As US citizens we have certain rights but do we not also have certain responsibi

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   bankscottageposted 12 years ago

   As US citizens we have certain rights but do we not also have certain responsibilities?
   
   As a US citizen we are always expecting, often demanding, our rights.  Does citizenship also come with responsibilities?  What are these responsibilities?

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   Dennis AuBuchonposted 12 years ago

   This is a great question and the answer is yes.  One of the critical responsibilities we have is that of voting.  Voting affects everything we do as individuals.  We voice our opinion on issues such as bond issues for schools and we choose who we will elect to represent us at all levels of government.  Participating in the political process affects how we live the impact is determined by those we elect.

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   maxoxam41posted 12 years ago

   Let's not limit our answer to the U.S. citizenship. As a citizen of a country one shall expect everything from his/her country. A privileged and interdependent relationship shall tie the citizen to his/her country. A citizen has rights and responsibilities inherent to the status unfortunately the government never follows that basic rule. In that case why as a citizen of my country would I be subjected to laws that they blatantly contravene.

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   arbposted 12 years ago

   We are a nation governed by the consent of the people. We often forget that it is we, who employ the government to excercise our will and that we have entrusted such responsibility to them.  We are, therefore, like any employer, responsible for holding thier feet to the fire. If we acquiesce, then the employees are in charge and we can't blame them for giving themselves raises, vacations, benefits or any of the other perks employees like. Come to think of it, that's whats happening!

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      Cobrafanposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I completely agree. We need to make our elected officials aware that if they do not vote in favor of what their represented citizens think is the right choice, then when the next election comes their competitor will be getting voted into office.

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   Old Empresarioposted 12 years ago

   Not really. I pay a load of taxes and see almost no benefit from those taxes--other than having a huge military that can't win wars and the worst public education of the first world. So I feel I have fulfilled my responsibility.

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      CR Rookwoodposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I feel this way. More and more money goes to what I don't want, and what I care about gets slashed, and yet I still pay my taxes and vote. Meanwhile, huge corporations get away with paying nothing. So beyond what I already do, meh.

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   Lisa HWposted 12 years ago

   I think we have a lot of responsibilities, and I think if our rights are denied or stamped on by the government; one of those responsibilities is not to simply accept it, and, instead, to do something to have it corrected and/or prevented for others.  I see "preserving and defending The Constitution" as one our our responsibilities; because if everyone (no matter who it is) doesn't aim to do that in whatever way he can, it will amount to have nice words on paper that mean nothing in people's real lives.

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   Becky Katzposted 12 years ago

   Our responsibility as a U.S. citizen is to make sure we are voting for the best person for the job. Not the one with the most money or the one with the best ideas, but the one that will get in there and do their job as we direct them. Yes, we are supposed to direct them to do the job the way we want them to. We are supposed to be writing them and telling them when they are dropping the ball and when something is important to us. Get out there, vote and write letters to your representatives; letting them know what we want.

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   annartposted 12 years ago

   I'm a UK citizen but I think this applies to any country or indeed any community.  We vote, yes, but our responsibilities don't end there.  We have responsibilities to our fellow citizens, to behave correctly, to follow laws.  However, as several others have commented, it doesn't help when the politicians and the corporates get away with blatant infringements of our laws and with laughing in the face of their own responsibilities. 
   I agree with Lisa HW when she says that we shouldn't just accept things; we have a responsibility to try to change anything we regard as wrong or unacceptable.

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