I got in very early this morning. I opened up the Wall Street Journal on my work computer to have a browse. I saw a story about a court in the US opening up an avenue for class action against a firearms manufacturer, in the manner of claims against a tobacco company. The gun in question was an “AR-15”. There were the usual quotes about why ordinary folks would want a powerful firearm. So, I looked up what the AR-15 looked like and saw some YouTube clips. It was frightening – both the firepower of the AR-15 gun, and the defensive spiels by the likes of the NRA invoking the second amendment and rights to bear arms.
So, when the story on the Christchurch mosque shooting broke earlier this afternoon, the eerie chill running down my spine was almost palpable. It reminded me of the Port Arthur massacre and when I googled that to recall the damage done, I noted that Martin Bryant, the perpetrator of Port Arthur, had also used an AR-15. The death toll in Christchurch is presently 27. It is likely to climb. I have a real fear now, that retaliatory action is a real risk. This attack in Christchurch took place on a Friday afternoon in a mosque. It is easy to think a retaliation on a Sunday in a church, is a real risk. What has this world come to? May the Lord have mercy.
Ante 