America is at war, and, in virtually every area, overriding concerns about our nation's security are being sorely tested. Yet, we live in an open society, one free from the repressive totalitarian and police control of some nations. As we have sadly seen, however, such openness can bring its own problems. Clarence J. Kelley, former Kansas City Police Chief and later Director of the FBI, said in 1975: "Americans must be willing to surrender a small measure of our liberties to preserve the greater bulk of them."

If history and recent events have taught us anything, it is that we must be prepared. Our nation has suffered a great tragedy, and we will never be quite the same again. Along with the horrendous loss of life, there has been a loss of innocence and a realization that America is no longer an island of safety in the global world. We must remember the Latin motto Vigilia Pretium Liberatis, Vigilance Is the Price of Liberty, and be willing to adapt our society to present circumstances, even when this means closer surveillance on what we have always believed to be our inalienable rights. Increased vigilance—whether at airports, train and bus terminals, businesses, government installations, our borders, and elsewhere—will not necessarily cause a loss of our liberties. Rather, such actions will aid in ensuring their protection against the evils of the world that surround us. We must be prepared to pursue such actions on a long-term, if not permanent, basis. To do otherwise would be shortsighted and foolhardy.

William E. Parker, 33°, Supreme Council for France