That time I spoke to Jacinda about a massacre back in 2012

The year was 2012. I was doing my post grad in Communications at Auckland University of Technology. My specialisation was Journalism. I was also working as a media monitor/content writer. On the side I volunteered for the student magazine, Debate as a columnist and article writer. I had a regular dating column called It's in his kiss, which was based on Carrie Bradshaw's Sex and the City. I've always had an interest in the serious issues though so I wrote serious articles. I wrote articles about crime, Kyle Sandilands and I also had a How to guide.

After the Colorado cinema shootings in July 2012 I was fascinated because unlike the Columbine High School massacre in 1999, the Colorado cinema shooter hadn't turned the gun on himself.

I was going to write an article that centred around the mental health of mass murderers, why they do it in the first place, why some choose to end their own life and why some choose not to. For that article I had planned to interview a few pyschologists and I also chose to interview then NZ Labour list MP, Jacinda Ardern. I emailed Jacinda's office and she personally replied and I may be wrong but I think I set up the interview for 3 or 4pm on a Thursday afternoon. I then created my list of questions.

I asked her about the Orlando shooting, what action she would like to see taken and a couple of other things that I genuinely do not recall. If memory serves me right though, we did talk about mental health and we did talk about prevention. I recall her being very compassionate and kind.

This was evidenced in the interview when my building had a fire alarm. She offered to end the interview and continue it later but I didn't want to do that so once the beeping had stopped we carried on with it.

After I interviewed her I also interviewed an Australian psychologist by the name of Susan. I don't recall what she said either but I don't recall her being as warm as Jacinda was.

Jacinda really seemed to care about people and their mental health.

That has been displayed this week in response to the Christchurch Mosque Shooting that occurred on Friday. She has been so kind and caring towards the families of the victims, the entire Muslim community and NZers in general.

I think I steered clear of questions about guns and wanted to focus on the tougher issue because at the time I remember thinking that to ban guns would just be to put a band aid on the wound and that it wouldn't actually solve anything. I have since changed my tune but realistically, in an ideal world I'd like to see gun ownership cut and people given better access to mental health support services.  On that note, I really hope that the paramedics and other first responders on Friday are receiving adequate medical attention. 

Although nobody would ever wish an event like this on their worst enemy, if there's any world leader you'd want in your corner it's Jacinda and throughout the years she's always been a very kind, caring and considerate person.

There's no real point of this blog. I guess I'm just a little spooked out that I interviewed her about a massacre back in 2012 not even knowing back then that she would be Prime Minister of New Zealand or that she would be the one who would be the face of the nation dealing with such an atrocity.

I would be lying if I said I asked her what she'd do if it ever happened in New Zealand because to be honest, I don't think the thought even crossed my mind. I think I really wanted to get her views on the linkages between mental health and massacres.

I also guess I'm talking about it because although I want the assailant to receive the death penalty, I do want to understand what can drive a person, anyone to such a henious crime. How can someone be so angry and evil that they don't think what they're doing is wrong? Back in 2012 neither Jacinda nor I had the answer and sadly that's the case today. I do agree with her that a little kindness goes a long way.