Civic Responsibilities of Americans
The civic responsibilities of Americans are of great importance. These duties are there to ensure that our constitution and its values are upheld. Some responsibilities are not required and others are put into laws. Three important civic responsibilities of citizens are voting, jury duty and active citizen participation. Voting is an important civic responsibility. Although it is not required by law, participation is necessary in order for the principle of “rule by the people and for the people” to be successful. Everyone in our country is affected by the outcomes of elections. It is up to American citizens to elect suitable representatives and leaders and this is done through voting. Serving on jury duty is another important civic responsibility. Being on jury duty gets you directly involved in making the justice system work. The right to a jury trial was firmly established by the constitution and the responsibility of jury duty helps keep those rights intact. The right to a fair trial by a jury made up of one’s peers is an important one that needs to be preserved. Being an actively participating citizen is also a vital responsibility in America. Active citizen participation is when people take a role in their community and their government. One can do this by donating money to candidates and causes and volunteering time to elections, candidates and causes. This is important because changes and effective government can only take place if the citizens help make causes and candidates known. This directly ties to voting and preserving the principle of “rule by the people and for the people.” Civic responsibilities of American citizens help make this country what it is. These duties help ensure the effectiveness of our constitution and the rights provided within. Voting, serving on jury duty and participating actively as a citizen are important civic responsibilities that all citizens should take advantage of.