In our preoccupation with surviving the novel coronavirus and its fallout, we seem to have forgotten what we swore we would Never Forget: 12/14.

Meanwhile, 26 families directly affected that December day in 2012, as well as many more suffering from the effects of the tragedy, face yet another holiday shadowed by the horror inflicted by gun violence. We must keep our promise; we must never forget. And we must continue to address this other public health crisis, which kills over 38,000 Americans each year and injures another 84,000-plus due to firearms accidents, suicide by gun, and murder. When the heartache, trauma, and high cost of deaths and injuries are added up, forgetting the price we pay is not an option.

The pandemic has caused anxiety — and an increase in gun sales. Closed schools and workplaces mean more children and families at home with guns and the potential of more grief than the virus we fight. Just as we have longed for national leadership to combat COVID-19, we recognize that federal legislation curbing gun violence through common sense laws nationwide remains wishful thinking. We are grateful for efforts by local, state, and national organizations that have raised awareness these past eight years, supporting advancements and adherence to existing laws. We need to do more at the national level to keep guns out of the hands of those who should not have them, even as we protect the rights of legal gun owners who respect the power of the bullet. We have seen firsthand what can happen when guns end up in the wrong hands.

While two of three ordinances our Legislative Council was asked to consider earlier this month — restricting firearms on town property and restricting firearms at public demonstrations — were assessed as ones not likely to stand up against state regulations and would be challenging to enforce, the council is seeking legal counsel on the question of restricting open carry for rifles and shotguns on town property. (See The Newtown Bee, December 4, 2020, “Council Votes To Research Open Carry Of Firearms On Town Property.”) Responsible gun owners already recognize little reason exists to display guns in public, when doing so can be a catalyst for fearful reactions resulting in injury and death. This ordinance, had it been in place eight years ago, would not have prevented the 12/14 tragedy; what it can do now, though, is alleviate uneasiness exacerbated by the trauma of that day.

The burden of the pandemic rests heavily on our shoulders; the burden of gun violence has been a weight carried in this town since 2012.

The memories of the victims of not one, but two public health crises must be honored. But as we push through what we hope are the final months of COVID-19 distress, we will not forget the lives taken on 12/14. The Resiliency Center of Newtown, 153 South Main Street, will be open December 14, from 9 am to 4 pm, for those in need of comfort or for reflection. You can find solace Monday evening, at 7 pm, via a special online service of remembrance presented by the Newtown Interfaith Council at Facebook Live (Newtown Congregational Church) and YouTube (NCC-CT).

This year, we will virtually embrace the families for whom December is a bitter month. We will not forget.