You have probably heard the saying, “There’s no free lunch.” That just means that you cannot get something for nothing. In almost any kind of relationship, there is some give and take. When this country was founded, citizens gave up some of their individual powers to the government.
In return, the government agreed to protect the rights of citizens. But the government is you. You must play your part, too. In order to ensure that your rights and freedoms are protected, you have duties and responsibilities to the country. You must be an informed, active, and involved citizen.
- Duties of Citizenship
In return for having the privileges of a citizen, there are a few duties that a citizen must do. These duties are crucial to making our government work.
- Obeying the Law
Of course, we must all obey the laws of our land. What would happen if people didn’t? Our society would quickly collapse. To obey the laws, you have to know what the laws are. For example, if a police officer stops you for speeding, it probably will not help to claim that you did not know the speed limit. Why? It is your duty to find out what the speed limit is and to obey it.
- Attending School
You have to go to school, at least until age 15. The government highly values education. That is why we have free, public schools. A development & democracy cannot function without educated citizens. People need good thinking skills so they can develop their country and wisely choose their leaders. They must be able to read about and understand issues that affect us. Education also gives citizens the skills they need to join the workforce and help the economy grow.
- Paying Taxes
If you work, you probably have to pay taxes. When you buy things, you probably have to pay taxes. Almost nobody escapes them. We might not love paying taxes, but we enjoy the services that our tax money buys. Taxes pay for police and fire protection and countless other services. When you drive down a paved street, go to college/school, or turn on an electric light, you are seeing the results of taxes you pay. Tax money also pays the huge costs of national security and defense.
- Serving in the Armed Forces
Whenever a country has been threatened, its citizens have come together to defend it. When the country has needed huge numbers of soldiers, it sometimes has had to establish a draft. Draft laws require men of certain ages and qualifications to serve in the military. Such laws have generally been put into effect during times of war.
- Responsibilities of Citizenship
The duties of citizenship are the things we must do. There are other things we should do as citizens. These tasks are not required by law, yet most citizens accept them as their responsibility. A few of them are listed below:
- Helping Your Community
Part of being a good citizen means helping your community. One of the most important ways to be a responsible citizen is to take pride in your community. In addition, you should make sure that your community can take pride in you and your actions.
Have you ever volunteered to help your community? There are so many ways to help, from giving your time at the public interest. Citizens should volunteer to improve their communities. The government cannot be aware of every small problem, much less fix them all. Yet solving small problems is something volunteers can do in many ways. Think of how small acts of kindness such as planting a tree, cheering up a sick person, or caring for a stray animal-make community life better.
Volunteering, just like voting, is a serious responsibility. It can also be a lot of fun. Almost everyone can find a way to help out in the community.
- Respecting and Protecting Others’ Rights
The lasting success and the strength of a government depend on the protection of the rights of its citizens. You can play an important role in protecting these priceless rights. The first step is to know your own rights as a citizen. Then remember that the people around you share those same rights. By knowing what rights all people share, you can be sure to respect those rights. For example, it is essential that community members respect others’ property. You should also know when people’s rights are being violated. You have a responsibility to help protect the rights of others, just as you would want them to defend your rights. Voting, participating The government and be informed is also part of citizen’s responsibilities.
As one of the people, you have the responsibility to help make sure that our society works for everyone and helping each other and that is what our religion tells us.
By: khadar Da’ud Abdirahman
Tel: 063-4060400
E-mail: khadar.daud@gmail.com