I was intrigued by New Zealander Elliot Dawson’s recent comment that, “New Zealand is not America. America is a totally different situation. I think in America it would be probably more dangerous to take people's guns away. But here, I don't think we need them at all.” (New Zealand citizens open to gun reform after massacre at mosques,” Tribune March 17.)
What would lead a mass shooting survivor to feel that reforming gun laws in the United States would be more dangerous than allowing individuals to maintain their current firearms? Prior to the recent tragedy in Christchurch, the last mass shooting the country experienced was 22 years ago in Raurimu, in which six individuals were killed.