Letter to the editor: Josh Hawley, quit stoking the culture wars and do your job

His real job

To a proud former Missourian born and raised in St. Louis, it is clear that Josh Hawley, the state’s junior senator, has run out of things to do in his Senate post. After an undistinguished career as Missouri attorney general, where he initially failed to prosecute former Gov. Eric Greitens, Hawley now appears to simply be taking up space.

Recently, Hawley contacted the National Basketball Association to criticize social justice messages on the backs of players’ jerseys, and he has criticized St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner for investigating two attorneys pointing guns at peaceful demonstrators passing their home.

The senator’s nascent lawmaking career includes supporting President Donald Trump’s separation of children from parents who cross the border illegally and criticizing LGBT rights after the Supreme Court prohibited workplace discrimination.

In the meantime, COVID-19 is ravaging rural and urban Missourians who are experiencing test-processing delays. Russia’s president allegedly has put a bounty on American service members and allegedly attempted to steal COVID-19 vaccine. Americans cannot travel overseas because of coronavirus infection rates. Missouri’s highways are crumbling because of a lack of infrastructure improvements. And Kansas City and St. Louis are suffering from gun violence and rampant unemployment.

And Sen. Hawley is concerned about messages on the jerseys of NBA players.

If his goal is to get in line for the Republican presidential nomination behind Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, at least he should have the dignity to resign from the Senate and make way for someone who is willing to address the major issues facing the state.

- Stanley H. Mitchell, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania