When the N.R.A. puts Ideology before National Security.

As a follow-up on our post on the Virginia Tech Massacre, here's a pretty astonishing piece of news.

The National Rifle Association is urging the Bush administration to withdraw its support of a bill that would prohibit suspected terrorists from buying firearms. Backed by the Justice Department, the measure would give the attorney general the discretion to block gun sales, licenses or permits to terror suspects.

In a letter this week to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, NRA executive director Chris Cox said the bill, offered last week by Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., "would allow arbitrary denial of Second Amendment rights based on mere 'suspicions' of a terrorist threat." (Boston.com)

And of course, they say this all wrapped up in the flag. Those people are sick.