Your Pledges to Fight for Freedom

Last week, to coincide with the 10th anniversary of 9/11, we asked you to share your thoughts on defending the Constitution and American values in times of national crisis. So far, we've received over 3,000 messages pledging to fight for our freedoms that were rolled back in the wake of 9/11.

Many of you quoted famous leaders of the past, including John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in expressing your allegiance to liberties protected by the Constitution. Several of your messages included Ben Franklin's "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." Indeed, Franklin's message resonates with our belief that our freedoms are the very foundation of our strength and security.

This is a sample of what you had to say:

"I want to live in the America that I learned about when I was in school. I'm 65 now." — Mary from Texas

"The Constitution is mine, given to me by all Americans who came before me to uphold at all costs, even if it costs me everything." — Steven from California

"I am saddened that the attacks on our country have sent us into fear. Curtailing freedoms was the wrong way to respond to these attacks, and it still is." — Michael from Illinois

"Our Founding Fathers founded our nation on the ideas that all people are created equal. That Big Brother should not invade our privacy with unchecked surveillance, sanction the use of torture or promote endless wars." — Ellen from California

"I vow to help reclaim the standards of integrity, decency, free speech, and good will that the politicians have stolen from us with their scare tactics…" — Elliot from Massachusetts

"I refuse to live in the land of the Fearful... I live in the Land of the Free :)" — Emma from Arizona

"I escaped from the 49th floor of the south tower on 9/11. Don't let anyone take away our civil liberties in the name of that day. That will have meant that the terrorists won." — Franklin from New York

"Justice, freedom, and equality for all under the law should never, ever yield to fear, hatred, and bigotry." —Kicab from North Carolina

You can read more messages or submit your own by clicking here. To see a listing of all the messages we've received, check out this Memorial Wall.

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