Support and defend the Constitution.
The success of the American Republic as a political structure has resulted, in substantial part, from the deliberate involvement of citizens in public affairs—enlisting in the armed forces in time of war, serving on school boards, participating unpaid in political campaigns, petitioning assemblies, supporting the President in an hour of emergency, and, in a hundred other ways, great or small, accepting responsibility for the common good (Doheny). The Constitution has worked well, more often than not, because upright men and women have given it substance. The Constitution, which is an agreement among us, the general population, with respect to how we ought to be governed, did not occur in a vacuum. It was proclaimed in the “twelfth year” of our independence, and the drafters had profound knowledge of the Declaration, contemporary and ancient history, the states’ own individual constitutions, and the young country’s experience with the Articles of Confederation (Salzmann). We also need to return to essentials with respect to the fundamental freedoms our Constitution secures. We have recently seen dangers to freedom of speech, religious freedom, the right to keep and bear arms, and due process.
Freedom in our nation will be ensured to the extent to which our Constitution and the standards undergirding it are respected. If we are to remain outstanding and special among nations, it will be because we defended the founding principles and foundational freedoms described in our Constitution. This Constitution Day, September 17, let us remind ourselves of that and recommit ourselves to the defense of that document and the Republic that flows from it. Second, a citizen in a democracy should have an obligation to understand the powers and duties of the government, as generally set forth in a constitution (Salzmann). If we do not understand this, a government that does not act legitimately has no checks upon it and can avoid carrying out its obligations.
Respect the rights, beliefs, and opinions of others
People who may ponder this might not think it fits with being a good citizen but rather with being a good individual. However, if you consider it, this makes you a better individual and a great citizen. There are opinions all around, and you form opinions about your experiences with something. Sometimes you will not agree with someone, but by seeing their perspective and understanding where they are coming from, you can not only become a better person by hearing the other side, but you can also sometimes discover ways to counter their argument and make them reconsider what they just said (Salzmann). What one individual believes, you may not believe, but you cannot force the other individual to convert to your side. It is up to them to decide whether they wish to adhere to their view, or sufficient evidence supporting your statement can make them reconsider. However, regardless of whether one tries to do so, one must realize that respecting the views of others is far better than being deceptive and attempting to mentally manipulate them.
Having many different beliefs is a good thing, not something to be confused about. Different cultures benefit many people and ought to be respected. This is because:
• It may offend an individual from a different culture. They have grown up believing in a particular set of values and ideas, much like their relatives and friends. To tell them they are wrong is unkind and undermines their whole group.
• Different cultures are useful for bringing people together. Learning about different cultures and beliefs is fun and interesting, and you can often discover astonishing similarities! It is interesting to know what another person may think about something you believe.
• New and useful ideas. Different cultures mean different ways of dealing with important ideas in society. A different group may be able to help your group discover new information. They could teach you different languages or better ways of cooking food or making clothes.
• A united nation. If individuals can celebrate their differences, they can work together to advance and develop. They can recognize alternative beliefs and accept them.
However, when prominent individuals fail to achieve any of those standards, different issues and conditions may arise within the nation. This can promote bigotry and discrimination, which are harmful to the prosperity of the nation. Discussing the essential obligation, it supports and defends the Constitution because the Constitution covers nearly everything for which a citizen is responsible.
References
Doheny, Shane. “Responsibility and the Deliberative Citizen: Theorizing the Acceptance of Individual and Citizenship Responsibilities.” Citizenship Studies, vol. 11, no. 4, 2007, pp. 405–20.
Salzmann, M. E. Good Citizenship Counts. ABDO Publishing Company, 2010, https://books.google.com.pk/books?id=6kR6AgAAQBAJ.
Sheppard, Steve. “The state interest in the good citizen: Constitutional balance between the citizen and the perfectionist state.” Hastings LJ 45 (1993): 969.
Dalton, Russell J. The good citizen: How a younger generation is reshaping American politics. Sage, 2008.
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