‘We Are One’ was the catch cry after the Christchurch Mosque shootings. Some consequences of that tragedy made a mockery of what unity we may have had, when the NZ Government and the NZ Police began targeting responsible, law abiding NZ firearms owners and stripping them of their rights when in fact, it was the NZ police who were wholly responsible for mistakes that led to the tragedy.

Caught up in the propaganda that followed, most Kiwis didn’t appreciate that once rights are removed from one sector of the population, they may be so easily stripped from another. So, we are not one, because we are not being treated the same. The government passed laws without consultation, with no research as to what the problems were, or who was actually responsible, while simultaneously covering up police failings. This is not justice and not acceptable.

Chaz Forsyth President of Sporting Shooters Association says "that’s not good enough in a democratic society. It feels more like a dictatorship with Government controlling the narrative (propaganda) and fast tracking laws made on the basis of ideology not reality."

There is a huge cost to this, in eroding respect for the political system and the NZ police, by licensed firearms owners, whose co-operation is needed, their family and friends and also by the general public as well. There’s also the massive cost in financing these new laws (upwards of $300 million) that will achieve nothing, but instead will make the situation worse and cost taxpayers large sums of money for no good outcome. That money is desperately needed for worthwhile things like hospitals, schools and transport. In addition, there will be another huge cost in the downstream effect on our environment as people are forced away from hunting and as a result game animals such as deer and pests like possums and wallabies may well explode out of control and our native bush will be seriously affected. Is that what the Goverment really wants? It’s certainly not what the outdoor loving NZ public want.

Government propaganda may try to give the impression that we are one with their ideology and with it the notion that all will be well. However, there are an increasing number who think about these things and are concerned about deeper issues and the eroding of the rights that responsible people in this country have. One such group is responsible firearm owners (240,000 plus) and their affected families and friends. Other people need to take note as they may be next. We are one when we agree on solutions that work, not when dumb decisions are made by those in power.

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