An examination of a Jan. 6 defendant missed an important point

Jake Peart on Dec. 20 at his home in Hurricane, Utah. (Bridget Bennett for The Washington Post)

Regarding the Jan. 6 front-page article “Jan. 6 rioter confronts his sins — and his fate”:

Jake Peart showed mercy to the driver, Andrea Milholm Jung, when his sister was killed years ago and now appreciates the mercy from the judge who did not send him to prison. Ms. Jung was contrite and sought to change her life. Mr. Peart returned to his community, was embraced and celebrated. He has not, even with reflection, seen that he did anything wrong by entering the Capitol. Ms. Jung talks about how her life changed by her thoughtless actions; Mr. Peart has not accounted at all about his. He has “reflected” about entering the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and reads his Bible, but he has had little change of opinion. (He still doesn’t believe the election was valid!) The only change Mr. Peart has made is to understand the anger and distrust the “news” his sources feed him, but not enough to comprehend the manner in which those sources create “otherness” and fear among their constituency.

Mr. Peart and many of the rioters at the Capitol think of themselves as patriots. Their moral high ground is led by a man who has no morals (except to promote and protect himself). I’m not sure Mr. Peart has understood the damage he and the other rioters created that day. The article seemed to have missed the larger point: Mr. Peart’s intransigence.

Erin Dolinger, Delaware County, Pa.

The article on Jake Peart missed one important point in the “redemption saga.” The forgiveness displayed by him and his family to Andrea Milholm Jung, the driver who killed his sister, was admirable; however, she paid a hefty price for her mistake and is apparently heartsick over the cost of her behavior and is determined to make up for it.

Mr. Peart, on the other hand, is another of the “sorry (I got caught)” club. He might have given up right-wing media, but he clings to the “stuff” it taught him with a vengeance.

Mary F. Englebert, Statesville, N.C.