Miami Heat: Are LeBron and Co. Politically Correct in Supporting Trayvon Martin?

The Miami Heat players have taken their inside knowledge of the case involving George Zimmerman and made a bold public statement, each adorning a hoodie to honor and support Trayvon Martin.

Clearly, the Heat players must have the same secret access that many other media types have, as well as some Congress types. It is obvious what happened. It really doesn't matter that there were only two known witnesses to the incident.

Zimmerman murdered Martin. Case closed. Well, that is what most news outlets, the Miami Heat and LeBron James apparently want you to believe—only crickets from the ruling figures in the NBA and David Stern.

I am hearkened back to Duke lacrosse and the Olympic Park bombing scapegoat, Richard Jewell. A quick refresher: innocent people indicted and condemned by the public and the media. So quick to jump, so eager to assign malice and unity against the innocent, then quickly swept into a quiet room when the damage was already done.

More than half of you are likely enraged right now, but ask yourself why. While the Miami Heat and King James proclaim from their hall of Egoism as a show of support for Martin, I reserve judgment until the facts (quite useful things) have been revealed.

I do not know if Zimmerman killed Martin with murderous intent. I also don't know if Martin attacked and beat Zimmerman. For me to assume evidence exists or does not exist without having first-hand access and insight from the detectives and prosecutors would be irresponsible and foolish. I would expect hate mail, ridicule and every other manner of negative blow-back—and rightfully so. 

If you are a sports figure like LeBron and the rest of the Heat, however, it's perfectly acceptable behavior. They are entitled to act so carelessly and publicly because they mistakenly feel it is somehow part of their job to do so. 

Since I have no such knowledge, I am not making a judgment one way or the other.

My concern is with the Miami Heat players. 

These men are supposedly role models. Kids and fans look up to them, and whether sports figures like it or not, their behavior sets an example. They chose to make a political and social statement with their "hoodie huddle," and as such should also bear the responsibility for that action—James in particular, as he is so sure of the facts that he posted the picture to his Twitter page.

Oh, and by the way, King James used the hashtag #WeWantJustice, as reported by ESPN. The link also goes to a PTI clip where Michael Wilbon "applauds" the Heat for their secret internal knowledge of the incident. I have a great deal of respect for Wilbon, but this is a real head-scratcher.

So, what will the hoodie patrol in Miami do if Zimmerman is found to have merely defended himself? If this is the case, how do the Miami players react to a man who would be living under months of constant abuse, post-traumatic stress, depression and death threats? What about the rest of the NBA players who are loudly and publicly assigning guilt in this case? Believe it or not, putting the rock in the hole does not make someone a clairvoyant or legal expert any more than I claim to be.

And where exactly is the NBA brass, besides quietly supporting this kind of action with silent approval? I'd be curious to see what their "George Zimmerman" apology huddle looked like. Surely if that turns out to be the case, they would make some public statement to correct the hoodie huddle, right?