In his letter ("Health care debate tinged with racism," YourViews, Sept. 22), John Pryor talked of the "vitriolic outrage," racism and "loss of civility" of Obama administration opponents. Really?

In a National Review article, Howard Dean said, "I hate the Republicans ..." and politics "is a struggle of good and evil, and we're the good."

The New Republic wrote "The Case for Bush Hatred." It began, "I hate President Bush."

BushHitler became a routine term. John Glenn said of the Bush campaign, "It's the old Hitler business." Al Gore said that Bush was "unleashing squadrons of digital brownshirts." Julian Bond said "their idea of equal rights is the American flag and the Confederate swastika."

CBS showed Bush on the screen with the words "snipers wanted." John Kerry joked to Bill Maher, "I could have gone to 1600 Pennsylvania and killed the real bird with one stone." Al Hevesi said that his fellow Democrat, Sen. Charles Schumer, would "put a bullet between the president's eyes if he could get away with it."

The British Guardian wrote, "John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, John Hinckley Jr. - where are you now that we need you." Betty Williams, a Peace Prize recipient, said, "I would love to kill George Bush."

Many people at rallies were worse. They said then that dissent was the highest form of patriotism. Now dissent is racism, vitriol and uncivility.

Everyone on all sides should feel free to passionately dissent without being intimidated by hate or political correctness. But no cause is so holy that it justifies vicious means.

Robert J. Johnston, Normal