The Crystal Ball 2013 Aaron Hernandez and the Dehumanization of Society

Last month former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was arrested in connection with the murder of Olin Lloyd, a semi pro football player in the Boston area and an acquaintance of Hernandez’s. Each day more information comes to light in this tragedy as prosecutors work to establish a case against the football player. The details that have come out thus far regarding this investigation paint a damning picture for Hernandez. According to reports, Hernandez and two acquaintances took Lloyd to an industrial park near Hernandez’s home in the middle of the night and shot him to death.

Per reports, the evidence found thus far includes gum found at the scene containing Hernandez’s DNA. Bullet casings found at the scene and the rented car the mend used match a gun Hernandez was seen with before and after the shooting. Hernandez, while initially being interviewed by police, acted suspicious and argumentative. Hernandez also destroyed his home security system after the shooting and his cell phone and the day after a cleaning crew came to his home. Lloyd in his last hours of life also texted his sister, letting her know whom he was with just in case something happened to him. Apparently, he had his own suspicions regarding Hernandez.

After his arrest, police found an apartment Hernandez kept separately from his residence that he used as a flop house. This apartment contained amongst other things boxes of ammunition as well as a hoodie police say Hernandez wore on the night of the murder. And documents have been released that show Hernandez admitted to people he fired the fatal shots that killed Lloyd.

While none of this is known for sure, and like anyone arrested in this country Hernandez is innocent until proven guilty, so far for me this does not pass the smell test. At the very least, his actions have been beyond suspicious from the first moment this story broke. Even trying to be impartial and objective, with the information currently available I have serious doubts of how Hernandez could possibly be innocent, and I have a feeling a court of law will feel the same way.

While this case is not as shocking as Ray Lewis or O.J. Simpson, due to the profile of the alleged perpetrator, or as anguishing as Rae Carruth, due to the victim, it still packs a powerful blow. Once again splashed before our eyes on a daily basis are the details of a famous athlete taking another person’s life. It seems unfathomable that someone living the life of a wealthy, privileged athlete would commit such a heinous act. What could Lloyd have possibly done to evoke Hernandez into killing him? Jason Whitlock of Fox Sports believes Hernandez is merely the result of a gang and drug culture that has invaded the sports world.

Whitlock’s argument makes sense when it applies to this case. Hernandez’s motive, at least that being discussed in media circles and through information released from the investigation, seems to be one of disrespect. One pervading theory is that Hernandez killed Lloyd because he spoke to the wrong people. Another theory is that Lloyd was speaking too much regarding Hernandez’s possible involvement in a previous murder while another leans on the idea that Lloyd had disrespected Hernandez in some way and he had enough of Lloyd.

A portrait of Hernandez has been emerging during this time of a young man who has courted a hard edged life since he first went to the University of Florida. Hernandez had been working to cultivate the image of a tough “gangsta”. If this image of Hernandez is accurate, it would not be difficult to see him make an eventual leap into murder to not only increase his street cred, but also to threaten potential rivals and as a solution to any perceived disrespect.

Due to a multitude of factors, not the least of which include location, ethnicity, life experiences, parental involvement and myriad more, I do not understand the mindset that demands retribution, violent or otherwise, to a supposed act of disrespect. In our world today, people in general are too thin skinned and sensitive. Almost any comment or question can be turned into a perceived slight. We are all guilty of blowing a minor or innocuous comment out of proportion and turning it into a gigantic insult.

We have all felt marginalized, disrespected, ignored or downright insulted by others. Heck there are days I feel all of those things before lunch time. Thanks to a combination of selfishness, egomania, ignorance and society’s ever growing addiction to being connected and in constant contact with the world at all times, it’s pretty easy to find yourself offended by something. But that should be no excuse for treating others poorly or going so far as to commit murder.

And I understand. Nothing throws you off more than getting your feathers ruffled by some arrogant or stupid douche bag. So you know what I do? I stop, take a deep breath and walk it off. Then I remember that I have a beautiful, loving wife, a great family, two wonderful dogs, a fantastic home, awesome friends and an excellent job that gets better every day. I try to focus on what is good, and important, in my life instead of dwelling on the perceived slights of others. That guy who cut me off this morning, yeah 99% sure he didn’t do that just to ruin my day. Most likely, he has a lot on his mind too and did it absentmindedly.

Regardless, I can't imagine reacting so violently for so trivial of a reason. Why a young man, fit, strong, healthy as well as popular, handsome, well off with a seemingly great job and most importantly an infant daughter would throw all of that away because he felt he disrespected is beyond my capacity to understand or rationalize. And that is the tough question, and one we may never know. If he did indeed kill Lloyd, what was Hernandez’s motive? Why exactly were Hernandez, Lloyd and 2 others out in the middle of the night with the intent to kill? Was it disrespect? Was it gang related? Or was it so much more that has yet to come to light?

Why would someone with so much to lose, at least from an outside perspective, risk these things by getting mixed up in killing another man? What reason would be good enough for Hernandez to take a human life with such a cavalier attitude and with little thought of the ramifications of such an act? Have we become so callous and unfeeling that human life means so little to us anymore? A man is dead and soon a little girl will grow up without a father for any good reason. Does this not make us feel anything anymore?

We treat each other so poorly anymore, from insults, bullying and ridicule to fighting, rape and murder. Our society is perverse with rewarding people for treating each other badly. Reality television thrives on viewers tuning in to watch people scream at each other for minor mistakes, backstab for piddling amounts of money and outright lie and cheat to win a made up competition. At some point we lost our compassion, and now we actively dehumanize each other. This dehumanization only makes it easier to increase our levels of apathy, disgust and hate, which leads even further to increasingly bad treatment. I hope one day we can find our compassion again, preferably before we tear ourselves to pieces.