| Summary: | The following caption was written for the image: "The American Village in Montevallo opened at no charge during special hours Thursday through Sunday for citizens to come by and sign a 'Liberty Letter' to be sent to President Bush. It expresses support for the leaders and the country. Citizens were also asked to ring the bell once 'for Freedom.' Here signing the letter is Mary Howard (in red) of Montevallo with Jackie Adkins (in blue) of Montevallo looking on." The text of the "Liberty Letter" was as follows:
"We are writing to express our support for our country during this time when freedom has been attacked. We deeply mourn the tragic loss of life of fellow citizens brought on by these cowardly acts. Almost within the shadow of the beacon of hope of the Statue of Liberty - which has always welcomed freedom-loving people to these shores - enemies of liberty and peace first struck against our country and our fellow citizens. Two hundred twenty-five years ago our forefathers made an eloquent expression of liberty when they declared our Nation's independence. From Concord Bridge to the Edmund Pettus Bridge and beyond, patriots in every generation have stood up for the principles of American liberty. In every generation liberty has been defended by courageous men and women. Today we write as a public expression of our solemn commitment to keep faith with them and with the ideals of liberty and self-government for which they have courageously stood. We your fellow Americans stand with you as our President, and with our elected Senators and Representatives in Congress, in declaring our support for our country against its enemies. Today we recognize that all of us are custodians of what George Washington called the 'sacred fire of liberty.' As our forebears did with the Declaration of Independence 225 years ago, we pledge our lives, our fortune, and our honor to the defense of our Nation and its precious legacy of liberty."
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