Response to an Open Letter

In the Open Letter to Charles Barkley & Co. by Josh Gordon (2015), the author seeks to highlight some of the key topics that have contributed in one manner or another to his strengths and failures. In other words, while it is a kind of reaction focused on the way in which some of his most ferocious opponents appear to have been concerned about his well-being, he seems to have resorted to drug addiction in the aftermath of his career. In that vein, the author tries to shift his predicaments to his background and how he was able to overcome certain challenges in life which according to him were more critical that what his critics perceives. Most importantly, however, the author feels that he just kind of needed no any form of sympathy the detractors were showing all in the name of he should change his behavior.

In this case, some of the critics the author responds to include Charles Barkley, Stephen A. and Cris who seems to have been more vocal based on the current turn of events. Notably, he categorically states that he has even never met any of them yet they are at the forefront of showing concerns more than any other in his lifetime. This more the case especially when these characters center on a rather more serious issue of addiction yet they know little about him. In that vein, the author feels devastated by all the transgressions that have greatly damaged his credibility and he already feels he is solely to blame for his current status.

On the basis of the letter, it is in my opinion that the author is absolutely justifiable to convey his message to his critics and his state of remorsefulness especially based on the fact that he is a public figure and a person with a great deal of followers in the form of fans. As a resident of Cleveland, Gordon feels that he has not lived to their expectations. This is more the case in the view of his teammates, their hardworking coaching staff, the ownership of the team (Brown) and their most cherished fans who are after nothing but the glory of the team (Gordon). Evidently, this is a show that the author is within his senses to note such a concern more than anything else. Together with his teammates and other stakeholders as well, they have been driven by such expectations for all that years. In the case of his family, the author is even more regretful than any other party. He even considers himself as the facilitator of his entire woes.

Regardless, it is only he himself who has the true picture of himself and knows well were in a way contributed to his current state of events. Basically, in life, an individual is considered the author and the architect of his own life. This is the case when Gordon traces his current status in his early stages of life against the perceptions of many. In that, he considers himself a triumphant, a winner against all odd to which he is completely aware of. To what seems as a form of notice, a clarification to everyone, the author began abusing marijuana at his young age, as a teenager. Other subsequent misdemeanors are just but lifelong challenges that he was able to overcome them regardless. For instance, in a case where he was caught driving while under influence served as a lesson in life though he also faced other penalties as a result of the same behavior.

Against the perceptions of many and more so who seems to show high concerns and points of advice, Gordon sees himself as an achiever, a person who has been able to overcome a lot in life to be where his at the time. First, and most importantly, he feels pride to have escaped poverty and the inadequacies that come with it. Basically, an upbringing into what he refers as one of the most challenging one could have resulted into one adopting a different kind of lifestyle. This is quite contrary as he embraced a different route that he considers himself as a lucky one. Determined to make a different perspective of life, the author categorically stresses that he focused on becoming the best in the career he had chosen (Gordon). This would later turn true despite all the tribulations.

Again, there are points to show that the author was keen on maintaining his reputation in building and promoting his career. This is the case where he indicates that he never smoked marijuana since before he was drafted by the Browns in the year 2012 (Gordon). In that, he was even ready to provide drug tests for all the years as a proof. Basically, this kind of confidence and readiness to show the world that he was not a person abusing substances is a clear indicator that Gordon was by all means not an addict but rather an occasional or rather a social user. Besides, the manner in which some of the critics argue on the basis of the accusations are but just mere exaggerations. To some extent, the case of Gordon has overly been distorted hence portraying him as a person with serious drug issues.

In the essence, the criticisms are overly unfounded and uncalled for especially at the time when the career of the author was at a stake. Rather than choosing an interview with Gordon, these people resulted to use the media to air their otherwise one-sided story. Reading the letter well shows that Gordon had his fair share of challenges in life especially at his young stages, a time that is considered to be the most critical to youngsters like him. In addition, he is a person who was brought up in complete absence of that sense of fatherly love and care (Gordon). Paternal care is paramount as that of mother and the instance that all are combined into one, some deficiencies are deemed inevitable. It is thus senseless and unjustifiable for Charles & Co. to come from nowhere and start critiquing one without adequate facts.

Work cited

Gordon, Josh. An Open Letter To Charles Barkley & Co. Web. 2015. October 2, 2017 (https://the-cauldron.com/an-open-letter-to-charles-barkley-co-cb5c4e64cf3)