Gun folks love a hero. They want a hero so badly they’re willing to put anyone up on that pedestal, no matter how troubling.
Case in point: George Zimmerman. He couldn’t exercise a little discretion by staying in his car and letting law enforcement do their jobs. He had to be Neighborhood Watch Hero, and now his future hangs on the line while attorneys from both sides hump a mannequin on national television.
We’ll never know exactly what happened in those few seconds leading up to the fight and the ensuing gunshot. Sure, we know what Zimmerman says, and we know what the lawyers say, but that’s not necessarily the truth. A criminal trial isn’t about truth; it’s about selling a story to a jury in order to get a verdict.
Sure, maybe statute says you can shoot if X happens. Maybe that guy I met who took a class from a guy who used to know a cop said I can shoot if Y happens. Continued...