A citizen is someone who has a legal right to live within a particular nation, state or commonwealth. Citizenship comes with rights but also responsibilities such as obeying the laws of the country. Citizenship varies from nation to nation but it often involves the right to vote, hold public office and receive government benefits.
The word citizen is used in many languages and it can mean different things to different people. The term is related to the concept of loyalty and the sense of belonging to a particular group or community. It can be a word with deep historical roots that goes back to the ancient world.
According to the Constitution of the United States, all persons born in the country are citizens of the United States. People can also acquire citizenship through their parents or by naturalization. People who have lived in the United States for a long time and are not citizens are called aliens. Aliens can work in the United States but they cannot hold political offices.
When speaking of civic duties, the word citizen is often associated with voting in large and small elections, participating in meetings on big and small issues, and advocating for the betterment of one’s community. A good citizen should be willing to stand up for what they believe in even if it means being attacked by other citizens and the media.
A good citizen should be able to take action when they feel their rights have been violated by a public official or corporation. Citizenship responsibilities may include calling the police to report crimes, filing a complaint or a lawsuit. A good citizen should be able to give evidence in court if needed to support their claims and protect others from wrongdoing.
The importance of being a good citizen is often emphasized in schools and communities. Some schools have student councils and debate teams to encourage students to participate in politics and to become involved in their community. The Boy Scouts have a guide called the “Manual of Instruction in Good Citizenship” and there are non-profit organizations that teach American citizens how to be good citizens.
In the current era of partisan division and mounting evidence of a mental health crisis, the notion of being a good citizen is more important than ever before. Young adults ages 18 to 24 are especially pivotal in building a democratic future and should be encouraged to engage with their community and society more broadly.
Some of the most challenging aspects of being a good citizen involve understanding and respecting the beliefs and viewpoints of people from different backgrounds. This can be difficult because it requires putting one’s own personal views and agenda on the back burner in favor of working for the greater good. It is also a challenge to maintain open public debate on controversial topics and to push for more accountability from political leaders when they are not performing their duties effectively.