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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Littleton, Colorado
May 14, 2000

Remarks of Patti Nielson
Teacher, Columbine High School

to the Million Mom March

On April 19, 1999, I was an art teacher at Columbine High School, planning lessons for my jewelry and drawing students. On April 20, my life changed forever. I became a victim of gun violence, one of nearly 30 people shot that day by two boys armed to the teeth with weapons of war.

I was on hall duty when I heard sounds outside. I went to see what was going on, when a boy turned around, smiled, and shot. That bullet hit the student standing next to me, and the next one hit me. I ran to the library, to the nearest phone, and told the students to get down under the tables while I called 911.

I was terrified that the shooters would come in at any time, and they did. Out of respect for the families of the children who died in the library, I will not go into the horrible details of those minutes.

I was lucky -- the bullet that hit me grazed my shoulder, and the boys didn't shoot me again. But 14 students, including the shooters and one of my colleagues, lost their lives that day. Many others were permanently disabled, injured, and terrorized. We will carry the physical and emotional scars for a lifetime.

The Columbine community has been struggling to heal from that terrifying and sad day ever since. And it has been an enormous struggle for the families of the slain; for the teachers and other education employees who tried to protect the students; and for the students, themselves. It has been a grueling journey, especially when two more students were gunned down, killed at nearby sandwich shop in February.

But we have pulled together and are now a stronger, more compassionate community. We are all more aware of the fragility of life. But we still have a long way to go in our healing process.

In the past year, I have reviewed what is important in life. Part of that vision is to do what I can to prevent other children -- other families -- from having to go through what the Columbine community has experienced. I cannot bear the thought of any other mother, or father, or any family member having to suffer the terrible pain that I have seen the families of Columbine suffer.

My first step in this march was the most difficult. When I was asked to come to Washington in April to send a message to Congress, I wasn't sure it was something I wanted to do. It was my 9 year-old son, Josh who convinced me. I explained to him, "It's to try to make it harder for people to buy guns and shoot people." He said, "I think you better go, Mom!"

So I came here last month, to tell Congress that it was time -- past time -- to keep guns out of the hands of children. I am outraged that in the year since the Columbine tragedy, Congress has done nothing to protect our kids from gun violence. Nothing!

I'm here today -- along with Josh and my daughters, Elise and Mallory, and my husband, Shane -- to join millions of moms, dads, teachers, and other concerned citizens to say enough is enough. The safety of our students, our children, must come first. Our schools must be safe havens for learning and growing.

The boys at Columbine were not the first disturbed people to open fire on innocence, nor will they be the last. Until we figure out what turns people into killers and how to prevent it, we cannot make it so easy for them to get guns -- especially those designed for the sole purpose of killing human beings.

I believe in our youth, and I know that access to guns alone will not turn them into killers. But it is a critical piece of the problem. Too many families have been devastated by senseless violence. Too many of us have held grieving parents. Too many of us have held terrified students. Too many of us have gone to too many funerals of children.

It took a lot of courage for me -- and many others -- to come here today -- to join this March. It's time Congress showed some courage of its own.