[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 128 (Tuesday, November 14, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2024]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             THE AMISH SCHOOL SHOOTING OF THE LITTLE GIRLS

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 14, 2006

  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, in the 16th Century, during the period of 
religious reformation in Europe, the Mennonite faith was formed. Due to 
problems within the religion, a man named Jacob Amman separated 
himself, and a group of followers, from the Mennonite faith and 
established the Amish. Facing religious persecution for their beliefs, 
the Amish fled Europe in the 18th Century. They came to settle in 
America, primarily in the rich farmlands of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and 
Indiana.
  During the last 300 years, the Amish have maintained a peaceful 
existence among these farmlands, holding steadfast onto their beliefs 
of old, and not conforming to modem-day society. They live a simplistic 
life without the everyday modern conveniences we have all become 
accustom to. They do not use electricity, telephones, computers, or 
television, and they do not own automobiles. The Amish are governed by 
a set of unwritten rules known as the ``Ordnung.'' These rules 
establish the protocol and acceptable behavior for an Amish community 
and vary in each community. For example, the Ordnung in a particular 
community may forbid ever deviating from conservative, dark, heavy 
forms of clothes, even during the summer months, whereas other 
communities Ordnungs may relax the dress code during the summer heat. 
In general, the Amish avoid anything that would be considered 
``hochmut,'' meaning proud or arrogant, and choose to live their lives 
in ``demut,'' humility, and ``gelassenheit,'' submission.
  The most important part of an Amish community is the family. Each 
family has an average of seven children. While it is considered ``God's 
Will'' to how many children one family will have, it is also vital that 
there be enough children to help run the family farm. Amish children 
attend school, usually in a one-room school house run by the Amish 
community. Most Amish children do not receive anything higher than an 
8th grade education. The belief is that the education level is 
sufficient enough to adapt the children into their future adult Amish 
life.
  Amish communities, although surrounded by modern society, are 
generally untouched by violence plaguing today's world. They do not 
read newspapers, which depict the crimes of modern society. They do not 
own televisions, which run continual news coverage of random acts of 
violence occurring throughout modern society. Their lives could be 
deemed innocent and idealistic, sheltered to the evils of society.
  All that changed on Monday, October 2, 2006. On this warm, sunny, 
fall Pennsylvania day, Charles Carl Roberts IV came home from his night 
shift as a milk delivery man, walked his children to school, and kissed 
them goodbye. He went home and wrote four notes: one to his wife and 
one to each of his three children. Arming himself with a handgun, a 
shotgun, a rifle, and more than 600 rounds of ammunition, Roberts drove 
to the quiet Amish community of Nickel Mines.
  Mr. Speaker, Roberts, with malice aforethought, and a heart fatally 
bent on mischief, calmly walked into that one room Amish schoolhouse 
and took it, and the children, hostage. Roberts ordered all of the 
Amish boys and the adults from the room. He then tied up 10 little 
girls, as they stood against the chalkboard. For the next hour, these 
little girls were trapped with this sadistic monster, who had vile 
intentions for their innocence.
  It is unclear what triggered Roberts to start shooting after the 
initial hour. Perhaps it was the police presence, perhaps he was 
haunted by past sins, or perhaps he was just evil. Regardless of his 
reason, Roberts opened fire on these 10 little girls, at point blank 
range, before turning the gun on himself. When the smoke had cleared, 
Anna Mae Stoltzfus, Marian Fisher, Naomi Rose Ebersol, and sisters, 
Mary Liz and Lena Miller, had not survived Roberts' violent rampage. 
Young girls--young victims.
  Anna Mae, Marian, Naomi Rose, Mary Liz, and Lena had their whole 
lives ahead of them. Lives full of love, family, and new beginnings as 
they matured into adulthood. Lives that were brutally, viciously, and 
tragically cut short by Charles Carl Roberts IV, a man too coward to 
take just his own life, so he took 5 little girls with him. The Good 
Book says that it is better for a person to be thrown into the sea than 
to harm a child.
  In the days that followed Roberts' violent rampage, questions 
immediately arose to why a hard working husband and father would commit 
such a crime against the innocent. In a note written to his wife 
moments before he entered the school, Roberts stated several reasons 
for the school siege: his anger at God for the death of his infant 
daughter in 1997, his haunted memories of molesting two child female 
relatives 20 years previously, and his thoughts of molesting children 
again. So to quell that anger and the demons within, he took his life. 
Too bad he took the lives of little girls as well.
  The devastation which befell the Amish community of Nickel Mines, 
Pennsylvania could have destroyed a community unaccustomed to such 
violence. Yet, the Amish were determined to overcome this unimaginable 
tragedy. In acts of tremendous kindness, generosity, and forgiveness, 
the Amish community not only tended to the families of the slain little 
girls, but to the killer's family as well. Within hours of the attack, 
members of the Amish community spoke out about the killings, stating 
that in the midst of this tragedy, they forgave Roberts. They also 
visited his wife and children to offer comfort and aid. Perhaps, in an 
even greater act of mercy, the Amish asked that a portion of the funds 
collected for the families of these girls, be donated to the Roberts 
family. Mr. Speaker, it is true generosity and mercy to comfort and 
care for the family of the evil who brutally murdered five children in 
your community.
  Sadly, the tragedy which occurred in a little Amish schoolhouse in 
Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania is not isolated. Barely a week before, in 
September, an armed gunman took six female students hostage in Platte 
Canyon High School in Bailey, Colorado. During those horrific hours 
held prisoner inside a classroom, Duane Morrison subjected the girls to 
brutal sexual assaults. As police proceeded to enter the classroom, 
Morrison executed a 16 year old student and then the criminal took his 
own life. The Nickel Mines tragedy 5 days later was eerily reminiscent 
of the devastation which took place at Platte Canyon High School. The 
Platte Canyon tragedy was reminiscent of the Columbine Massacre, which 
had taken place in Colorado 7 years earlier.
  As a father of 4, 3 of whom are girls, and a grandfather of 5, 3 of 
whom are girls as well, the death of a child is a parent's worst fear. 
No parent should experience such a heartbreaking loss. The worse thing 
that can happen to a parent is to lose a child before their time. It is 
the worse thing that can happen to a community; and it is the worse 
thing that can happen to a nation.
  These school tragedies reinforce the need for adequate school safety 
and security throughout this country. A school no longer exists as a 
safe haven for children, but rather has become a violent battleground 
that demands our intercession. A school is an environment of learning 
and enrichment, not fear and brutality. We must strive to do everything 
within our ability to ensure the safety and well-being of our most 
precious commodity--our children. We need to strive to protect schools 
from outside intruders and inside rampages. School safety must be a 
priority--without it, children have very little places left to feel 
safe.
  That's Just the Way It Is.

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