“Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”

By Alex Greenwood

The cruel, tragic events in Boston put Americans in that uneasy, hateful place we have visited far too often over the past few years: the realm of fear. Cowards build bombs or fire guns or brandish knives that kill children and innocents. These cowards maim the ordinary–yet uniquely extraordinary–people who are just living their lives, harming no one.

In the coward’s wake, every public place is eyed with heightened suspicion. The urge to be even more secure is palpable. Terrorists seek to dim the light of liberty, to wound the greatest virtue of the American Republic: the spirit of its people.

I submit that though terrible events past, present and future will edge us closer to permanent residency in the dark realm of fear, we must rage against it. As Dylan Thomas said about the inexorable dimming of the light of life into the darkness of death, we as a nation must “rage against the dying of the light.” We must mourn, certainly. We must be vigilant and sensible about security, to be sure; but it’s paramount we not let the cowards win by giving in to fear. Security, yes–but most importantly, liberty must be protected.

I’ve seen a domestic terrorist attack at close range. I’ve seen broken bodies of children and the haunted look in the eyes of first responders. I know the impotent anger of the bystander; I’ve felt the anguish and fear in the aftermath of a terrorist act. I chose then–as I do now–to channel that anger, anguish and fear into a firm resolve not to let cowards change who I am and how I live.

Liberty is a light, and we as citizens must rage against its dying.