For love of country - how to preserve our American republic amid new tests?

We are proud to write this letter together, just as we are proud our two organizations have come together to partner on an upcoming event that we think is critically important for the Erie community.

A common thread that binds the Erie County Bar Association and the Jefferson Educational Society is the belief in the power and privilege of American democracy. That, of course, includes recognizing the wisdom of Benjamin Franklin's remark to socialite Elizabeth Willing Powel as he left the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in September 1787. "Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?" she asked. "A republic," he replied, "if you can keep it."

Despite our political conflicts of today, nearly 240 years later, we, the people, have kept our republic, even if it hasn't always been easy. In the spirit of that American experiment, we have worked to improve our democracy by building a more inclusive nation and serving, at times, as a shining beckon upon the hill.

An important element in that experiment is also our ability to express our political views freely and demonstrate our decisions through a free and fair election process. As the United States holds its 60th presidential election this year, we are being tested again, facing critical questions about democracy, freedoms, the rule of law, and what lies ahead.

In the end, the preservation of democracy — of our republic — lies in the hands of the people. And our organizations deeply appreciate our obligation to help inform the community about the principles at stake as democracy is challenged in America and across the world. That is why we are honored to bring presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Doris Kearns Goodwin to Erie for the annual Law Day celebration in May.

Goodwin will help us explore this year's Law Day theme: "Voices of Democracy," in a program on Thursday, May 9, at the historic Warner Theatre, 811 State St. Goodwin is, of course, no stranger to Erie. Thanks to the Jefferson's Global Summit speaker series, she has presented her research and writing to Erie audiences three times in recent years — in 2016, 2018, and 2021.

We are fortunate that, as our community celebrates Law Day, we will play host once again to one of the best and brightest minds in the nation on the subjects of presidential politics and history — what is happening today and what can be learned from our past. Goodwin will also discuss her latest (and eighth) book, "An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s."

Released on April 16, "An Unfinished Love Story" masterfully weaves together biography, memoir, and history. She teased it to an Erie audience at her 2021 Global Summit appearance, noting that it's an emotional journey she and her husband, Richard (Dick) Goodwin, embraced in the last years of his life. They delved into more than 300 boxes of letters, diaries, documents, and memorabilia that Dick had saved for more than 50 years.

As she noted, they quickly realized they were reviewing a personal time capsule of the 1960s, of the events and pivotal figures of the decade — John F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., Robert Kennedy, Eugene McCarthy, and especially Lyndon Johnson, who greatly impacted both their lives. Their voyage of remembrance brought unexpected discoveries, forgiveness, and the renewal of old dreams, reviving the hope that the youth of today would carry forward this unfinished love story with America.

Certainly, the nature of it being a "love story" gives us hope. The fact that their story remains unfinished also reminds us of the ongoing work of writing the story of America.

Part of our commitment to learning and studying that story is ensuring that each attendee receives a complimentary copy of Goodwin's "An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s" when they register. Another is providing the opportunity for upwards of 300 area high-school and college students to attend at no cost — a commitment on behalf of both the ECBA and JES to our community and to education and an investment in the next generation.

We look forward to doing that shoulder to shoulder in Erie on May 9 as we hear and learn from Goodwin, who will be joined in conversation by Erie native Steve Scully, the senior vice president of communications at the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, D.C. Scully is also host of "The Briefing" on SiriusXM and the longtime chairman of the JES Global Summit.

More: Award-winning presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin to speak at Erie Law Day event

Please join us at this event. It's about the voices of democracy. The unfinished story of the United States. American politics then and now. We can't think of a better way to celebrate Law Day than by hearing from Doris Kearns Goodwin and better understanding and appreciating our liberties, history, challenges, and the pursuit of happiness.

Ferki Ferati, Ed.D., is president of the Jefferson Educational Society, 3207 State St. Tim Wachter is an attorney with Knox McLaughlin Gornall & Sennett, specializes in education law, government relations practice, land use and zoning law, and municipal law. He is the chairman of the Law Day Committee.

For more information about the Law Day event, during which the Erie County Bar Association will present the annual Chancellor of the Bar, Liberty Bell, Diversity and Inclusion and Pro-Bono awards, and after which a networking lunch will be held, please visit the ECBA’s website, ErieBar.com, or call 814-459-3111, and the JES’s website, JESErie.org, or call 814-459-8000. 

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie Law Day voices of democracy event features Doris Kearns Goodwin