Firearms charges?

[Winston001]

Yep thats right. Guns have been fired in these displays for years. The only reason charges were brought up this time is because it was done by a high profile Maori activist. In fact I think it was Rodney Hide who put the pressure on the Police (who didn't really care and knew it was a waste of taxpayers resources) to lay charges.

The sentence seems right to me. If an actor in a play were to discharge a pistol during a performance without the correct paper work would you expect him to go to prison?? Keep in mind that Tama Iti also was using blanks. If your reasoning that he should go to prison is influenced by the fact he is a Maori activist then it's you that needs the judgement check.

A complete waste of time if you ask me. Only the media and politicians gain from it. Acheived nothing except wasting taxpayers money and fueling more anti-Maori sentiments.

Well said. Simply discharging a firearm in public does not result in prison. Total media beat-up.

[The_Dover]

Hang on, we castigate all unlicenced drivers/riders yet an activist with absolutely no respect for the "white mans" law can fire a weapon in public, without the correct licence????

Fucking nuts mate. Does that mean I can run around with an unlicenced weapon? Sweet.

[pritch]

Keep in mind that Tama Iti also was using blanks.

He did use blanks but he also used at least one live round to shoot the flag.
It is still a crime in this country to deface the flag but in one recent instance the judge discharged on the grounds of freedom of speech.

I think Americans are guaranteed the right of free speech under their constitution. Our Bill of Rights is probably much less robust. A lot of people of my aquaintance were pissed off at the aquittal in the recent case where a Wellington teacher burnt the flag.

As someone else pointed out though discharging a firearm in a public place would get most people more than a $300 fine.

[cruxis]

I am glad I can still shoot shit up with me mates out the back of the farm and its only a fine if we get caught. The judge showed good sense. It was no big deal as long as you never point a firearm at a person.

[Lias]

Descration of the flag in NZ is still illegal on the books, however the statute has only been used once in the last 25ish years, and that case was thrown out by a judge.

I cant find a link to the aftermath, but heres a link to the initial story about the Wellington SCHOOL TEACHER who burnt the flag and was charged with desecrating the flag as well as a few other offenses.
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/425822/175299

He got off scott free in the end, and went out and burnt another flag in public to celebrate. At the very least this piece of trash should have been stripped of his ability to teach in a NZ school, and preferrably publically flogged but no our goverment is a bunch of PC wankers who think its okay to do these things and teach our kids that burning the flag is fine.

Call me old fashioned but personally I think intentionally descrating our flag should be worth at least 100 lashes in public if not a good old noose.

[Lias]

You know what I meant, stop splitting hairs you...

I meant a party slightly right than right.

*cough* New Zealand National Front *cough*

[Hoon]

As someone else pointed out though discharging a firearm in a public place would get most people more than a $300 fine.

I disagree. I'm no law buff but you and many others may be confusing this with "Discharging a firearm with reckless disregard for public safety".
If I stepped out onto the road outside my house and shot at a duck flying overhead I'd probably get diversion. However if I was taking pot shots at passing vehicles it would be a different story.

[Ixion]

*cough* New Zealand National Front *cough*

I believe Maurice and Dover are fo(u)nd(l)ing memebers of the "New Zealand National Rear" party. (Geez, I'm on a roll tonite, evry1 a gem)

[Hoon]

He did use blanks but he also used at least one live round to shoot the flag.

What is your source for this? One of the organisers said he was using blanks and judging by the zero recoil in the footage I tend to believe them. Bit hard to prove after the point but the fact that the sentence is so light is maybe because this was accepted?

Feel free to correct me.

[Kickaha]

IIn the US its a felony.

They can get away with burning it under "freedom of speech"

[Deano]

Judge has ruled he should have fired blanks instead of live rounds, as he was apparently told to do. He would have avoided a conviction.

He could also 'apparently' have been done for desecrating the NZ flag, but it is reported that this was enough of a message.

Fat little angry man. Take it on the chin sucker.

[Flatcap]

This Iti fool gets far too much airtime - he is just a silly little fat man with stupid tough stickers on his face with nothing relevant to say.

I wish the media would stop broadcasting anything he says or does

[Sniper]

They can get away with burning it under "freedom of speech"

Is that on US soil though? I couble be wrong, but Im sure defacing the US flag on their soil can get you into a huge amount of trouble with a few govt authorities

[Colapop]

What is your source for this? One of the organisers said he was using blanks and judging by the zero recoil in the footage I tend to believe them. Bit hard to prove after the point but the fact that the sentence is so light is maybe because this was accepted?

Feel free to correct me.

Your points are valid Hoon. If it was any other NZer it may not have been such an issue. I don't believe there is wide spread anti-maori nationlist feeling throughout NZ. I think the issue is that people generally are pissed off with activists cornering the media, the judicial system and the extremist sympathy vote for 'causes'. NZ, as I have stated beofre, is a country built up over a period of timeby a variety of peoples from a variety of backgrounds. There are nop longer any native people of this land. Maori, by their own reckoning, are immigrants (did they not arrive here by the great canoes?) and as such should have the same rights as every other NZer.
There are a hell of a lot of fantastic people in this country - Maori, Samoan, Chinese, Indian, even a couple of European decent. Why should one group of people, who 'feel' agrieved be allowed to hold the majority to ransom? Tama Iti is an activist who makes a living by encouraging division. There are justifiable grievances, granted, that are being addressed by a governmetally set up tribunal. It is only the activists that realise their forecast revenue gathering opportunities will be dismissed if the official process actually proceeds without impedence.
That is though at the end of the day, regardless of your political views, the guy committed a crime and a grossly irresponsible act and has been punished, case closed move on. Activists lose their power if everyone ignores them. Where is John Minto now?

[Grahameeboy]

How is using a firearm traditional Maori culture? I was always (may any Maori correct me) under the impression that firearms were a European introduction...

So is P and they blame Pakeha for that too.....