SaraiLizama Mr.

Arnold Citizenship&Service2215 15January2014

CitizenshipReflection Therearemanydifferentviewsonwhatcitizenshipmeansandwhattheresponsibilitiesare.As citizensoftheUnitedStateswearepartofafreeanddemocraticsociety,wearegrantedcertainrights suchasfreedomofreligionandspeechandprivilegessuchasdrivinginexchangeformeetingcertain obligationssuchaspayingtaxesandservingjuryduty. WhenitcomestocitizenshipIbelieveitsimportanttobeathoughtfulmemberofsocietyalong withsomeonewhogivesbacktothecommunity.Tome,givingbackisacrucialpartofcitizenship becauseitgivestheopportunitytoacknowledgethedifferencesthatexistbetweenindividualsinyour community.Whetherthedifferencesrefertomaterialbelongingsofnonmaterialbelongingssuchasan educationasanexampleyoubecomeawareofinequalitiesandthestructuresinyourcommunitythat allowsomecircumstancestocontinue.Andthroughexperienceandobservationyoucanfindouthow youcanhelp. Volunteeringisaformofgivingbackitsawaytobeinvolvedinyourcommunityandto awakennewperspectives.InmyspecificviewofcitizenshipIdontconsidervolunteeringaspecific responsibilitybecauseIbelievethatwhenpeopleseevolunteeringonalistofthingsyouhavetodoin ordertobeagoodcitizenoronalistingeneralitjustbecomessomethingyouhavetodo.Theideaof communityinvolvement,thoughtfulparticipation,andgivingbackcanbeskippedoverandsacrificedfor

theexperiencewhichonlymakesuphalfofthework. TherearethreeresponsibilitiesthattheUSCISlistswhichrelatetomyconceptofcitizenship, theyarestayinguptodateoncurrentissuesinyourcommunity,respectingothersopinionsandbeliefs, andparticipatinginyourcommunity.Iviewtheseresponsibilitiestobemoregearedtowardsthe relationshipbetweentheindividualandthecommunitytheresponsibilitiesanindividualhastowardstheir communitywhichiswhatmyownviewofcitizenshipiscenteredaround.Theotherresponsibilitiesthe USCISlistsaremorerelatedtotherelationshipbetweentheindividualandthegovernment.These responsibilitiesalsoformapartofmyideaofcitizenship,butarelessrelatabletocommunityservice. Ibelievecitizenshipmeansbeinginvolvedinyourcommunity,beingathoughtfulparticipantinit, andgivingbacktoit.ThosearetheresponsibilitiesIbelievewehavetowardsourcommunityandso throughtheworkwewillbedoingIwonderifmyviewswillchange.