Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts suggests New Zealand gun control is a model for United States lawmakers.
Watts responded to news that New Zealand plans to ban all semiautomatic rifles by tweeting:
Watts did not point out that the attacker possessed five guns–legally–and only two of those were semiautomatic rifles. Therefore, even with a ban, he would have possessed the majority of his weapons for the attack.
Moreover, Watts did not mention that New Zealand has all of the gun controls Democrats are pushing for in the U.S. None of those controls, however, prevented the mosque attacks.
On March 15, 2019, Breitbart News reported that New Zealand requires all would-be gun owners to acquire a license. The acquisition of that license includes background checks into criminal, mental, and health history. The checks also include interviews with immediate family and require the license applicant to submit third-party references. Once a license is obtained, the individual is allowed general firearm purchases. New Zealand Police noted that a “specific endorsement” is required if the individual wishes to buy a “military style semiautomatic, pistol, and restricted weapon.” And GunPolicy.org reported that “handguns, military-style semi-automatic and restricted firearms” have registration requirements not in place for general firearm purchases.
Moreover, “licensed firearm dealers [in New Zealand] are required to keep a record of each firearm or ammunition purchase, sale or transfer on behalf of a regulating authority.”
Yet the attacks occurred, and the New Zealand government is reacting by increasing gun control. Shannon Watts bemoans the fact that U.S. lawmakers will not go all in for gun control as well.
AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.