Citizenship

I feel that citizenship in my country, the United States of America, should be special.  It is a great honor being a citizen of a democracy.  I am reading where some don't consider us a democracy anymore.  We are out of kelter.  When only a fraction of the registered voters turn out, that is a shame.  Let me tell you what I think citizenship is, the benefits and responsibilities of citizenship.

Citizenship gives you the right to criticize the government.  It gives you the right to live anywhere in this country that you choose to live.  It gives you the freedom of and the freedom from religion.  It gives you the right to live in peace.  It gives you the opportunity to move up in the world, although that has gotten harder to do because of our politicians.  And very importantly, it gives you the right to vote for the politician of your choice.  It gives you a say in your government.

In exchange for these freedoms, there comes responsibility.  Each and every citizen is responsible for every soldier that was sent to war and either died or came back damaged and all who came back are damaged.  Every citizen must accept the responsibility of carrying these men and women on their shoulders because every citizen sent them to war.  Every citizen must also carry on their shoulders the genocide committed against the Indians by the government.  And this was genocide. We are responsible.  Every citizen is responsible for holding their politicians accountable for the things they do.  Not enough of this is done.  And every citizen is responsible for seeing to it that every other citizen's rights are guaranteed.  That no one group of people are denied their rights.  That is a responsibility and we should accept it gladly.  Every citizen must be on guard to keep any politician from turning us into a dictatorship in the guise of "protecting us."  Government cannot protect all the citizens.  Citizens must take the responsibility for their safety on their own shoulders.  And above all, never ever give up our guns.  I don't think the recent immigrants nor the illegals feel any of this.  They see us as something to be used and dictated to.  To milk the benefits and kick us in the teeth.  But we have these responsibilities to each other.  If we don't protect our freedoms, we will lose them. Those freedoms did not come free as some seem to think.  They were bought and paid for in blood.  They are our national treasures and we must guard them fiercely for those who paid for them.  We have to hold them dear for those who can't.