Rights and responsibilities of American citizens (Essay Sample)

Rights and responsibilities of American citizens Student’s Name University/College In the United States of America, political participation is a right and responsibility of the people. They are expected to play a role in choosing leaders, and making decisions that affect the country. There are many rights and responsibility of the citizen. Additionally, the civil rights movements influence people to understand their role in the county. Indeed, in America the responsibilities and rights of citizens have evolved over the years since the country’s founding CITATION Ter \l 1033 (Raymond, 2014). The American citizen is expected to be engaged in the running of the country, and the government provides opportunities that allow people to do so. The democratic idea follows an ideal that active citizenship is a type of political participation is vital to the health and wellbeing of both the country and person. Political participation is an essential ingredient in a democratic state. In fact, the civic aim shows that American citizens live in a country. In every election year, the citizenry is allowed to debate on the policies that the state should pursue CITATION Ter \l 1033 (Raymond, 2014). Essentially, the rights are responsibilities of the citizens entail participation in political matters. Participatory Citizen A good citizen should contribute in civic matters and the issues facing the community in the national, public, and local levels. It is also known as participatory citizen and is the responsibility of an American citizen. Education programs have been established to encourage the improvement of participatory citizens. This allows individuals to understand their roles in the society and encourage them to take part in affairs that would affect them. Civic education is a right for the citizens. It teaches individuals on how the administration and other service organizations function and the significance of participating and planning in prearranged activities to care for those in need CITATION Dav151 \l 1033 (Kennedy, 2015). For instance, while the individually accountable citizen can contribute clothes for the homeless, the participatory individual can organize the activities. Civic participation goes beyond particular community opportunities or problems. It also develops trust, shared relationships, collective commitment, and understanding. This perspective is an essential ingredient of a stable democracy. It is within an ideal of the political sphere where citizens can seek to live together as a community despite the competing and overlapping interests CITATION Ter \l 1033 (Raymond, 2014). The rights and responsibilities of American citizens also entail an awareness of the importance of pursuing justice and social goals. It also involves attention towards issues of injustice. The citizen should analytically look at political, communal, and financial structures and consider cooperative strategies for changes that prevent injustices that occur. Furthermore, they should provide a suggestion on how to solve the root of the problem. This view of the justice-oriented individual aligns with the ideals of a participatory citizen that supports communal work linked to the issues and life in the society. The civic society is within the political space between the government and the individual. It is a public sphere tat voluntary organizations and citizens interact freely outside of the family, government, or private sector. The civil society organizations can entail a broad range of advocacy groups, non-governmental organizations, and business, and professional associations, faith-based organizations among others. The organizations embody an active citizenry that shows the values of those it represents their ethical, political, and cultural considerations. They act as a link between the state and population and help to monitor and include the government decisions. It is the rights and responsibilities of the citizens to engage with the government using these organizations. These institutions can help to education the citizens of their rights and responsibilities CITATION Ter \l 1033 (Raymond, 2014). They also play a role in mobilizing the population, assist in the delivery of public services, and encourage intergroup dialogue. Furthermore, the government is established by the constitution, and this embodies the principles of republicanism and democracy. Civil rights movement The civil rights movement has a significant impact on the country. It affected political participation, representation, and inclusiveness in the country. The movement led to a setting where voting is highly contested. Essentially, more people, especially from diverse backgrounds and genders sought to run for office and represent individuals in the politics of the country. The initial literature on the civil rights movement and black political participation was framed in regards to the social capital theories and political opportunity. During the 1950s, the tactical and organizational foundations of the civil rights movement emerged. The movement took hold in communities with protest groups and black churches. This movement was characterized with direct action protest and mass mobilization as people sought to participate in the running of the country CITATION Ter \l 1033 (Raymond, 2014). This is a historical development where both the community level and regional level of the country are encouraged to take part in politics. The civil rights movement acted as a means to expand political opportunities for black activism, including favorable congressional and supreme court’s decisions and executive level attention towards the rights of the citizens. The primary objective of the civil rights leaders, campaigns, and organizations was to gain political power during the 1950s 1960s. Their work has greatly affected how America citizens view political power. Having a voice in the political process is essential. The voter registration campaigns during this time often received less attention in comparison to the protests. However, the demand for greater black participation was a major ingredient in the struggle for black equality. The movement promoted voter registration CITATION Dav151 \l 1033 (Kennedy, 2015). It also encouraged the registration of independent voter leagues that could recruit individuals beyond the national association’s areas of operation. This would attract people from all religious and civic organizations. Voter registration has increased since the civil rights movement. This was from a low of 3 percent in the 1940s, 15 percent in the 1950s, and 30 percent in 1960 to 42 percent in 1964. This pattern is a challenge to the conventional narrative for the civil rights movement. Indeed, it shows that black voting was limited to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Indeed, the increase in a number of blacks who register to vote was a consequence of the executive branch and Congress decisions. The electoral competition for votes from the blacks in the 1960s election encouraged a rise in a number of the black voters. Moreover, the change was not even in the South CITATION Dav151 \l 1033 (Kennedy, 2015). This variation in the local voting pattern was influenced by the political opportunities and local organizational efforts. Citizenship entails individuals who are informed about public issues and have the capacity to work together to resolve these problems. The civil rights movement can be seen as an act of citizenship. It involves voluntary participation by citizens. The leaders of the movement, in this case, Martin Luther King, Jr, achieved great respect and fame in the nation and worldwide. The people were able to come together with a shared sense of purpose. These individuals al found like-minded people who had the goodwill to support them and ensure that their demands were heard. Individuals are vital members of the society. They volunteer and dedicate their time to help the society achieve its desired improvements. Active participation is essential to make a change in society CITATION Ter \l 1033 (Raymond, 2014). Meaning of citizenship and evolut...