After today’s horrifying events at a Berlin Christmas market, as we keep the victims and their families in our prayers, it’s natural for Americans to wonder what is the correct response. Let me share my thoughts.

I believe we owe it to today’s victims to not be terrorized by this event – and to not let our fears get the best of us. Especially given the impact of sensational media coverage and opportunistic fear-mongers, we need to respond intelligently and rationally.

I imagine many Americans will cancel their trips to Berlin (a city of 3.5 million people) or the rest of Europe (a continent of more than 700 million people), because of an event that killed a dozen people. As a result, ironically, they’ll be staying home in a country of 320 million people that loses 30 people every day, on average, in gun homicides.