Spit-Take

Trey Smith

Gun-rights activists at a National Rifle Association convention said on Friday that protesters who demanded the arrest of George Zimmerman for the shooting death of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin were ignoring the U.S. legal principle of innocent until proven guilty.

They said the protesters and the media had rushed to judge Zimmerman, a white and Hispanic neighborhood watch volunteer, as guilty in the death of 17-year-old Martin, who was black, without having been convicted.
~ from At U.S. Gun Convention, Many See Rush to Judgment in Trayvon Martin Case by Greg McCune ~

In my book, the above sentiment represents a dunderheaded comment. Arresting someone doesn't make them guilty; that's what the court system is for. An arrest is utilized when a preponderance of evidence or a credible suspicion exists that a crime has been committed.

While it's certainly true that a lot of people think Zimmermann is guilty of needlessly causing the death of Martin -- I happen to be one of them -- a judge and/or jury will determine if he is legally liable. That's the way the system is supposed to work.

I wonder if these same gun-rights activists would have made similar comments IF Zimmermann had shot a police officer or an important white person. Hmm.