“Though I may not be here with you, I urge you to answer the highest calling of your heart and stand up for what you truly believe. In my life I have done all I can to demonstrate that the way of peace, the way of love and nonviolence is the more excellent way. Now it is your turn to let freedom ring.

When historians pick up their pens to write the story of the 21st century, let them say that it was your generation who laid down the heavy burdens of hate at last and that peace finally triumphed over violence, aggression and war. So I say to you, walk with the wind, brothers and sisters, and let the spirit of peace and the power of everlasting love be your guide.”

This was from an op-ed John Lewis asked to be published the day of his funeral. His final will and testament.

As a lifelong advocate for nonviolent resistance, I am renewing my commitment to do what I can to help heal the wounds of this nation. To vote and then to help move forward seeking to bind up the divisions and find places where we share a common humanity.

Anyone who says this is about political partisanship is missing the point. This is about the soul of our nation —honesty in the face of 20,000 lies, dignity in the face of demeaning and abusive tweets, integrity in the face of pardoning friends to cover up crimes, security in the face of allowing Russia to pay for the murder of our soldiers and not only ignoring it, but bowing to their will, and equality in the face of race baiting, dog whistles and blatant attempts to divide people.

There are plenty of conservative people who will not take part in this moral decline of our nation because they love America and the values we used to represent more than clinging to a political party.

This isn’t about a person or a party. It is about who we are. Back to the racist past or forward to a place where freedom will ring out. We choose on which side of history we will stand.