[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 7749-7750]
[From the U.S. 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

[[Page 7750]]

     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 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.

                          ____________________