A young
person died as a result of a combination of drinking and guns yesterday in Manurewa.
This is not the first time that this deadly combination has brought about the
needless death. It poses several questions.
Why do we
sell these high-powered airguns in NZ? What purpose do they serve, especially in a
city? Why not are the same rules applied as we have re storage and use for
other guns in New Zealand? We do not want a situation that is anywhere near as
crazy as the one existing in the USA.
Guns if we must
have them, should be registered and stored in a manner that makes such ‘accidents’
less likely. I can see no valid reason at all for them to be kept in the home,
in a city or town. They cannot be used in the back yard; even so-called
airguns. These guns are not like the ones we had many years back. Those, that I
remember didn’t even hurt when we got shot, if we managed to hit one another. I
well remember a few good ‘boots up the arse’ (yes I know---spelt differently
and possibly a different meaning to that in the USA!) when caught, back on the
farm, but in the city---hell, think about it.
Unless in a
rural or hunting situation, guns have no use---OK I will admit that gun clubs
are OK, but under very strict controls. In NZ, I can never accept that guns
have a place in the homes of our cities. Only the criminals have them generally
and thank God, that has not permeated to the extent that it has, to the point
of a ‘right’ in the USA.
We are going
to have ‘hunting’ accidents from time to time in New Zealand, but generally
that sector of our population is responsible in how they use and store their guns.
The death just reported in Manurewa was both avoidable and tragic. One does
wonder what supervision was practised around those two guns. (There was also a handgun
present.) The facts will come out about this death and it should serve as a
timely reminder that we have a long way to go around the ownership, use and
storage of guns. If alcohol is present of course, all bets are off.
