Tragedy struck at the dawn of a new year

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Tragedy struck without warning, as is usually the case in successful acts of terrorism.

Early Wednesday, a U.S. citizen from Texas used a rented pickup truck to launch a deadly attack on New Year’s revelers in New Orleans’ celebrated French Quarter.

Police say Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, a 42-year-old Army veteran, suddenly accelerated the vehicle and plowed into a crowd, killing 14 people and injuring many others, some critically, before he died in a shootout with police. An ISIS flag attached to the trailer hitch of the truck led authorities to conclude that Jabbar’s attack was an act of premeditated terrorism, as did the social media videos he allegedly posted hours before the attack calling for violence.

Late Thursday morning, the FBI issued a statement saying Jabbar appears to have acted alone.

He was a lone wolf.

As America continues to process this heinous tragedy, the Sugar Bowl — the nation’s second oldest college football championship bowl game — was scheduled for kickoff at 3 p.m. Central time on Thursday in the Superdome, New Orleans’ famed arena, which sits two miles from where the attack occurred.

The game, a highly anticipated matchup between the University of Georgia and the University of Notre Dame, was postponed for 24 hours after the attack — but it wasn’t canceled. It doesn’t appear that was ever a consideration. Since its inception in 1935, the game has never been canceled due to natural disasters, war or civil unrest. Now, terrorism can be added to the list.

In the continuously evolving era of international and domestic terrorism, it is humbling to watch the coping mechanisms that emerge and the survival instincts that manifest in extreme environments. It is encouraging to watch the way Americans can instantly grieve in real time, while also expressing anger, resolve and perseverance. We continue to move forward in the face of adversity and whatever may come.

For lack of a better expression, let’s call it America Strong — those are the threads that we have continued to reach for and strengthen since the infamous attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry declared a state of emergency shortly after the Jan. 1 attack to ensure that all federal, state and local resources available can be deployed to maintain and advance public safety. With many high-profile national events coming to New Orleans after the Sugar Bowl — including the Super Bowl in February and Mardi Gras in March — the safety of this American city must never be in doubt.

What follows is a part of the statement that Landry offered in his state-of-emergency declaration:

“From day one, my commitment to the people of this state has been that we will not look the other way. We will not allow heinous acts of crime such as the one this morning to dampen the Louisiana spirit and ruin our way of life. This Administration will not tolerate one of the jewel cities of the State to remain with these conditions. This state of emergency is a necessity in order to ensure that every single person, place, and street across the city of New Orleans is the most safe and secure in the world.”

The United States of America came under attack by one of its own barely three hours into the new year. Sadly, it won’t be the last attack on our sovereignty or collective sense of security, but we remain unbowed.

Even as we reel from tragedy, we find ways to unite and bolster each other. Yes, America’s Sugar Bowl must continue.