensated for their weapons. However, the complexity of this situation is likely far different.

“If they are being serious about their considerations and ensuring that there is fair and reasonable compensation, then firearm owners will wait a bit longer to make sure it is just and it is fair when it is received,” Nicole McKee, Secretary of the Council of Licensed Firearm Owners, told the NZ Herald.

“We are effectively being punished for the acts of a foreign terrorist, and we want to make sure that our personal and private property is adequately compensated when it is confiscated,” she said.

But in reality, the people likely don’t want to disarm themselves as this is their only defense against these terrorists. Sure, people don’t simply want to be robbed of their property without compensation. However, there is no amount of money that can compensate someone into being defenseless.

As TFTP has previously noted, depending on the current government, life in disarmed societies can go on peacefully for a while. However, in some cases, citizens — men women and children — are slaughtered by the millions as corrupt government officials and criminals become the only ones to have guns.