Gun City need to step up and take down military-style weapons from their shelves

Sayed Ahmed - "I want nothing bad for this country."

Extremism led us to the terrible events of last Friday.

And so far, most of the reaction, as the nation grieves, has been admirably rational.

It needs to be. Outside of the Muslim community, which has reacted with grace and tolerance to Friday's atrocity, we need to be wary of histrionic reactions.

Particularly online, where like-minded souls like to congregate and magnify things to disproportionate levels.

It's hard - something of this awful scale is new to NZ.

Calling for all guns to be banned, or fostering hate towards businesses like Gun City, is fighting irrational fire with fire.

Reacting to a hate-fuelled crime with hate will continue the cycle of pain.
It is possible though, to have difficult conversations without hate.

Gun City, who are setting up an outlet in Napier, need to be called out for their lack of action since Friday.

This is no time for a debate about guns, said owner David Tipple, at a press conference this week.

There has never been a more appropriate time.

Hunting & Fishing have pulled military-style weapons from their shelves immediately. So should Gun City.

Retailers like Gun City have a chance to step up and show leadership and self-impose bans on the sale of these types of weapons.

And this is where Gun City, so far, is failing.

PM Jacinda Ardern's leadership has been clear from Day One - the government is working to ban semi-automatic weapons.

This is new territory for New Zealand, on many, many levels. As a nation, we are feeling new levels of disgust, and sensitivity.

But there are also new levels of understanding, and empathy, and support that will make us a better nation.

It is also remarkable to watch the reaction of our Muslim brothers and sisters to a terrible hate crime.

Take Sayeed Ahmed, president of the Hawke's Bay Baitul Mokarram Masjid and Islamic Centre Trust, for instance.

"New Zealand is my home; New Zealand is my heart, New Zealand is my everything. I want nothing bad for this country."

The majority of this country rationally, perhaps even reluctantly, accept that weapons have a place in society.

But in a peaceful, non-military democracy, military style weapons have no place in the day-to-day hands of individuals.