Steven Goldman: Josh Hamilton And His Persecutors

From Steven Goldman’s take on the Josh Hamilton Story:

As for the moral issue, I simply say this: Shut up. Judge not, for addiction is never simple and is rarely just a matter of mere disregard of self or weakness. There but for the grace of God go you, and I as well: I was lucky enough to have had an object lesson that I was unable to rationalize away, or I might be there myself. You, though, maybe you are made of sterner stuff. Maybe you were just too smart to get snared—or maybe you’re just not built the way someone like Hamilton is, where your body craves intoxication from your very first beer onward. Whatever the cause, that smugness, that easy superiority, can come at a high human cost.

This is just a flavor. Do yourself a favor and read the whole thing. You’ll be a little smarter after, probably.