Active American Citizen

When I earned my Eagle Scout rank, I was required to earn a number of specific merit badges. One of these was Citizenship in the Nation. While completing the requirements to get this merit badge, I needed to define the rights, duties, and obligations of a responsible and active American citizen. I believe there are very specific responsibilities of an active American citizen: supporting and defending the Constitution, staying informed of the issues affecting your community, participating in the democratic process, respecting and obeying federal, state, and local laws, respecting the rights, beliefs, and opinions of others, participating in your local community, paying income and other taxes honestly, and on time, to federal, state, and local
The Constitution has functioned well, most of the time, because conscientious men and women have given it flesh. As James Madison said, “Every man who loves peace, every man who loves his country, every man who loves liberty ought to have it ever before his eyes that he may cherish in his heart a due attachment to the Union of America and be able to set a due value on the means of preserving it.” Active citizenship is a combination of knowledge, attitude, skills, and actions that aim to contribute to building and maintaining a democratic society. Active citizenship supports democratic cooperation that is based on the acceptance of universal human rights and the rule of law, values diversity, and includes the whole
By engaging in civic responsibility, citizens ensure and uphold certain democratic values written in the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Those values or duties include justice, freedom, equality, diversity, authority, privacy, due process, property, participation, truth, patriotism, human rights, rule of law, tolerance, mutual assistance, self-restraint and self-respect. Schools teach civic responsibility to students with the goal to produce responsible citizens and active participants in community and government. One of the greatest examples of civic responsibility and virtue is Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus. A Roman statesman, Cincinnatus gained fame for his selfless devotion to the republic. During a national crisis, he took control of Rome and swiftly vanquished the threat to the country. After his victory and the security of the country restored, he relinquished his power. In 458 BC, Cincinnatus was appointed dictator to rescue a consular army surrounded by enemy forces. Cincinnatus defeated the enemy in a single day and maintained his authority for only 15 days, long enough to bring Rome through the