In light of the terrorist attacks in Paris, one thing can be made absolutely clear. Our society, our nation, our way of life has come under attack and out of this tragedy how our society behaves must change.

It’s easy to brush off these attacks, dismiss it as “normal news”, and resume your daily schedule. The hard thing to do would be to stop and pay attention to what our brethren in France are going through. It is impossible to dismiss Isis as an organization half a world away; they are a stated threat to us here and now. This is the time that we as Americans need to come together and support not only ourselves, but our allies as well.

Times of inexplicable tragedy, times of inexplicable pain. These are the times when the strength and resolve of our nation are tested. True character is not shown during happy occasions and joyous times but is rather shown in the face of adversity. And although the situation in Paris was tragic, the outpouring of support for France has been tremendously positive. The number of shout-outs and pray-for-Paris logos we have seen shows just how much we have banded together, how much compassion we have, and how much love there is. Regardless of our differences, our disagreements, our disputes, we had the awareness and selflessness to unite to get through this troubling time.

And this is exactly why we are so formidable, and why threats from Isil or any other terrorist group will never make us back down and cower away. In this country, and the west in general, we band together and support each other, in times of crisis as well as in times of joy. It has happened time and time again, that we pull through these acts of terror and emerge stronger than before.

Coming out of this tragedy, we must be responsible for our actions than ever before. Every one of us owes it to those who died to play a greater role in society and support our nation in its fight against terror. We have to be more vigilant around us, reporting suspicious activities where appropriate and be more involved in our community. No one is expecting everyone to be a perfect citizen, far from it, but there something to be said for greeting your neighbor, supporting the troops, and educating yourself about the world.

Out of tragedies like this one, it is easy to live in fear of what is to come, to be afraid of going out and living life as normal. However, that is what our enemies want. Stay vigilant and stay safe, but don’t be afraid, because to be afraid is to let people like them have power over you. As long as the spirit of the West stays strong and we aren’t afraid, ISIS will never gain dominion over us.