Shootings rob tranquil, pacific New Zealand of its innocence

The question many New Zealanders are asking themselves in the wake of Friday's deadly terrorist attacks on two mosques is: Why?

Why was this island nation with fewer than 5 million people in the southwestern corner of the Pacific chosen for such a savage crime? Why should there be attacks on men, women and children who have gathered to pray? Why couldn't the white supremacist be prevented from going on the killing spree?

In native Maori language New Zealand is "Aotearoa", or roughly the "land of the long white cloud" which appeared to offer a quiet sanctuary from many of the evils that beset our world today.