To the editor:

Peter Bieri’s so-called “Case for party loyalty” (Jan. 1) was actually a shotgun rant against the Democrats, and especially Bill Clinton. Here are most of Bieri’s key words: “worse person,” “tragic … legacy,” “serial sex offender and con man,” “guerrilla warfare,” “cronies,” “whined,” “foolish,” “tired routine,” “shouting down,” “scream and shout,” “small, shrill predators,” “shallow agenda,” “gotten away with it,” “shortsighted,” “devoid … of ideals,” “sound and fury,” “craven,” “lies and immorality,” “selfishly fractures all values.”

Bieri’s argument, in short, consisted entirely of invective, without a single concrete supporting example. This kind of thing is red meat to Bieri’s core audience (which he defensively describes as “so-called Clinton-haters”). It won’t change any minds that rely on reason rather than emotional contagion.

David Burress,

Lawrence