Today is Citizenship Day!
What is a citizen? Mariam-Webster says: “A native or naturalized person who owes allegiance to a government and is entitled to protection from it.”
A citizen is a member of a society. As a member, you have certain rights, and you have certain responsibilities. Your rights are: to vote for leaders, maybe even become a leader, freedom to pursue what you want to do with your life, to speak freely, freedom to worship and practice what you believe.
Your responsibilities are: to vote for leaders, be informed about what the government is doing, to help make the community a good place to live, obey the laws of the land, defend your country against enemies, to pledge your allegiance and loyalty to that country that protects you and gives you freedom to live your life the way you desire!
What kind of a “Citizen” are you?
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“Every good citizen makes his country’s honor his own, and cherishes it not only as precious but sacred. He is willing to risk his life in its defense and is conscious that he gains protection while he gives it.” -Andrew Jackson
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“The requisite of a good citizen of the republic of ours is that he shall be able to and willing to pull his own weight.” -Theodore Roosevelt
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“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” -John F. Kennedy
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My brother-in-law, Ian, was born in Zimbabwe. This is what he said about becoming an American Citizen:
“I have been a citizen of the United States of America for 10 years. I will always remember the day I took the Oath of Allegiance in the federal courthouse in Salt Lake City. The courtroom was full of immigrants from all over the world who were there on that day to become citizens of the greatest nation on earth. It was a day of great happiness and emotion as we took the oath together.
There may be many things wrong with America, but it is still the greatest nation on earth. Nowhere can a person enjoy such freedoms and such opportunities as here. When we look at the world as a whole, we realize that the majority of human beings do not enjoy the freedoms and opportunities that we do. That realization will always make me grateful to be a citizen of this great country.”