The horrific events of Manchester have shocked the world, as communities come to grips with yet another unfathomable attack on innocents. Along with the inevitable questions of who and why, those communities will also be considering how to respond.
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While it comes as cold comfort to the victims, their families and friends, the truth is any Australian is much more likely to die in a road smash on their way to an event than to be killed or injured by terrorists once they get there.
To change how we live out of a misplaced fear of what may happen is an act of disrespect for those who have lost their lives everywhere fanatics such as Salman Albedi have lashed out in the name of false dogmas and hate-filled ideologies.
Our hearts go out to the young killed and injured while attending what was, for many, their first ever pop concert. Those responsible have committed an evil and atrocious act.
We need to do everything we can to identify these misfits, to pull their fangs and claws, before they are ever in a position to strike. When they do strike, as sometimes they will, our hard task is to mourn the dead, comfort the grieving and help the wounded heal.
What we shouldn't do is to rob other youngsters, who have the same love of life and desire for new experiences, joy and friendships as the youth of Manchester, of that same freedom to explore their world.
There is no doubt that in the wake of the attack many parents will likely have strong misgivings the next time their 'tweenager or teenager asks to go to a concert.
The images of bloodied and bruised youngsters being taken to safety cannot be unseen. Nor can the ubiquitous social media pictures of teens whose lives have been cut off on the cusp of adulthood.
Terrorism, by its very nature, is intended to create fear. Although statistically a very low level threat to our lives, ranking orders of magnitude below domestic violence for example, it steals attention away from more mundane, but much more prolific, killers such as road and workplace accidents, poor diet, smoking, alcohol abuse and heart disease.
We need to tell our children, and remind ourselves, the world is a great and exciting place populated by people who are, in the main, good natured, well-intentioned and innately loving and kind.
Yes, there are bad people who can only find fulfilment in destroying the security, joy and happiness of others but they are in the minority.
Our obligation, while doing everything we can to increase safety and security, is to all who have fought for our values and freedoms, and to all of those who have recently lost their lives, and not to let the monsters win by making us sacrifice our liberties or curtailing our enjoyment of this wonderful world.
