A truck driver killed 84 people in France by driving through a crowdcelebrating the birth of the French Republic. It isn't certain why he did this, but Islamist terrorism seems plausible.

Judged as a crime, this one was heinous. Considered as a cause of death, it remains minor. For comparison's sake, cars and trucks kill around 275 people in France each month through accidents.

People of France, don't panic! You don't away your freedom because of road accidents, so please don't throw it away because of this.

Opposition politicians are criticizing President Hollande for failing to do the impossible.

He is responding to this idiotic criticism by saying he will try harder to do the impossible -- stepping up harmful, misguided "security" measures.

France can't stop individual suicide attacks through snooping, intimidation and persecution of Muslims. But it can discourage them, with a united society that condemns these killers as the enemy of everyone.