Brian Holden: An argument for gun control

The site of the BW campground at New Year. Photo / Supplied

When someone is shot and killed by one of their own family it's a very sorry case indeed, but when an infant boy shoots his mother, it's downright bizarre.

While shopping at a Walmart store in Hayden, Idaho, Veronica Rutledge was shot by her 2-year-old son who unzipped her purpose-built bag in which her revolver was concealed. The gun was a Christmas present a day earlier from her husband.

From all accounts, the couple were well-educated "responsible" people who simply loved guns, carrying one every day of their lives and shooting extensively in competitions and hunting trips.

Accidents with such weapons do happen and I know of a few that have happened under the most unlikely circumstances, like the man who accidentally shot his wife through a wall while she was in the next room. But, in the case of the Idaho mum, there's absolutely no excuse. The gun shouldn't have been there and certainly not with a bullet in the barrel. As a result, she paid the ultimate price and was shot dead.

But, of course, as is often the case in such a tragedy, there's a fair bit of blame shifting and the woman's husband is "angry" at those who are using the accident as an excuse to grandstand on gun rights. In a community where many people carry loaded guns with them, surely they have a case. The husband's claim that "This was just a horrible accident," is a cop out. Sad to say, it's the ultimate example of damned slack parenting. What responsible mother would go shopping with her toddler, with a loaded gun in her bag - not for self-protection, but simply because of her love of guns? I would bet that her family and friends won't be adopting that attitude from here on.

In 2004, BW (formally known as Baywatch) Campgrounds, was established on the sunny shores of Gisborne to help host the thousands of visitors to the Rhythm and Vines New Year's Eve festival. The reassuring Eventfinda ad says - "Your days at BW can be spent laxing in the sun on one of Gissy's many beautiful beaches ... You may wish to just kick back in the camp listening to the tunes ... playing some touch or volleyball before later on checking out the stage. Come night time, you can chill out with friends around your campsite over a few drinks before heading over to the Jim Beam Sound Shell to check out all the entertainment on offer, free for campers. So come and enjoy the sunshine, beautiful beaches, restaurants, bars, friendly people, good music and all else that Gisborne has to offer. We would love to have you!"

YEAH RIGHT.

This year's festival proved to be everything but that. Instead, there were riots and mindless drunken hooliganism.

Gisborne's mayor made the wishy-washy statement that the riots were "disappointing" and blames the New Year's Eve festival chaos on a few idiots (a few hundred actually) and hopes the event will go on.

Surely he's not serious, but if he is, someone's got 365 days or fewer to pull their fingers out. Over three hours, 63 people were arrested and more injured, with some needing hospital attention. Not to mention the police and security staff who were pelted with cans and what have you.

It started off in the middle of the three camp grounds, with what appeared to be a modern day dispute of land rights. As is usually the case, once the cans and bottles start flying, everyone decides to get on board. As the crowds cheered, video shows around two dozen front rank hooligans charging towards a fence and literally bouncing back off it.

How dumb is that? To add to the battle-like reality, a vehicle was upturned, fires were started creating black smoke fuelled by mattresses, tents, poles, smashed chairs and, of course, the usual missile cans.

About 7000 young people attended the festival and were allowed to bring unlimited amounts of alcohol into their campsites. Big mistake.

It's pathetic to attribute the trouble to "a small group of mischief-makers", as it has been shown repeatedly that the mob-mentality that followed was even more stupid. Until we ban the demon alcohol from such events, chaos will reign.