# Mass shootings at mosques in New Zealand **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 15, 2019, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-shootings-at-mosques-in-new-zealand/831169 "2019-03-15T04:15:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-shootings-at-mosques-in-new-zealand/831169/21 "2019-03-15T13:35:01Z")
One of the gunmen cited right-wing figure Candace Owens [as his inspiration. Her reaction](https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Candace-Owens-reportedly-influenced-alleged-13690808.php) was “LOL!” and a laughing emoji, and to blame “The Left” for implying a connection between her and the shooting. Lady, it isn’t about you - save your laughter for an occasion where laughter is appropriate. How about “While I have no idea how my words could have inspired such an act, that’s not important right now. I join the people of New Zealand in mourning these senseless deaths.” How hard would that have been? ---
**Author:** ![Covfefe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ee7513/32.png) [@Covfefe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covfefe)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-shootings-at-mosques-in-new-zealand/831169/22 "2019-03-15T13:51:06Z")
Owens reacted like that? Yesterday must been a day that ends with the letter Y. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-shootings-at-mosques-in-new-zealand/831169/23 "2019-03-15T14:38:44Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > How about “While I have no idea how my words could have inspired such an act, that’s not important right now. I join the people of New Zealand in mourning these senseless deaths.” How hard would that have been? Pretty hard to do if deep down she actually things the deaths are terriffic. Which sounds like she might. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-shootings-at-mosques-in-new-zealand/831169/24 "2019-03-15T14:51:20Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Pretty hard to do if deep down she actually things the deaths are terriffic. Which sounds like she might. I doubt she finds death terrific, but no less troubling is that she finds it hard to process the magnitude of the tragedy. She’s indifferent, which in many regards is just as bad. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-shootings-at-mosques-in-new-zealand/831169/25 "2019-03-15T14:56:59Z")
Condolences pouring in from around the world. Have not seen anything from Trump yet. Will he say that some shooters at mosques are very good people? ---
**Author:** ![Covfefe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ee7513/32.png) [@Covfefe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covfefe)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-shootings-at-mosques-in-new-zealand/831169/26 "2019-03-15T14:59:46Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Pretty hard to do if deep down she actually things the deaths are terriffic. Which sounds like she might. She’s a shameless grifter, startlingly transparent in her case. She would hold hands in harmony with Muslims if that’s where the money led her. ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-shootings-at-mosques-in-new-zealand/831169/27 "2019-03-15T15:02:27Z")
Remember when Stefan Molyneux and Lauren Southern went on their [Australia & New Zealand pro-white, anti-Muslim/diversity tour](https://youtu.be/mUR9U6Srj7g?t=206) a few months ago? This is the same people who publish daily hours long rants on their youtube channels questioning the validity of non-whites existing in the west (or in Southern’s case, traveling to the Europe to [enable the drowning of African Migrants](https://youtu.be/YmcK6GvgVPs?t=148)). When will my country (Canada) be properly labeled as an exporter of extremism/terrorism? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-shootings-at-mosques-in-new-zealand/831169/28 "2019-03-15T15:03:57Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Condolences pouring in from around the world. Have not seen anything from Trump yet. Will he say that some shooters at mosques are very good people? [There was a tweet at 7:41.](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/03/15/donald-trump-white-house-condemn-mass-killing-new-zealand/3172166002/) Also noted there: somebody deleted that tweet about “tough people”. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-shootings-at-mosques-in-new-zealand/831169/29 "2019-03-15T15:27:25Z")
Jesus Christ…in New Zealand of all places? I’d never imagine something like this happening there. (Sadly I can imagine it quite easily in America - I mean, I don’t need to imagine it, since it’s already happened so many times.) ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-shootings-at-mosques-in-new-zealand/831169/30 "2019-03-15T15:39:59Z")
Latest: [Iranian minister says bigotry led to attack.](https://abcnews.go.com/ABCNews/wireStory/latest-uae-diplomat-offers-condolence-shooting-61704308) Ya think? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-shootings-at-mosques-in-new-zealand/831169/31 "2019-03-15T15:46:51Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > One of the gunmen cited right-wing figure Candace Owens [as his inspiration. Her reaction](https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Candace-Owens-reportedly-influenced-alleged-13690808.php) was “LOL!” and a laughing emoji, and to blame “The Left” for implying a connection between her and the shooting. She’s a troll, she’s hated by white racists for insinuating herself into right-wing politics in the US, and the shooter was parroting racist memes in trolling her right back. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-shootings-at-mosques-in-new-zealand/831169/32 "2019-03-15T15:57:37Z")
> [@orcenio](#): > > When will my country (Canada) be properly labeled as an exporter of extremism/terrorism? It took us a hell of a long time to deal with Ernst Zundel and we never properly dealt with Omar Khadr’s family. We have provincial politicians who said Islamophobia doesn’t exist on the anniversary of a mass murder at a mosque. Within the past month the federal leader of the opposition spoke to a rally of racists and neo-nazis on Parliament Hill. But at least nobody has heard from the Neo-Nazi from Montreal ever since there was a warrant issued for his arrest. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-shootings-at-mosques-in-new-zealand/831169/33 "2019-03-15T16:01:00Z")
Since I don’t feel like doing the research, anyone want to chime in on NZ weapon-control laws and if they had any – good or bad – effect on this event? ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-shootings-at-mosques-in-new-zealand/831169/34 "2019-03-15T16:47:53Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Since I don’t feel like doing the research, anyone want to chime in on NZ weapon-control laws and if they had any – good or bad – effect on this event? [Here](https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/15/asia/new-zealand-gun-control-intl/index.html) is CNN’s take, FWIW: > [@](#): > > Following that attack, the nation’s gun laws – which were first passed in 1983 – came under scrutiny. The ensuing debate led to a 1993 amendment on the regulation of military-style semi-automatic firearms. > > Despite those laws, New Zealand’s weapons legislation is considered more relaxed than most Western countries outside of the USA. Gun owners do need a license but they aren’t required to register their guns – unlike in neighboring Australia. > > While authorities do not know exactly how many legally or illegally owned firearms are currently in circulation in New Zealand, estimates put the number at about 1.2 million, according to New Zealand Police. This figure equates to about one gun for every three people – a rate that is considered high when compared with Australia, which has 3.15 million guns, approximately one for every eight people. > [@](#): > > Potential gun owners in New Zealand must be over the age of 16 and pass a police background check, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Not sure gun control laws have much to do with this sort of random mass shooting, though. From what I understand, the guy who did this attack is Australian, which has tighter gun control laws than New Zealand according to CNN. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-shootings-at-mosques-in-new-zealand/831169/35 "2019-03-15T17:41:05Z")
New Zealand can probably do more to regulate firearms, but nothing is going to stop the occasional nutter from doing something like this. It’s times like this when I wonder what, if anything, should we be doing about ‘taking away the microphone’ from people who troll with hatred. I’m not a fan of restricting speech, particularly if it’s the government being the arbiter or censor, but I think there’s clearly a responsibility of companies like Google, Facebook, et al to do more to police this kind of shit. In all fairness, though, it seems like much of this took place in seedy, underground chat rooms and web boards. Maybe it’s time to start shining the spotlight on companies that play host to these animals. Which websites did he visit? Who owns them? Who hosts them? ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-shootings-at-mosques-in-new-zealand/831169/36 "2019-03-15T18:12:10Z")
Fox & Friends blames the shootings on socialism. > **[‘Fox & Friends’: Socialism Set Off New Zealand Mosque Shooting Suspect](https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-and-friends-socialism-set-off-new-zealand-mosque-shooting-suspect)** > > ‘He talks about socialism, left-wing, right-wing, birth rates,’ Ainsley Earhardt says of her takeaway from online manifesto. ‘He says this was to avenge the deaths of his people.’ ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-shootings-at-mosques-in-new-zealand/831169/37 "2019-03-15T18:12:19Z")
> [@orcenio](#): > > Remember when Stefan Molyneux and Lauren Southern went on their [Australia & New Zealand pro-white, anti-Muslim/diversity tour](https://youtu.be/mUR9U6Srj7g?t=206) a few months ago? This is the same people who publish daily hours long rants on their youtube channels questioning the validity of non-whites existing in the west (or in Southern’s case, traveling to the Europe to [enable the drowning of African Migrants](https://youtu.be/YmcK6GvgVPs?t=148)). > > When will my country (Canada) be properly labeled as an exporter of extremism/terrorism? It seems that [Lauren Southern deleted](https://twitter.com/Hbomberguy/status/1106517392576913409) her “The Great Replacement” video (Muslims are replacing Whites in the west, White-genocide, etc.) as the murderer’s alleged manifesto used the theory as its title. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-shootings-at-mosques-in-new-zealand/831169/38 "2019-03-15T18:37:22Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Fox & Friends blames the shootings on socialism. > [‘Fox & Friends’: Socialism Set Off New Zealand Mosque Shooting Suspect](https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-and-friends-socialism-set-off-new-zealand-mosque-shooting-suspect) Because of course they do. Blaming others for white supremacist right wing terrorism is pretty much standard for Trump & Fox & Friends. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-shootings-at-mosques-in-new-zealand/831169/39 "2019-03-15T18:51:42Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Fox & Friends blames the shootings on socialism. > [‘Fox & Friends’: Socialism Set Off New Zealand Mosque Shooting Suspect](https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-and-friends-socialism-set-off-new-zealand-mosque-shooting-suspect) To be fair, they blame everything on socialism. In 2021 they’ll absolutely for sure blame Trump (which at this point they will retroactively have always condemned as an obviously terrible, criminal person) on The Left. I have zero doubt of this. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-shootings-at-mosques-in-new-zealand/831169/40 "2019-03-15T19:53:30Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > [There was a tweet at 7:41.](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/03/15/donald-trump-white-house-condemn-mass-killing-new-zealand/3172166002/) . The probability that he actually wrote that tweet himself is vanishingly small IMHO. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-shootings-at-mosques-in-new-zealand/831169.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-shootings-at-mosques-in-new-zealand/831169.md?page=3)