Mr. Drewhop (my full name was here)
(My address was here)
Newark, OH 43055
Dear Mr. Drewhop
Yes. And I also Just recieved this today. I am quite surprised.
Thank you for sharing your concerns regarding the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. I appreciate this opportunity to correspond with you.
I am shocked and heartbroken by the horrific events that happened in Newton, CT. As you know, on December 14, 2012, 20 year-old Adam Lanza walked into Sandy Hook Elementary and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. Lanza also shot and killed his mother in her home.
These teachers and children were taking part in one of the most important and fundamental acts we do throughout our lives by educating our youth with hopes of a brighter future. As the father of four children, my heart goes out to the families of the victims. The loss of innocent lives is devastating.
This tragedy is unthinkable and requires a comprehensive examination of the facts. There are still many unanswered questions. It's time that we as a society take a broad look at the level of violence we find acceptable in our everyday lives. This examination combined with an evaluation of the effectiveness of our mental health system to preempt acts like these rather than react to them is a step in the right direction.
Many senseless tragedies like these follow a pattern; a disenchanted, bright, loner with mental health issues finds a way to damage people's lives with some form of violence. The discussion about school safety is vital to addressing these recent events. Moreover, it's certainly the time to reignite the discussion about the role the federal government has in supporting a strong mental health treatment system and working to ensure our communities and our children are safe. You may be interested to read the attached opinion editorial from The Columbus Dispatch by Dr. John V. Campo, Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at The Ohio State University and Chief of Psychiatry at Ohio State's Wexner Medical Center, who calls on Congress and the nation to get serious about the relationship between severe mental illness and violence.
I believe that before we enact additional gun control measures we must start enforcing those that are already on the books. You may be interested to know that the Brady Act of 1993 requires Federal Firearms Licensees to request background checks on individuals attempting to receive a firearm. The National Instant Criminal Background Check System is managed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This system already runs database checks on criminal records.
Rest assured that this is a matter that I and my colleagues take very seriously. I will closely review legislation that addresses these issues should they be considered by the United States House of Representatives. Again, thank you for taking the time to share your concerns. If I may be of assistance in the future, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Patrick J. Tiberi
Representative to Congress
PJT/rk
A gun is a tool. It is the greatest tool ever created for stopping a government from tyrannically controlling the population.