Dear Mr. Seale,
It is with the utmost sorrow and dismay that I respond to you today regarding the tragic events which took place in Newtown, Connecticut. I appreciate you taking the time to contact me and it remains my honor to represent you in Congress.
On Friday, December 14th, an unimaginable event took place when a soulless monster walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School and proceeded to take the lives of twenty-six people. Twenty of the victims were young children no older than 7 years old. Were it not for the heroic actions of teachers inside the building and first responders, there is no doubt that many more would have been lost.
As a father of an 8 and 1 year old, my heart aches for the victims' parents, families, and friends. My prayers go out to the entire Newtown community for the incredible loss they have suffered and I know that our entire nation shares in their grief. No words will undue the loss of life or innocence shattered.
In light of this tragedy, I understand that many will want to have a conversation about gun control. While I am always open to the discussion and evaluation of current laws and policies at the state and federal level, I believe it is important that we are making the best decisions possible to promote the safety of our citizens, while also protecting our rights. In my mind, this event is yet another reminder that we need to ensure our mental health services have the appropriate resources at their disposal to identify individuals capable of such an act. I do not believe gun control is the answer. Moreover, it is critical that our mental health facilities are working in cooperation with our law enforcement agencies to prevent future atrocities from happening.
We must never forget those lost in this terrible tragedy. Again, thank you for contacting me, and do not hesitate to do so again when an issue is important to you.
Sincerely,
Cory Gardner
Member of Congress