If any country had more than 30,000 (thirty thousand) deaths due to one cause - e.g. polio or tuberculosis, wouldn't you think they'd rush to put in place a regime to address the cause and ensure the protection of citizens and other residents for whom the government has responsibility?

When airliners crash - in Indonesia or Ethiopia or wherever - then we quickly go into investigative mode to discover what went wrong. And if there is a technical problem the airplane manufacturer remedies that, usually quickly, to prevent a similar disaster. Not always, but usually. It works and its smart.

When it was made clear that car accidents too often sent people flying through windshields or out of the car into abutments or other obstacles causing death, seat belts wisely (but not without opposition by libertarians) became mandatory and reduced the number of deaths and injuries, thereby avoiding much grief and great cost to insurers and others affected. Car manufacturers currently are assuming that taking the steering wheel out of the hands of people drivers will reduce accidents and injuries even more. Smart.

Parents know that if you put sharp knives on the counter and let small children play there, the kids have a good chance of cutting themselves. So the smart ones ensure that knives are properly stored out of reach to avoid the obvious. It works. Smart.

The National Rifle Association has done an amazing job in the USA and is trying to do the same through surrogates in Canada! Their efforts focus on the truth convincing people that guns don't kill, but people do. In fact, they'll argue, more guns would prevent slaughters like the ones in Las Vegan or Columbine or Sandy Hook or many of the other average one per day multiple slaughters taking place in the USA.

The statistics, of course, prove the contrary. When guns are restricted and controlled, yes, tragedies still happen as we well know in Canada. But USA statistics clearly demonstrate that more guns results in more deaths. So allowing weak or no restrictions on guns is simply stupid and deadly.

Legislators in the USA have been bullied, bought, and intimidated by the far-reaching influence of the NRA. Canada less so, but even current legislation before Parliament goes nowhere near to reducing the number of unnecessary, deadly-dangerous weapons in private hands.

Happily the Parkland Florida students have launched a movement that could gather momentum - the David students bravely opposing the NRA Goliath and its well-armed troops. Could they behead that corporate giant (read 1 Samuel 17 in the Hebrew Scriptures) and its idolatry of the 2nd Amendment?

Then we had Christchurch - just last Friday. 50 innocent Muslims at prayer in two mosques murdered by a "rational" Australian infected with the white nationalist contagion spread by infected politicians and media pundits, toting assault rifles and other weapons of destruction. Another 50 brutally injured. The shock waves went around the world and through Muslim and other faith communities globally. Who doesn't fear and detest senseless killings?

Now a week later, under the inspired leadership of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, the New Zealand government has moved to ban assault weapons and other semi-automatic arms. Hallelujah! This, she says, is just the beginning of the task to stop a repeat of this one huge tragic event. "It's in the national interest and it's about safety." All parties in the Parliament have lined up to support the measures. Smart.

Safety and health! A courageous, sage leader who understands the vital role of government and acts for the well-being of the people takes action. The white nationalist gunman is rendered anonymous. The fire-arms corporate business agenda is curtailed. The NRA message is simply stifled. White nationalism and its fanatics are marginalized by the overwhelming support of the government's actions and by the surge of New Zealanders expressing their solidarity with Muslims. Advocacy of respectful relations is proclaimed as normative for New Zealanders.

Healthy, wise, sage, sane, brave! Would that in Canada we had some more of that on this subject. And would that south of the border, the devil worship of fire arms could be exorcised. Last year, more than 30,000 households might have been spared their grievous laments, loss of loved ones, life altering wounds.

Health ministries should be reporting on the physical and psychological impact of guns on persons and households. The growing social fear of shootings in the population is a health issue about which people need to be fully informed. To deny or whitewash the destructive, bloody impact of guns is simply stupid, collective insanity.

Let's hope that in the coming elections - Canada in October, the USA in 2020 - there will be leaders who like Jacinda Ardern lead, with wise, compassionate, and steely nerve to stare down the destructive conspiratorial forces bringing hate, fear, violence, and gun murders into our societies. It's an election issue that could restore sanity and health.