I found Justin Hinkley’s Oct. 2 commentary, “Circus Congress plays circus games,” shoddy and disturbing journalism.

Awkwardly mixing football and circus analogies, he states “Politics has always been a game” and “it’s a circus.”

It is neither.

In the early 1800s, Carl von Clausewitz wrote in his book, “On War,” that “war is politics by other means.” Why was there a riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6? Because a group of people rejected the outcome of the normal and usual political process and tried to change that political outcome by other means. We didn’t see clowns and footballs. We saw combat.

Mr. Hinkley writes, “It’s a circus, everybody is patronizing their voters with their words but acting for themselves, trying to pull off the sleight of hand, trying to convince the ref they haven’t done what they know they’ve done,” and, “Now, however, it seems politics is nothing but a game, with no redeeming value…”

Please note the all-inclusive word “everybody” and the accusation “no redeeming value.”

The statements made by Mr. Hinkley are a blanket condemnation of all the elected officials in the House and Senate and their work. By making this broad, dismissive criticism, Mr. Hinkley aligns himself with the rioters of Jan. 6. They also found the entire system without redeeming value. The House and Senate are populated by 535 women and men from all 50 states, including 76 military veterans. Through some unexplained analytical method, Mr. Hinkley feels qualified to proclaim through equivalency and call them all phony liars.

I don’t believe that for a moment. I think a great many of them have integrity and are struggling to deal with difficult, volatile issues for which there are no good answers. Such nihilistic commentary very likely gives aid and comfort to the Capitol mob and their ilk.

JIM ALLYN,

Black River