One would have hoped that when NRA executive vice president Wayne LaPierre weighed in on the Trayvon Martin case, he'd at least have the decency to condemn George Zimmerman. Well, that was too much to ask. Instead, at the NRA convention in St. Louis, he lashed out at the media coverage of the shooting, saying it has been blown way out of proportion.
Mr. LaPierre criticized news organizations for singling out one killing and ignoring many other violent crimes that happen in the United States every day.
“You manufacture controversy for ratings,” he added. “You don’t care about the truth, and the truth is the national news media in this country is a national disgrace, and you all know it.”
Mr. LaPierre, who did not mention Mr. Martin by name, said the N.R.A. would not comment further on the case without a full understanding of the facts.
No, Wayne. This wasn't just another violent crime. This was a case of a police department and a district attorney's office engaging in what can charitably be described as dereliction of duty, especially considering their less-than-sparkling relations with blacks. And it also may very well be a case where a badly written law championed by your organization could allow Zimmerman to walk (according to some reports, the judge could throw out the whole case if he accepts Zimmerman's "Stand Your Ground" claim).
LaPierre thinks that what happened to Trayvon is no different from any other violent crime.
“By the time I finish this speech, 2 Americans will be slain, 6 women will be raped, 27 of us will be robbed, and 50 more will be beaten,” he said at a N.R.A. members meeting on Saturday morning. “That’s the harsh reality we face, all of us, every single day. But the media, they don’t care. Everyday victims aren’t celebrities. They don’t draw ratings, don’t draw sponsors. But sensational reporting from Florida does.”
LaPierre forgot one thing. Had the police done their jobs, this probably would have been just another violent crime. It's hard not to think that he has a guilty conscience, considering the possibility that Zimmerman could still walk as a result of a law that even National Review thinks may need to be rewritten if it protects him.
I know LaPierre has the right to be wrong. But does he have to be wrong now?