DEAR EDITOR:

This is my country — land that I love. Always, I was reminded of my duty to remember that phrase.

During our struggle for equity, which is still incomplete, no one in our house was ever allowed to take a backseat. Pullman porter grandfather had involved us in funding for the Freedom Riders, local lunchroom sit-ins and Phyllis Wheatly programs. As an active participant in the Pullman Porters Association, he required we save allowance and babysitting money to add to our church efforts to help fund the Freedom Riders. My sister and I took bus pass money and walked long Cleveland blocks to school instead.

A Phillip Randolph was my political icon and Robert James Harlan the model feeding my positive aspirations during those formative years. Through wars, civil unrest and institutional racism, I retained those political and aspirational icons. We prayed for our country’s leaders while I was growing up.

Tonight, in viewing the tragedy that our republic could face such a grave moment indeed, caused sad unrelenting tears, literally. Our reality TV president and so many citizens have no understanding of American civics. This is not about remaining apathetic — this is about losing our democracy with a tyrant at the helm. Pay attention people — our republic could end up like Rome. We need to know and understand civics and the power We, the people, own for creating political change.

Teach and reach our children! This mantra is still required as a mantra to be taught by precept and example. Our children, some young adults need to view us while we visually attend these hearings. They need to watch us respond by email or letter, or with the multitude of social media to options to our congressional representatives.

They need to know how we want this trial and our country to run. They need to be reminded how those who sacrificed to implement these freedoms we currently enjoy in this republic paid in blood, sweat, tears and great sacrifice. The spirits of Tom Hayden, the Rev. Shuttleworth, Rabbi Dresner, Bayard Rushton, Elijah Cummings and Andrew Young and Jesse Jackson fought their entire lifetime.

Write that letter to your congressional representative. Register to vote before the end of January or February. Let them know how you want the trial to be impartial.

This is our republic, and it took sacrifice — and now even more tears. Let’s move forward. Save our republic. Strengthen our Constitution and be thankful we live in a democracy where we have the power — people power — to restore it to greatness.

DELORES T. WOMACK

Warren