WASHINGTON -- February 24 -- The following statement was released today by the Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence:

The National Rifle Association likes to wrap itself in the American flag and portray itself as the last line of defense against terrorism as well as the ultimate defenders of America's freedom.

What price freedom? According to the NRA, asking for two cents from people who want to buy explosives is too much.

The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that the NRA is in a dither over a Bush Administration recommendation to enact a user fee of two cents per pound of explosives to fund the Justice Department Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, because explosives that warrant the user fee might include gunpowder. Translated to a purchase of ammunition, the fee would amount to slightly less than a penny per $7 box of .38 slugs.

This is not the only indefensible position being pushed in Washington by the NRA. The group's main priority is passage of legislation (H.R. 800/S. 397) that would prevent gun violence victims from holding negligent and even reckless gun sellers responsible for the deaths or injuries their behavior causes.

It's a horrible public policy idea -- editorial writers have written that proponents are "attempting to create a special class of citizens, exempt from the law" (Cleveland Plain Dealer) and that the legislation is "private charity masquerading as public protection."

As the saying goes, that's their two cents, anyway.

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