Ted Nugent Calls Trayvon Martin 'Dope Smoking, Racist Gangsta Wannabe'

Nugent Celebrates Zimmerman Verdict

Rock musician Ted Nugent responded Sunday to the acquittal of George Zimmerman by calling his killing of Trayvon Martin "the purest form of self-defense there is."

In a column for conservative news website Rare, Nugent labeled Martin, who was shot by Zimmerman, a "17-year-old dope smoking, racist gangsta wannabe." In Nugent's retelling of the shooting, he said Zimmerman did what "anyone" in that situation would have done.

George screams frantically for help as Trayvon Martin pummels his face and head furiously, inflicting damaging and potentially life threatening wounds. Fearing for his life and about to lose consciousness at the hands of an enraged, violent attacker, George Zimmerman does what anyone who wishes to live would do, and he reaches for his concealed handgun, firing a single shot to neutralize the deadly force being wreaked upon him.

Nugent said that "non-racist America" is pleased with the outcome of the trial, which he called a victory for "common sense, honesty and decency" in this country. According to Nugent, Martin was the only individual guilty of racism the evening he was shot.

Martin Luther King Jr. is rolling over in his grave that he sacrificed his life for the cause of judging people by the content of their character instead of the color of their skin, as so many of his own race carry [on] in self-destructive behavior while professional race mongers blame everything on racism. It is painful and heartbreaking to say and write this, but horrifically it is true. Blacks kill more blacks in a weekend in Chicago than the evil, vile Ku Klux Klan idiots did in 50 years. Truly earth shattering insane. And not a peep from Obama or Holder. Tragic.

Read the full column here.

A staunch gun advocate and National Rifle Association board member, Nugent appeared publicly to defend gun ownership after both the Martin and Sandy Hook shootings. In an April 2012 interview with Piers Morgan, Nugent warned that civilians like Zimmerman should be armed in the event that an attack escalates.

"Those of us that are armed, we have a responsibility to keep that new assault from taking our weapon, because if the assault escalates to that degree, certainly the fist can go into a deadly situation if they get a hold of the gun-bearer's gun," he said.

In a February interview with Morgan, Nugent argued that people should distinguish between gun owners and criminals.

"99.99 percent of the gun owners of America are wonderful people that you are hanging around with here today," he said. "Would you leave us the hell alone? Go after the nut jobs, go after the murderers, because I don’t know any."

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Before You Go

Ted Nugent's Most Outlandish Statements
'Dead Or In Jail'(01 of07)
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"If Barack Obama becomes the president in November, again, I will either be dead or in jail by this time next year," Nugent said to NRA supporters in April 2012. "If you can't galvanize and promote and recruit people to vote for Mitt Romney, we're done."Nugent added: "We need to ride into that battlefield and chop their heads off in November." (credit:Getty Images)
'I'd Like To Shoot 'Em Dead'(02 of07)
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During an interview in 2008, Nugent had harsh words for undocumented immigrants."In an unauthorized entry, armed like they are right now, invading our country, I'd like to shoot 'em dead," Nugent told Fox News' Sean Hannity. (credit:Getty Images)
'Black Jew At A Nazi-Klan Rally' (03 of07)
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After sparking controversy with his anti-Obama screed that earned him a Secret Service investigation, Nugent doubled down on his remarks during an interview with radio host Dana Loesch."I'm a black Jew at a Nazi-Klan rally," he said. "And there are some power-abusing, corrupt monsters in our federal government that despise me because I have the audacity to speak the truth." (credit:Getty Images)
Debbie Wasserman Schultz Is 'Brain-Dead'(04 of07)
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"Wasserman Schultz is such a brain-dead, soulless idiot," Nugent told Dana Loesch after the Florida congresswoman criticized his anti-Obama comments. "I could not be more proud that this soulless, heartless idiot feebly attempts to find fault with Ted Nugent, because I am on the right track and she just encourages me to stand stronger." (credit:Getty Images)
'Suck On My Machine Gun'(05 of07)
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During a 2011 interview with CNN's Piers Morgan, Nugent outlined his views on gun control. "Anybody that wants to disarm me can drop dead," Nugent said. "Anybody that wants to make me unarmed and helpless, we're gonna literally create the proven places that where more innocents are killed called 'gun-free zones,' we're gonna beat you. We're gonna vote you out of office, or suck on my machine gun, you can take it whichever way you want." (credit:Getty Images)
'You Punk'(06 of07)
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While on stage at a 2008 concert, Nugent held up machine guns and shared his thoughts on Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. "Hey, Obama," he said, guns in hand. "You might wanna suck on one of these, you punk." He continued, "Hillary, you might wanna ride one of these into the sunset, you worthless bitch." (credit:Getty Images)
'Apartheid Isn't That Cut-And-Dry'(07 of07)
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In 1990, Nugent caused a stir when he commented on racial segregation in South Africa to Detroit Free Press magazine."Apartheid isn't that cut and dry," Nugent said. "All men are not created equal. The preponderance of South Africa is a different breed of man. I mean that with no disrespect. I say that with great respect. I love them because I'm one of them. They are still people of the earth, but they are different. They still put bones in their noses, they still walk around naked, they wipe their butts with their hands ... These are different people. You give 'em toothpaste, they f---ing eat it ... I hope they don't become civilized. They're way ahead of the game." (credit:Getty Images)