Of the 15 senators who have refused to co-sponsor the anti-lynching bill, my less-well-known home senator, Jon Kyl (R) was among them. He argued that he never co-sponsors "sense of the Senate" resolutions. Below is the text of the letter I wrote that was published in The Arizona Republic and sent to Sen. Kyl.

I read with disgust Sen. John Kyl's excuse as to why he, like 85 other senators to date, felt it beneath him to co-sponsor Senate Resolution 39 ("Senate plans lynching apology," Monday).

This bipartisan resolution officially apologized for the Senate's refusal to pass anti-lynching bills proposed in hundreds of House bills and by seven different presidents.

To say with a single voice that the Senate was in error for its gross misconduct in failing to protect the lives of thousands of Americans in the 19th and 20th centuries — as the resolution puts it, failing the Senate's "minimum and most basic of federal responsibilities" — seems a bit higher in priority than adhering to some abstract principle about not endorsing "sense of the Senate" resolutions.

On some issues I disagree with Kyl's votes and take solace in the democratic process. In this case, I am ashamed that he purports to represent the people of Arizona.