i like guns and guns like me

When I was working in Sacramento, Jerry Brown, in his role as Attorney General, took a tour of all the DOJ facilities. To my surprise, his tour was not just a cursory meet and greet. Unlike past AG's. Brown actually asked questions about various programs, and wanted to be sure he understood how different databases and procedures worked. One of the things that came out of his tours was that it was determined that the database for gun records had never been cross referenced with the database for those who were prohibited from owning firearms because of felonies, mental health holds, probation conditions, restraining orders and so forth. Once they were cross referenced, it showed thousands of people who simultaneously listed as owning guns and being prohibited from owning guns. The result was Operation Summer Sweep.

I don't really know where I'm going with this, except that today's news reminded me of Brown's leadership on the issue. He is fundamentally misunderstood by his opponents. Anyways...

I know that Arizona has mental health prohibitions for firearms ownership. I don't know that they have databases that can be cross referenced like in California. I also don't know if Jared Loughner (is that pronounced Loner? Weird.)  has any sort of official record of mental health issues. I do know that he bought the gun legally a little more than a month ago. I also know he has posted some crazy YouTube videos and accounts of his behavior in the recent past point to someone who definitely has .

Story is still developing, so I don't know that anyone did anything wrong. I would just hope that the majority of 2nd Amendment supporters would agree that the right to bear arms does not pertain to the mentally disturbed.

I'm not a gun-ban guy. I just wish background checks were a little more thorough.