Letters: Joe ‘You Lie’ Wilson started today’s political ugliness

The country seems more divided now than it has been in a very long time, with each political party being unwilling to trust, respect, or get along with one another. Who’s to blame? I believe that much of this strife started when U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson cried out “You lie!” during President Obama’s 2009 speech to Congress, an undignified, unprecedented outburst.

Regardless of one’s opinions on the person who holds it, the office of the president is to be respected, and dissent to be expressed in a civil way, especially by other elected officials. This was the pebble that started the avalanche of disrespect and venom directed by other Republicans at the president, unequaled in modern times. If you want to restore dignified disagreement to politics, kicking Joe Wilson out would be a good first step.