Callous vote | The Salt Lake Tribune

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

There is no grief like the loss of a child, whether from a natural cause, illness, accident or violence. A parent's world is turned upside down: This is not the way the universe is supposed to be.

So when families from Sandy Hook Elementary took it upon themselves to travel to Washington, D.C., to meet with members of Congress in an effort to get federal gun control legislation there were many eloquent and heartfelt moments.

One poignant moment was the address by Francine Wheeler, whose 6-year-old son was killed in the Newtown, Conn., tragedy. President Barack Obama let her give his weekly radio address.

Personal stories always make political issues more real. Abstract issues become individual and meaningful. At least, that is how it seems to the average American.

Clearly, U.S. senators are not your average American. Their callous vote against a bill supporting background checks for all gun purchasers is evidence of their heartless and cynical politics. Their egregious behavior is an outrage.

Louis Borgenicht

Salt Lake City