“Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.” These profound words were uttered by Wendell Phillips, an abolitionist and writer for The Liberator at his 1852 speech before the Massachusetts Antislavery Society.
Although these words originated in the United States, there is much truth to this simple phrase, as it proved to be one of the building blocks that shaped our freedom as Americans. In the wake of the most fatal attack on Parisian soil since World War II, the threat to freedom has never been more real, both to the citizens of Paris, and to the many nations of the world who have affirmed their solidarity with them.
Within some days, satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo released its first publication since the tragedy. A cartoon image picturing a man covered in bullet holes, spurting champagne. The cover reads “They have weapons? F*ck them. We have the champagne!”
On January 7th, 2015, Charlie Hebdo faced its own assault on freedom when terrorists murdered twelve cartoonists, editors, writers and illustrators at point-blank range. After the loss, freedom of speech felt more valuable than ever as “Je Suis Charlie” was proclaimed around the world.
Fast forward eleven months when freedom was assaulted once more. 132 lives perished on the night of November 13th, 2015. A glorious Friday evening for many young patrons—the bars lively with music, the restaurants filled with laughter and chatter, the Stade de France bursting with energy during the football game between France and Germany, and hundreds of rock music fans eagerly awaiting the performance of California band, Eagles of Death Metal at the Le Bataclan concert hall.
The City of Love enlivened with picturesque scenes of loving couples walking hand-in-hand, mothers and fathers tottering after their playful children, groups of men and women enjoying a night on the town.
Then, the most horrifying shock. Evil creeps its way into the safe havens of humanity. In the blink of an eye, life stops. An ordeal of merely a few hours, and scars that will last a lifetime. The echoes of mourning will reverberate through the city of love for many months to come.
In an effort to destroy all the principles we stand for—equality, liberty, and fraternity, the spirit of the French people did not falter. Chants of the French National Anthem rang through the historic streets of central Paris. Candlelight vigils ignited the country. Flowers and notes were placed at the sites where terror took place.
One victim, 36-year-old Nick Alexander was a manager for the Eagles of Death Metal. He perished at the Bataclan. He left behind a girlfriend that adored him, and lamented his loss on Twitter with the words: “You are and always will be the love of my life.” Talented lawyer Valentin Ribet was also killed at the Bataclan. He was 26. Advertising executive Francois-Xavier Prevost, 29, also lost his life at the Bataclan.
University professor Elsa Delplace of Chile left behind a six-year-old son when she was killed with her mother, Patricia San Martin, at the Bataclan. Two sisters, Marion, 30, and Anna, 24, were killed as they sat on the terrace of the Le Petit Cambodge restaurant. Marion was a musician and played the flute, while Anna was a graphic designer. Marie Lausch, too, was killed with her boyfriend Mathias Dymarski at the concert hall.
The list continues. These 132 victims had families, jobs, passions, aspirations, just like you and I. Honor the victims’ zest for life, their love of self-expression and free speech, their hope for a future that will never come.
French poet, Paul Eluard wrote a poem published in 1942 titled “Liberté.” The final stanza is the most heartrending and poignant:
“Et par le pouvoir d’un mot
Je recommence ma vie
Je suis né pour te connaître
Pour te nommer
Liberté.”
“And by the power of a word
I start my life again
I was born to know you
To name you
Freedom.”
When tragedy strikes, and mourning sets in, all one does is love and appreciate freedom as we begin life again, hoping for a more promising future. As a defender of freedom, “Liberte, egalite, fraternite” now holds an entirely new meaning.