I am ashamed . . .



It has been far too long since I last wrote anything here . . . unacceptable. Time seems to stand still, yet it has gone past too quickly. We have been busy, but have we achieved anything ? Anything worthwhile ? I am not sure, yet there always seems to be some progress.


Progress can be a good thing, and a bad thing. To change the fabric of your life and habits is often a thing to be treated with respect, and for some to be feared. But I ramble on.



We have seen in the last few days the death in Napier of Senior Constable Len Snee, of the NZ Police Force. A good man, a good father, a good 'copper'. Our hearts goes out to the family of this man - his life so rudely taken away from him. Also the two other officers and a civilian wounded in the same incident.

What possesses a man (in this case) to take a life ? What causes a person to quote "step over the line" and literally hold a town and a law enforcement agency to ransom ? Why ? Was he just having a bad day ? Or was there underlying issues ? Were there drug involved ? Considering the officers at the house were searching for drug, it seems likely.

Why is it that he chose to hole up, and shoot it out ? Why did he have such weapon in his possession ? And explosives ? Is this part of what drugs do to people ? And yet "people" say that drugs are harmless. And now her is dead also. By his own hand or by police bullets ? We may never know. My sympathies the the gunman's family - Kia Kaha !

And before the purists out there look and start crying "ban the gun !", lets look at the other side.

A gun is an "inanimate object" - just like a plane, car, an baseball bat, a knife . . it can do no harm to any other human being unless it is in the hands of another human being . . . so banning the gun will not achieve the ends some would call for. More likely than not, the holder of the firearm that would pose a risk will not have a firearms licence anyway. So tightening up on the licence holder will achieve nothing.

There are thousands (probably) of NZ'ers out there that are registered to own a firearm in NZ. Some of the web team possess firearms - and we don't go shooting people . . . . "good" people don't do that . .

But a good man is dead. He served his country and did what he did - did his job. And now a good man is dead, and some of his mates are hurt.

I pray only for peace and blessing on Senior Constable Len Snee's family.

May God be with you in the weeks ahead.


Keep the faith . . .