[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 75 (Friday, May 24, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E763-E764]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO PALLAVI DEV

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. PETE OLSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 24, 2013

  MR. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I am privileged to interact with some of the 
brightest students in the 22nd Congressional District who serve on my 
Congressional Youth Advisory Council. I have gained much by listening 
to the high school students who are the future of this great nation. 
They provide important insight into the concerns of our younger 
constituents and hopefully get a better sense of the importance of 
being an active participant in the political process. Many of the 
students have written short essays on a variety of topics and I am 
pleased to share these with my House colleagues.
  Pallavi Dev is a junior at Glenda Dawson High School in Brazoria 
County, Texas. Her essay topic is: Select an important event that has 
occurred in the past 50 years and explain how that event has changed 
our country.

                          The Newtown Shooting

       The worst events in our country's history happened when we 
     least expected them. As citizens we carry on with our normal 
     lives, busy within our own bubble of school, family, work, 
     holidays, and so on. But every so often something happens 
     that shakes the foundations upon which our existence is 
     built, and we are reminded of how fragile our bubble is and 
     how easy it is for someone to pop it.
       That someone for the people of Newtown, Connecticut was 
     Adam Lanza, a 20-year-old who killed his mother and 25 other 
     students, teachers, and staff in Sandy Hook Elementary School 
     on December 14, 2012. Twenty of those he killed were young 
     children, between the ages of 5 and 10, who would have had 
     bright futures before them had their lives not been cut 
     short. The motives for Lanza's actions are still unclear, but 
     it is known that he used a military-style rifle to end the 
     lives of those mentioned and his own. The tragedy of this 
     event has intensified the debate over gun control in the 
     U.S., but more importantly, has reminded us to take a break 
     in our busy lives and be thankful for our family, friends, 
     and everything else we have.
       Today the grief that has settled over the nation is like a 
     thick fog that seeps into

[[Page E764]]

     every corner, never seeming to disappear or be forgotten. 
     Tomorrow it will lift slightly, and ten years from now for 
     many it will have faded to only a memory. However, we cannot 
     allow what happened in Newtown to vanish from our minds. It 
     is a warning to American citizens that something needs to 
     change. Our nation has become a safe haven for people from 
     all over the world who come to seek protection under our 
     democratic government and its infrastructure. But in this 
     moment, the people of America are shaken and the majority of 
     the population is worried for the safety of their own 
     children and families. The path to preventing a catastrophe 
     like the Newtown shooting faces many difficulties ahead. Our 
     government will have to overcome a load of disagreement 
     before a solution is reached. However, I, along with my 
     fellow citizens, have faith that they will take the right 
     action, and that a small quantity of good will come out of 
     this event that has caused an immeasurable amount of pain. At 
     the end of the day, we are all united as citizens who only 
     want the best for their country and the people who live in 
     it.

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