Terrorism takes us back to ages we thought were long gone if we

In the grave and stirring words of Jacques Chirac, former President of France, we are reminded of the fragile thread that binds civilization together: “Terrorism takes us back to ages we thought were long gone if we allow it a free hand to corrupt democratic societies and destroy the basic rules of international life.” These words are not the cry of a politician in passing—they are the warning of a statesman who understood the long memory of history, and how quickly progress can be undone when fear triumphs over freedom. Chirac speaks as one who has seen both the brilliance and the brutality of humankind, and his message burns with the wisdom of experience: civilization stands only so long as we defend its moral foundations against the forces of chaos.

The origin of this quote lies in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, a tragedy that reshaped the conscience of the modern world. As the leader of France, Jacques Chirac addressed the growing global response to terrorism—not only the violence of extremists, but the danger of moral erosion that follows such violence. He understood that terrorism’s true power does not lie merely in bombs or bullets, but in its ability to corrupt the spirit of democracy, to make free nations surrender their values in the name of security. Thus, his words are both a condemnation of terrorism and a plea for restraint: for if the defenders of liberty adopt the methods of tyranny, then liberty itself perishes.

To say that terrorism “takes us back to ages we thought were long gone” is to recognize the deep regression it brings. It recalls a time when might ruled over right, when fear was the law and vengeance the creed. Terrorism is not merely violence—it is the deliberate attempt to unravel the moral order of the world, to turn neighbor against neighbor and faith against faith. It seeks to destroy trust, to make humanity believe once more that cruelty is destiny. In this way, Chirac saw terrorism as a shadow from the primitive past, stalking the modern world and tempting nations to abandon reason for rage.

Consider, for example, the attacks in Paris in 2015, when the heart of France bled once more from the hands of extremists. The world mourned with her, yet the danger did not end with the smoke. In the days that followed, fear threatened to divide the people; suspicion grew between communities; and the same values of liberty, equality, and fraternity that had guided the nation for centuries stood trembling. But France, remembering Chirac’s warning, strove to rise not with vengeance, but with unity. Candlelight vigils replaced riots, songs replaced hatred, and voices rose not in anger but in defiance—saying to terror: you shall not make us as you are. Thus, the people proved that civilization endures not through the absence of violence, but through the refusal to become violent in spirit.

Chirac’s words also speak to the broader fabric of international life. The rules that govern nations—the laws, treaties, and understandings—are the fragile scaffolding that keep the world from plunging into chaos. Terrorism, by its very nature, seeks to dissolve those rules. It tempts nations to forsake diplomacy for domination, to replace justice with retaliation, and to act not in concert but in isolation. Yet, when nations abandon cooperation, the world returns to the darkness of the past—an age of conquest, suspicion, and endless war. Chirac’s warning is timeless: that in the face of terror, humanity must hold fast to order, compassion, and dialogue, lest civilization consume itself in the flames of fear.

There is also a subtler wisdom within his words: that democracy itself is vulnerable to corruption from within. Terrorism’s greatest victory is not in the destruction of buildings, but in the transformation of hearts. When people surrender their rights for safety, when they cease to trust their neighbors, when prejudice and hatred become acceptable in the name of protection, then democracy begins to rot from the inside. The true test of freedom is not how it flourishes in peace, but how it endures in peril. To defend liberty without destroying it—that is the sacred challenge of every generation.

So, my children, heed the wisdom of Chirac: never let fear undo what courage has built. When the world trembles, do not let your heart harden. When evil strikes, do not answer it with evil’s mirror. Stand firm in truth, protect the innocent, and uphold the rule of law even when it is most difficult. For it is in such moments that the worth of civilization is measured. The path of vengeance is easy; the path of virtue is eternal.

And remember this, above all: the battle against terrorism is not only fought with soldiers and intelligence—it is fought within the soul of humanity itself. Every act of understanding, every refusal to hate, every defense of justice is a victory over the darkness. Let us guard our societies with wisdom as well as strength, for if we lose our humanity in defending it, then the terrorists have already won. In unity, in compassion, and in the steadfast defense of what is right, we preserve not only our nations—but the very light of civilization.