Why is Aaron Hernandez guilty until proven innocent?

The beauty of being an American is that we can wake up every morning and know that for better or for worse, we are still in the greatest nation in the world.

Sure, our government isn’t perfect. But look around the world – even with our flaws, the United States’ system is probably the best in the world.

Our constitution is structured to give power and freedom to our people. America’s presses are free. They are used as a tool to check the government and keep it operating within its means.

Likewise, our laws are mostly fair and just. When broken, our judicial system provides all Americans with an opportunity to have presumed innocence.

Unless you’re Aaron Hernandez, of course.

Then there’s no reason for a trial to even take place – in the eyes of the American public, the ousted Patriots’ star is dead to society and guilty of first-degree murder.

Hernandez’s fall from grace has probably been the biggest sports story of the summer.

His murder arrest has marked the first time in several years that an athlete at the top of his or her sport has fallen because of the teeth of justice.

So for that reason, it’s not a shock that the media have taken the story to the masses.

But what is surprising and disturbing is the way people have responded to the allegations brought against the New England Patriots’ star.

No one is willing to honor Hernandez’s presumption of innocence. It seems that most have the football player already hung out to dry.

Immediately following Hernandez’s arrest, the New England Patriots cut ties with the All-Pro tight end. They said they came to that decision because they did not want any team employee to be someone involved in a murder investigation.

That immediate pink slip was a shock to me, but it wasn’t a source of ire.

The Patriots are a first-class organization that has every right to employ anyone it wants to within the NFL.

Their decision to cut Hernandez went a little bit against the grain when one considers the precedent already in place within the league.

Future Hall of Famer Ray Lewis faced similar charges a decade ago (his charges later were dropped). The Baltimore Ravens didn’t cut the linebacker – they stood by their guy until the court process played itself out.

When he was cleared, he returned and became one of the best linebackers to ever play the game.

But regardless, New England is its own organization with its own rules and principles. They are free to do as they wish with their personnel.

But by releasing Hernandez and taking away his job, it seems like they cleared the way for a public firestorm.

It now seems like hammering the tight end and trying to take away everything he’s earned is the goal of everyone who’s ever been involved with the player.

Just look at the University of Florida’s reaction to the allegations.

Hernandez was an All-American player for the Gators during a golden era in their football program’s history.

The tight end was a part of the Tebow years – a time when Florida was the premier program in the country.

But Hernandez has been gone from the school for several seasons – and Florida had every right to take a wait and see approach regarding Hernandez’s place in school history.

Instead of doing that, the school sided with the public and presumed his guilt. They did so emphatically when they took down his All-American plaque and brick from their stadium display.

What will happen if Hernandez is acquitted? Will the school put back up his acknowledgments? You’d think they’d have to, right? At that point, he’d be just like you or I – a young man free to do as he wishes. Surely, the school couldn’t keep him out of its history books if he was a man free from the charges brought against him?

I know that defending an accused killer is an unpopular side to take in any debate.

But sometimes, it’s what needs to be done to give a fellow American a fair shake as he awaits his day in court.

I wasn’t there the night the victim in question was murdered – I don’t what happened during the night of the crime.

But neither was the management of the New England Patriots, the athletic officials at the University of Florida or anyone else who has already buried the man in prison for the rest of his life with no parole.

We understand that things don’t look good when the surveillance tape shows the suspect holding a gun just minutes after the shooting. It also doesn’t look good when we find out after the arrest that Hernandez is also possibly a person of interest in a separate homicide investigation.

But Hernandez says he’s innocent.

As an American, I am inclined to believe him. If I were in his shoes, I would want you to believe me, too.

This has to be the case, of course, a jury of his peers tells me otherwise.

It’s not fair to Hernandez, nor America to do things any other way.

Let’s see how this thing plays out before we rush to judgment.

Innocent until proven guilty, right?

Football stars deserve that basic right, too.

Cooper slur hides elephant in the room

While we’re on the topic of societal issues, we’re also going to take a little bit of time to talk about the situation in Philadelphia plaguing Eagles’ receiver Riley Cooper.

In case you missed it, Cooper has been the subject of negative headlines this week because he used a racial slur while at a country music concert.

Video footage captured Cooper using the N-word in the video as he tried to push his way through guards and get into the stands in a confrontation.

Since the video’s release, Cooper has apologized and has agreed to undergo counseling.

His teammates have nervously accepted his apology and have moved on.

Here’s the problem. The N-word is alive and well in our culture – especially in our children.

And until that’s rectified, the problem won’t go away.

I know more than anyone.

I interact with our youth through my work.

They use the word repeatedly to refer to people of all races.

The word is also still alive in our music and in our culture.

The Miami Heat’s 2012-13 intro music was a song by Jay-Z and Kanye West titled Ni**as in Paris.

The N-word is used close to 10 times in that song, but yet the team still used it.

And no one said a word.

Do all of the Heat players have to undergo counseling the same way as Cooper?

No.

The N-word is a taboo word – it has no place in our world.

But it’s still alive and well, and I guarantee Cooper isn’t the only pro athlete to ever say it.