ISSUE
Friday, August 15, 2025
Volume 16 . Issue 72
The recent call for firearms by the dairy shop owners to deter aggravated robberies have created a spur, and rightly, though.
According to an online survey done by Newshub 57 per cent of respondents do not support the idea of dairy owners arming themselves with guns.
The fact that even if 43 per cent respondents are supporting this idea is problematic.
Evidence overseas suggests that offenders get more inclined to carry and use firearms in the likelihood of their intended target armed with a firearm.
It is to say that when offenders would be aware that their targeted small business owners could possess firearms, then they will always be entering premises with firearms, and the will, to use those firearms, on the slightest pretext.
It is no brainer to guess if all shopkeepers - who are law-abiding citizens will have that "will" to use firearms always.
Also, evidence suggests that criminals are more comfortable than normal law-abiding citizens in procuring and using guns.
New Zealand is a gun free country, and it should remain that way.
We cannot afford to create a new social problem of "gun trotting youth on our streets" to seek a solution to another malaise, especially when there is no evidence to suggest that shop owners potential arming with a gun would deter the offenders.
Therefore, the call for arming with a gun so conveniently 'attributed' by the mainstream media to the Indian dairy owners should be treated as what it actually is - a momentary expression of frustration with the ever increasing numbers of aggravated robberies - rather than a call for policy change.
This will be one big challenge for the recently formed Crime Prevention Group - a community initiative to formulate a community-led action plan against the rising menace of aggravated robberies - to distill the emotional call for arming with the gun from more peaceful means to bring forward remedial measures.
There will be an extra responsibility on this community group to delineate the call for firearms from the Indian dairy owners. As Indian migrants all over the world are recognised for their peace loving attributes, and that recognition should not be disturbed unnecessarily.
It’s easier said than done, though, especially when more and more dairy owners and small businesses are being assaulted and victimised.
The recent call for firearms by the dairy shop owners to deter aggravated robberies have created a spur, and rightly, though.
According to an online survey done by Newshub 57 per cent of respondents do not support the idea of dairy owners arming themselves with guns.
The fact that even if 43 per...
The recent call for firearms by the dairy shop owners to deter aggravated robberies have created a spur, and rightly, though.
According to an online survey done by Newshub 57 per cent of respondents do not support the idea of dairy owners arming themselves with guns.
The fact that even if 43 per cent respondents are supporting this idea is problematic.
Evidence overseas suggests that offenders get more inclined to carry and use firearms in the likelihood of their intended target armed with a firearm.
It is to say that when offenders would be aware that their targeted small business owners could possess firearms, then they will always be entering premises with firearms, and the will, to use those firearms, on the slightest pretext.
It is no brainer to guess if all shopkeepers - who are law-abiding citizens will have that "will" to use firearms always.
Also, evidence suggests that criminals are more comfortable than normal law-abiding citizens in procuring and using guns.
New Zealand is a gun free country, and it should remain that way.
We cannot afford to create a new social problem of "gun trotting youth on our streets" to seek a solution to another malaise, especially when there is no evidence to suggest that shop owners potential arming with a gun would deter the offenders.
Therefore, the call for arming with a gun so conveniently 'attributed' by the mainstream media to the Indian dairy owners should be treated as what it actually is - a momentary expression of frustration with the ever increasing numbers of aggravated robberies - rather than a call for policy change.
This will be one big challenge for the recently formed Crime Prevention Group - a community initiative to formulate a community-led action plan against the rising menace of aggravated robberies - to distill the emotional call for arming with the gun from more peaceful means to bring forward remedial measures.
There will be an extra responsibility on this community group to delineate the call for firearms from the Indian dairy owners. As Indian migrants all over the world are recognised for their peace loving attributes, and that recognition should not be disturbed unnecessarily.
It’s easier said than done, though, especially when more and more dairy owners and small businesses are being assaulted and victimised.
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