New Zealand is mourning 50 people killed in a white nationalist terrorism attack against Muslims in Christchurch. And the country's leaders have mobilized the grief to create some fast-moving changes to gun laws for the Kiwis.
The Associated Press reported "military style" semi-automatic guns are targeted in a new ban: "The ban includes any semi-automatic guns or shotguns that are capable of being used with a detachable magazine that holds more than five rounds. It also extends to accessories used to convert guns into what the government called 'military-style' weapons."
Americans wish our friends in New Zealand all the best. But we've been through this before. Semi-automatic weapons are used by duck hunters. And turkey hunters. And dove hunters. Unless somebody in a blind is using a vintage single-shot, or maybe an old-fashioned pump, the shotguns are semi-automatic. Deer hunting rifles too, for the most part. But it has become a thing for those who don't know much about guns to demand a ban on semi-automatic weapons. As if just throwing in the word "automatic" makes it automatically a problem.
Also, how would banning "military style" weapons help? You mean ban rifles that are painted black? Maybe with a pistol grip? Maybe with a flash suppressor, too, so it looks like something from the movies? Military-style weapons, i.e., those rifles that look cool, don't shoot any faster, or any more accurately, or any more deadly, than your standard 30.06 deer rifle.
New Zealand's political leaders say they want to take other steps, such as getting rid of large magazines. If they can actually do it, that would probably have more effect on limiting mass shootings than banning guns because they've been painted a certain color.
The gun debate--whether on these shores or another--would lead to better solutions if everybody understood the definitions of things and understood how the machinery works.
It's unclear if new laws will prevent another mass shooting in New Zealand, but we definitely wish our friends there the best of luck. Meanwhile, our nation should get back to work on increasing mental health-care availability and establishing those universal background checks. We think that would be better than banning guns because they look cool.
Editorial on 03/24/2019