Not Lee's children | The Salt Lake Tribune

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As a result of his son coming out gay, Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, recently changed his position to pro-gay marriage. He reconsidered his opposition to marriage equality because he could see that it hurt someone he loves. That started me thinking about the nature of empathy.

A majority of scientists believe that extreme weather like wildfires, droughts and superstorms is in part caused by climate change. But U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, said, "I'm not as convinced as a lot of people are that man-made climate change is the threat they think it is."

Would Stewart still be a climate change denier if the economic and emotional damage done by the fires that devoured homes all over the West last year had affected him personally, burning his home to the ground?

And now Sen. Mike Lee has pledged to block any gun-control legislation. So, I'm wondering — just how screwed up do you have to be to say your constitutional right to fire an assault weapon with a 100-round ammo clip is more important than the safety of little children?

The victims in Newtown, Conn., were just little children. But they weren't Lee's children.

Susan Christensen

Salt Lake City