The debate surrounding gun laws is consistent and passionate in the state of Arizona. Since the shooting involving the mentally ill Jared Loughner occurred last January, that debate has intensified both within the state and across the country.

Many anti-gun advocates use the Arizona assault as an extreme example of what's wrong with the country's firearm laws and why they need to be changed. This week, a group of persistent gun control enthusiasts went to Washington, D.C., to spell out to lawmakers that they need to pass a piece of legislation that they believe would better protect citizens.

According to NPR, among the change-seeking group were family members who had lost loved ones to violent crimes and victims themselves. Their main concern is that a federal database that was put in place in 1998 isn't being utilized like it should. Many federal authorities are not sharing the information in the database that they are supposed to share. They argue that those who don't comply with the goals of the database should lose funding for grants.

The database exists for states to be able to share information regarding potential gun buyers' arrest and mental health histories. It's meant to prevent firearms from landing in the hands of the wrong people. Loughner is an example of someone whom the database supporters see as a person who would not have had a gun if the database had been used properly.

You can likely see how this goal creates controversy. Critics of the database and the legislation that supports it argue that the measures threaten citizens' Constitutional rights and privacy. For example, many people are arrested but not convicted. Even a person who wasn't convicted of a crime would have his information put into the database, limiting his freedom to possess a firearm.

Crimes of violence are undoubtedly serious and should be prevented, but this country must be careful when it comes to limiting people's freedoms in order to create hypothetical safety. Let's hope that any decisions made on Capitol Hill are made carefully and with the Constitution in mind.

Source

NPR: "Gun Violence Survivors Push For Tighter Restrictions," Carrie Johnson, Nov. 16, 2011