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Stephen
I once thought I might like to live in New Zealand however, after reading some of the narrow minded, immature, and downright hateful messages regarding the University shootings, I have decided that NZ is one of the last places on earth I would want to live. Good day.
Joe (US)
You are very uninformed. To base your views of America on a movie is sad to say the least. I spent 2 weeks in Auckland last year. Visiting my wifes family. Get your country's drug problem under control before you throw stones. Hope you enjoy living under Japan rule because they are buying up New Zealand 1 block at a time. Sorry we have a Constitution that allows us to buy weapons for protection or hunting. Sorry there is no sanity test attached to the purchase of a weapon. Let's not forget he wasn't an American. He was a guest here.
Jeffrey DeLisle MD
My daughter is a student at Virginia Tech who thank God was not in harm's way. I am in hearty agreement with your editorial condemning easy access to guns in the US. As an American I am discouraged and saddened each time these massacres happen, and day by day by the numbing statistics of homicide in our cities.I am also disheartened by the practical realities we face in correcting this problem. First, if automatic weapons manufacture and sale were outlawed tomorrow, there are countless millions of weapons in circulation, with an essentially infinite shelf life. Second, while a vast majority of Americans are in favor of saner gun control laws, the might of the National Rifle Association lobby is stronger than the courage of our politicians, whose decisions are governed by how much milk can be lapped from the various political action committees rather than by the merit of the issues, or by wisdom.
Elaine
Kiwis are messed up like the rest of the world - if it wasn't for the United States kiwis would be still living in the dark ages. To make derogatory remarks about the US just shows how stupid kiwis are.
Nick (US)
This is the same New Zealand that we fought to save in world war II? You kidding me ? Now that was stupid on our part ! we should have left them to bow hard to the emperor by now. Not that New Zealand really matters, (heck New Zealand doesn't even matter for the nearby Fijians) but for the record, this is not a country that we can call a friend. Helen Clark just made a trip recently to Washington. Let's make a note that at least for the next 100 years we need not bother with another kiwi official. I'm not heartless, really, but I can't wait to laugh when New Zealand faces a doom day.
Peter from San Diego
Unfortunately, New Zealanders can never truly understand why Americans have guns. It is far too ingrained into American culture to just suddenly take them away. Even if the 2nd Amendment was removed from the US Constitution, it would be impossible to remove the guns from the street. All that would accomplish is taking the guns from law abiding citizens and leaving them defenceless. Being a 3/4 Kiwi myself (my family is from Auckland) I understand enough about New Zealand culture to know why this concept of a "right to bear arms" is so distant. However, it is part of the fabric of America and too much gun control would only burden those who do not break the law.
Bill
I believe that some of the Americans comments are too, disgusting. I am sorry you are losing sight of the problem here. The problem at hand is how this student managed to get these firearms. I have been living overseas for many years now, and living with a lot of Americans, and I feel sorry for you for some of the abuse that you receive about world events in which you are involved. But one thing I cannot get my head around is the simplicity of obtaining firearms. It is truly disgraceful. My heart is with all of the families that have lost family members in this outrageous event. But I have a very genuine question that I think as Americans you need to sit down and think about. How many reoccurrences will need to take place, like this last one, for which your government will start to implicate rules on the purchasing of firearms? And not only firearms, but also the amount of ammunition you can have/buy at once? If you calculate, the shooter must have had more than 100 bullets on his person or stashed around. That is a lot of ammunition. It was a recipe for disaster. It is not only the "Bad Guys" that have guns.
Andy
I am an American and have lived in New Zealand for a while now and I can honestly say I am deeply disturbed by comments from both perspectives here. It is truly sad and demonstrates the state of the world in my opinion. I grew up just around the corner from Columbine and have dealt with that tragedy. What should be happening here is people coming together and appreciated on another and the different places we come from. Using that strength to be grateful for the lives we share on this planet. Using that strength to make sure a tragedy like this doesn't happen again. Sure this is a very "hippy" thing to say but the fact is we all need a bit of empathy. Understand that we all come from different places and our "ego-centric" thinking gets us nowhere but further from where we need to be. There are 33 people not coming home tonight in this terrible tragedy. Gun Laws??? Sure there is some validity there. Like everything, there are pros and cons but why talk about it now. People's lives are taken from them far too early no matter what country you live in. Americans posted arrogant, ridiculous, hate messages on any website is a contradiction to everything a true American would believe in. Kiwi's that think it is OK to sit around and Judge the rest of the world and their decisions is a contradiction to everything most Kiwis I know believe in. Ignorance. The reason we can all sit here and have our opinions because at the end of the day we all do the same thing....sit around and talk about what changes chould be made, who did what, we look to place blame. You can learn a lot more by opening your mind a bit and accepting the fact that forever we will all have an opinion but can we agree that a tragedy is just that a tragedy. Perhaps sometimes we all need take a step back and have a bit more compassion before we start "throwing rocks while living in a glass house." I am sure some of you may think this is a "Hippy Post," I can assure you I am probably the furthest from a free spirit and anyone that knows me know I have stong opinions and convictions.I just felt compelled to write something after seeing the hate, ignorance, and lack of compassion on this site.Just stop and think for a bit.
NE
It's funny how someone would talk about problems in Australia when discussing alleged assimilation problems in New Zealand. Of course, New Zealand doesn't have the assimilation 'problems' of the US precisely because many of us realise there's nothing wrong with us being a multicultural society. Our people are proud of their heritage and don't have to drop the Mc from their name to be accepted as kiwis.
Steve in the UK
I can't see gun control making much of a difference. There are more guns owned per capita in Canada. Canada has just over 100 people killed annually due to guns versus more than 13,000 in the States. It's a problem that's not going away any time soon.
Tom Skluzacek
Keep telling us how stupid our gun control policy is. There is virtually no gun control in this country. In all of the discussions of the Virginia Tech shootings, nowhere did I hear that if the gunmen didn't have ready access to guns the shootings would not have occurred.
Gary A.
If the staff of VT were allowed to carry firearms, many of these deaths and injuries could have been avoided. As many have pointed out, this scenario can happen anywhere, including a school, where guns cannot be carried even by law-abiding citizens. Our forefathers used guns for hunting and protection. Both of these uses are still valid today. Gun control freaks just don't get it. I own a gun. I don't go around shooting people with it. If someone like the VT shooter threatens me and my loved ones, I will have the opportunity to stop it. That's called self-defence and every law-abiding person has a right to it. Not allowing good people to protect themselves only leaves them vulnerable to deranged, sick people like this. End of story!
Darren
To my Dearest friends in America. May God bless you and protect you. No-one deserves to suffer this kind of tragic situation. Whilst i dont agree with all things American, you are an awesome country, full of amazing generous and caring people and like New Zealand, these sorts of incidents cut to the "bone". We feel your grief, we pray for you and welcome you to our place anytime as you do us... I personally have spent alot of time in the USA on business and feel proud of the awesome people who I count as close friends and colleagues. I am sorrowful that some "kiwis' probably those of less than lower intelligence (about 50 per cent of the population) have to use this event as a catalyst to point the finger.... without looking in the mirror and acknowledging our own failings i.e child deaths, rapes, car theft and home robberies as one the highest in the world per head of population, so come on NZers wake up and smell the roses.... reality check... 29 people die every week in New Zealand just from adverse drug reaction that were legally prescribed by "Doctors"!!! and a further 81 die from Doctors medical mistakes every week... so are we so great?? Lets grow up and get on with fixing our problems first before we "throw any stones from our glass houses"
Graham
I am a New Zealander and I feel sad that all these young lives have been taken, no one deserves to die before their time "whatever nationality" Remember these people all had families that loved them, they all had their own lives and futures to live, these people are now only fond memories and photos. A truly tragic event that was completely out of their control. Shame on anyone that has not compassion for these innocent lives. Think of your own family being in this situation before posting heartless anti American rants!
Anthony
It is a tragic event! Yes the lost of any life is. But reading some of those American comments gives way to thinking about the American Culture on a whole. Gun Control maybe part of the key but for some reason i have a sneaking feeling that maybe just maybe there are some cultural habits that need to be addressed here ? For this isnt just a random act of violence but a regular thing that takes place in America, I dont believe there are many other 1st world nations that have a X percentage of students carrying guns to school/in school, but it seems the mass killings happen at Schools that are" peaceful normal places" and only then is it an outrage. While at the lower social economic scale, schools where shootings maybe be a weekly thing seem to be no ones problem and ignored apart from the people who live in such areas.
As for The Iraq comment I Strongly advise a better look at American kill rates there if you believe its just Arab on Arab then you maybe just who Bush needs to keep the American people blind. If it wasnt for Bush just charging in then alot more Arabs would be alive but thats the big difference isnt it !? An Iraqi School Kid gun down by American troops is nothing but an American School kid gunned down by Another Student is ?! Are we all not equal? and the value of life priceless? Maybe I am just a dumb kiwi but I know when you get the same problem happening over and over there is something wrong and maybe you have to look at the bigger picture to find the answer
Jim
Just reading a few of the comments which have been sent it, it's just hurtful. Sure there are many factors which may have caused this tragedy. But it is no reason to be racial and petty on the comments. Think before you speak, there are many people who are affected. Anonymous comments are also not an excuse for ignorance. Share a thought for the innocent victims of this crime, and lets hope it never happen to any of us.
Ss
I am a Kiwi and lived in the US for 2 years in the 90s. I left the US and relocated to NZ after a gun scare in a mall in the city I lived in. You Americans need to stop making excuses for the stupid laws you believe in and take responsibility for your actions. I realise that many Americans are for gun control and for peace, but having guns readily was the main reason for this tragedy. Sure if someone is crazy enough and has made up his mind to kill people would have found a way of doing this regardless, but if it was hard to gain access to weapons there is a high chance he would have hurt just himself and spared the lives of the other 33 students. Most other societies do not have "the right to bear arms" and do not have the gun problems that the US has. It's that simple. Stop making excuses and stop defending your stupid laws.
Michael
It's very sad to see such Anti-American bile coming from my fellow kiwis. Not even the slaying of innocent children stops it. Pathetic.
Sam
In addition to pointing out the need for more gun laws I think we need more laws against email spam, more laws against child molestation, more laws against rape, more laws against bribing public officials, more laws against illegal immigration, more laws against murder, more laws against racial and gender discrimination, more laws against plagiarism, more laws against copyright infringement....... Only then can we create the perfect world we all desire.
Bruce
Idiotic academics and liberals who create "gun free zones" where psychotics can murder with impunity until they run out of ammunition, victims or simply grow bored. Cowardly cops who appear to cower and never confront the murderers. They wait outside, do nothing and then seal records so people can't appreciate how cowardly, stupid and useless they are...The University had prohibited all people including staff from carrying or possessing firearms. One university is even attempting to extend a similarly moronic bans to students living off campus.True morons..This isn't that complicated...depriving law abiding citizens of arms for defence emboldens scum to kill with impunity..
Raul Recarey
I don't get it, gun control as a solution? All schools have the strictest gun control policies, don't they? This incident shows how gun control allows a lone gunman to wreak havoc with impunity, without anyone being able to fight back. Everyone else in the school was unarmed because of the gun control policies. If other students would have also had guns, they would have been able to stop the insane idiot quickly. This incident shows that gun control only succeeds in keeping guns away from the ones that should have them - not the criminals.
I'd like to see how brave this killer would have been if he walked into a room full of armed students instead of sitting ducks!
Duncan
This embarrassing and blatant racism against the Korean and American people has to stop!! First and foremost, Asian immigration has nothing to do with this issue. The massacre was caused by someone who had severe psychological and behavioural problems, regardless of his cultural background. This individual did not commit this crime because he was Asian! And secondly, innocent students who are trying to better their minds do not, under any circumstances, deserve these horrific and dreadful outcomes. If you are angry with those in power in the USA, then that is a completely separate issue from a consideration of the American people as a whole. Speaking as a New Zealander, some of you seriously need to start opening your minds.
Hannah Shubert
Whether you agree with the right to bear arms or don't, surely you can agree that people on anti-depressant medication should be prevented from the purchase of firearms, for their own and other people's protection. Depression is not a matter of race or creed or colour, and those who are depressed should be helped so that they may heal, not so that they may kill. Professional counselling, not firearms, should be readily available.
Siaosi
The US government should look deeply into this issue of gun-control and take measures to tighten it up. But these politicians brush it under the carpet because they're the ones carrying guns for personal recreation or "protection" and some have links to gun dealers. Also, regarding the American bashing on here by these "ignorant kiwis" please fix up your own problems in your "wannabe" but "can't be" America country. As a proud Samoan-American who has experienced New Zealand for a few years, I can confidently say that New Zealand is one of the most racist and ignorant countries on the planet. Do not hide behind your masked image of "green pastures" and a "great place to raise a family" crap. The list of injustices in your "irrelevant in world affairs" country, matches some of the worst in human history such as the treatment of Maori and Pacific Islanders. At least us Americans will admit our shortcomings, you "kiwaks" hide behind your beautiful landscapes like the cowards that you are.
Dean Myburgh
33 people died in a school shootout in Virginia. While this is news, it hardly warrants headline coverage, numerous screeds of articles published on it and generally a copious amount of wasting my time. A short story in the World Section would have sufficed. People die in mine accidents in China all the time. People die in civil wars in Africa all the time. Why does one isolated incident of 33 people dying - a relatively minor number - warrant such extensive press coverage? The answer to that can only be that it happened in the United States. Well wake up New Zealand - Americans' lives are no more precious than those who live in other parts of the world. It is precisely this sort of kowtowing to the Americans that has led to such anti-Americanism. If Americans were not singled out whenever and whatever then the world would be a much better place.
Kevin
I travelled a lot around the world and the remarks by the majority of New Zealanders in this thread is, unfortunately, very typical. There is not a more insecure group of people on the planet.
Mike Maloney
Virginia Tech: We're with you.
Vao
It is amazing sadness what happened in Virginia last couple of days. But that Korean boy was born evil and with the help of the no gun or useless gun law in the US, he managed to put his satanisms into action. The US really need to sit down and re-evaluate everything they do.....from movies to action games to almost everything really. The whole world copies everything the US do and its sad. Its great to have freedom but too much of it, it is deadly..
Thomas
To all those who are getting nasty about us American haters your country is the cause of more of the worlds problems . dont try to defend it by saying you saved us from speaking German in ww2 ,NZ was in the war alot longer than you and your country only entered because it was attacked by the Japanese again had its own interest at heart you would of never entered the war and your country has always got its own agenda for everything it does .
Sarah
I am deeply saddened by the anti-American rants on this board. I am a Kiwi but I have spent a lot of years in America and Americans are pretty similar to kiwis. They have similar hobbies and similar lifestyles. None of the Americans I knew owned a gun or wanted to. I think this shooting anywhere would have been tragic and unthinkably awful for the people involved and their families. We've had a few 'loose units' in NZ too who have shot up their families and small towns. I think the easy option for kiwis is to always blame the US but the US isn't a large angry machine. It's made up of 270 million people who all have hopes, dreams and a right to life - just like Kiwis. Kiwis inherant, soclialised apathy to almost all situations is no better than the American belief in their right to bear arms. At least Americans are proud of who they are and feel the need to share it. As Kiwis, we spend too much time apologising for who we are - jealousy maybe?
ProudKiwi
Calling every New Zealander pathetic, ignorant and irrelevant only fuels the unfortunate stereotype of Americans as being unbelievably arrogant. Since our discussion of such a large event disgusts you, and since we are irrelevant, I recommend Alexis shouldn't visit a New Zealand website since we are obviously not good enough. More on-topic though - is it so important that the killer was Korean? He was brought up in America, and experienced American culture, so he is an American. Screening Asian immigrants is a ridiculously offensive and laughable idea - murderers exist in every race. We can't screen everyone. It's high time people stopped pointing fingers and get to work improving the gun laws.
Alison Meldrum
Yes, it's all very tragic - but, given the easy access to guns in the US, hardly surprising. And let's put the incident in perspective: 33 dead is on the low side for the average one-off bombing in Baghdad. As usual, we have completely over the top coverage worldwide because this lamentable event happened in America to Americans. Let's remember that American lives are worth exactly the same as those of other nationalities. No more, no less.
G Freud
His disposition before then had shown he is able to have some control of his action. But the problem is typical to the modern psyche of the West, there is lacking in a mode of thinking stable principles to attempt to modify the act during times of severe pressure whether they be desires or emotional. Is due to the lack of discipline, lack of values, and at the same time too much PC interference.
Paul Tong
Race had nothing to do with this, and gun control has played a very minor part. Many Kiwi here seems to be ignorant of the fact that while we get American news, they don't follow ours as much, it's totally unjustified to generalise everyone base on a few incidents. Should we classify all Kiwis as drunk people because one father decided to go over the 4 times the legal limit and fell asleep while pumping gas, or perhaps all Kiwis are wife bashers because an "All Black" did it. How about the teenager that stole a car and killed 2, seriously injuring another 2? Let us not forgetting the fact that USA has approx. 75 times the amount of people we have in New Zealand. If any of you bothered to read any websites that are not biased in their reporting, or sources beyond a news website and perhaps read one of the two plays that were written by the shooter on AOL, you'll see that this was much more than race. I'm a Chinese that has lived in various countries around the world, visited a fair few places, and I can say that many of them are no different from New Zealand, where I have been residing in for the last 7 years. Seriously, grow up.
Paul S
Once again, everyone loves to bag the yanks...but, hey, don't worry, when we get invaded and taken over by another country one day, we'll all be crying out for those same yanks to bring their guns down here and save us...
Rosie
"What is the great American sin? Extravagance? Vice? Graft? No; it is a kind of half-humorous, good-natured indifference, a lack of "concentrated indignation" as my English friend calls it, which allows extravagance and vice to flourish. Trace most of our ills to their source, and it is found that they exist by virtue of an easy-going, fatalistic indifference which dislikes to have its comfort disturbed....The most shameless greed, the most sickening industrial atrocities, the most appalling public scandals are exposed, but a half-cynical and wholly indifferent public passes them by with hardly a shrug of the shoulders; and they are lost in the medley of events. This is the great American sin.": Joseph Fort Newman, Atlantic Monthly, October 1922.
Adam
I Love you all! New Zealand, America, and the rest of the world. People are the same all over the world, shaped by different histories and experiences. I am an American married to a Kiwi and have a son that will grow up in both. I think it is wrong for anyone to think that they are better because they are born into a country. That is addressing previous comments I have read. Those are some of the reasons we have wars. I am no better. Comments on both sides of the fence are hurtful because many of them are so extreme. There are amazing people all over the world. So everyone relax and realize how great it is to be alive everyday. Sit back and have a Budweiser, flatwhite, or a tea. All that is important is that you lead by example if you can. Hopfully that will influence others. We all have problems, far from perfect. I love New Zealand, and my heart and roots are in America. Everyone takes pride in where they are from. Even if they are from a rough area. It has shaped who they are. It's sad that people's deaths are so exploited for political gain. Alot of anger out there.
Margot Knight
I agree with Jerry. NZ has more insane people than the states per head of population. Just look at how crazy our society has become! Following is a very accurate rendition of NZ: Squirrels rights. The rest of the world version. The squirrel works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building and improving his house and laying up supplies for the winter.The grasshopper thinks he's a fool, and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the squirrel is warm and well fed. The shivering grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold. The end.
P Simpson
Condolences to the families and friends of those killed by the madman in Virginia. It's a shame that your constitution is the cause of so much bloodshed in this and many other instances. Imagine what 'your world' would look like if you made amendments to the constitution to reflect the period of time we live in, not a time in deep dark history? The argument that all should be armed to defend against such horrific acts is an oxymoron, and would simply lead to escalating urban warfare in the US - but perhaps that's the outcome necessary before change can occur? We are humans and we should use the art of language and diplomacy where possible, not just reply on arming ourselves to the teeth and gunning down those who oppose our views. To do otherwise is simply to act like the animals we evolved from, and that was a long long time ago! PS, for those who choose to bag NZ, despite it's short-comings this country has many facets that the US lacks, and I'm proud to belong to a country that acts with morality and common sense (OK, let's ignore the Labour party for now) in the modern world.
Tupps
Give the Americans a break. Just remember that this act was committed by a young guy who was screwed up in the head. And we have had our share too in New Zealand (David Gray etc). No matter what type of Gun Control exists in any country, killers will find their weapon of choice, usually a gun.
Michelle
Firstly, let me say: My condolences to the families and friends and all those who lost loved ones in this horrific tragedy. Secondly - what is it with the Kiwi/USA bashing? Pull your heads in people. To the Kiwis verbally bashing the USA or even mocking the losses - Does this help? Do you expect to be taken seriously? You may not agree with the gun laws but ascribing these gun happy actions is as unfair to all Americans as some of the sweeping racial statements made by some of the US citizens.To the Americans bashing all kiwis for the comments of a few - there are more then 4 million people here so labeling everyone here as 'hateful' for the comments of a dozen people is every bit as inappropriate and does make you sound like a judgmental redneck. Who is ultimately guilty?? - The one who chose to pull the trigger and murder innocents. Instead of running round pointing fingers and yelling names, ask what the Government is doing about it?! But leave off with the bashing - and to the gentlemen who accuses everyone in the world of being jealous and wishing to live in the US? You are sadly misinformed.
Jeremy Brown
Lets forget all the mud-slinging, insults, and ignorant comments. The simple fact of the matter is it is too easy to buy a handgun in the states. Given the rates of depression and suicide in NZ, if guns were as readily available here we would have similar gun-related deaths. Access to guns is a critical issue, all else aside.
Nik
Thank you Philip Wister. Handguns sole purpose is to kill people, that's all. To have them so readily available for someone with such obvious mental problems to buy is ridiculous. Hey I think America's a great place with great people... funny sports though! Just remove the handguns... (Kiwi in NZ)
John Macassey
Phillip- very enlightening. Alexis- very symptomatic. I lived in the USA 10 years and met both "Phillips" and the somewhat scary "Alexis's" which adds up to a very interesting cocktail. In a culture where the young are brought up on a diet of gratuitous violence and sex via the mass media- where war is considered 'heroic' and where the outside world considered by so many to be either not up with the play or old fashioned, one should not be surprised at the sometimes tragic results. Add to that the ridiculous ease to arm ones self to the teeth (whether a teenager or an 'oldie') with anything from a machine gun to a Glock such tragedies as happened at Virginia Tech will no doubt occur from time. As the holder of a gun license here in NZ I can also express pride in our more mature and sensible approach to firearms.
John Robb
Why do Americans when criticised and feeling threatened always resort to telling us how they saved us (the world) from the yellow and red perils? It's totally irrelevant and I'm sure if it was happening today they would be selling arms to both sides as they have in most post WW11 conflicts! Quite frankly I'd rather Americans were using each other for target practice if they must shoot people rather than the innocent civilians from other countries who don't need Coke, Pizza and America's dubious brand of democracy.
Jack
Why the media keep calling the killer a "Foreign student" or "South Korean"? From what I read so far, he migrated to US 15 years ago since 9 years old, ie holding a US passport, know more about US culture than Korean. I'm not a Korean but the apparent attempt to pass the responsibility to a foreigner really annoy me.
M. Fabish
America is a violent country. The Second Amendment to the US Constitution gives all Americans the right to bear arms. The Founding Fathers of the US Constitution did not have assault rifles, automatic and semi-automatic pistols in mind when they drafted and enacted one of the greatest documents free people ever devised. Nor did the Founding Fathers ever imagine violent videos depicting the use of weapons as software games. The following steps will go a long way in reducing the amount of gun and rifle violence in the US: 1) a US Federal law that requires all gun purchasers not be able to buy a weapon unless they pass stringent pre-purchase examinations of their background; 2) all gun purchasers must take a safety gun written and operational test; 3) severe penalties for individuals or businesses selling guns illegally;
4) more severe prison terms for individuals who commit crimes with the display or actual discharge of a gun or rifle in the commission of a crime, etc.;5) strict ownership rules with minors prohibited from using a pistol or rifle; 6) high taxes for gun purchasers with some of the taxes going to education programs about gun use, etc. 7) gun amnesties in which gun owners can turn in guns with no penalties.
These few examples would be a start in the right direction. The US has taken the "Wild West" a little too far.
Edward Lyons
New Zealand has its share of hormone driven killing. Its in the way we drive and the aggressive nonsense around pubs and clubs. The level of anti-Americanism is a symptom of blaming others for your own problems. I think the anti-nuclear legislation is simply anti-American. Make it a policy if you want, but don't legislation your xenophobic paranoia on my behalf. Believe me, paranoia is not sexy.
Jason
This event was a tragedy, no-one can deny that. But ever since 9