Never in my 96 years did I imagine a sitting president of the United States, abetted by numerous members of Congress, using tools of deception and innuendo to challenge the will of the American people in choosing their leadership. For weeks these elected officials have propagated baseless lies and totally unproven conspiracy theories, cynically raising millions of dollars while doing so.

These people entrusted with public power have refused to heed the findings of our revered U.S. Supreme Court and of dozens of lower courts and state election-certification officials. I am especially enraged that one of those who would continue to support the president's deceptions, Sen. Josh Hawley, hails from my revered home state. He, the Trump children, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, lawyer Rudy Giuliani, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and others should be ashamed.

The weeks-long display of despicable, narcissistic behavior by our president was reprehensible enough following the election. But President Donald Trump and others incited violence and attacked those things all Americans should hold dear. Their actions threatened the very survival of our democracy. My reaction is a disbelief I cannot adequately put into words. Instead, I submit to you the wisdom of one of my personal heroes, Abraham Lincoln.

First, read his admonition. Then I ask Americans to heed his advice. Following what was a shameful second day of infamy in American history, it is my hope that all Americans will seriously take to heart Lincoln's great wisdom. Our country's future and yours depend upon it.

Abraham Lincoln warned us that "America will never be destroyed from the outside if we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."

He also reminded us that the people are the rightful masters of our government, "not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who would pervert the Constitution."