The fact that anybody can rise to great places is the essence of the American Dream. It is the living exemplification of the Latin phrase “E Pluribus Unum” translated to “Out of many, one.” Every citizen is important and influential in the functioning of our government. It is important that citizens vote in their elections because it is effectively the cornerstone of the republic. Voting is what most people think of when they think of a “Good Citizen,” but that is not the only thing that a good model citizen does.
A good model citizen to model oneself after is none other than General George Washington himself. Washington was a calculated and seasoned general who led the Continental Army through the Revolutionary War. He was also a statesman and had a role in founding our country and oversaw the Constitutional Convention later becoming the first president.
Washington led the country during hazardous times and warned of factions within our government that would divide the people. He also warned against entanglement in foreign affairs. Overall, Washington was a good role model for citizens to look up to. Washington resigned his position after two terms because he did not want to be like a king. Washington’s choice to resign established the tradition of two-term presidents only broken by Franklin D. Roosevelt. There are numerous lessons to learn by studying Washington’s life and legacy. Washington was a good leader and could relate to the soldiers in his army. Washington took a position that would strengthen America first and stay out of the European politics that would certainly lead to another war. Since Washington was a general, he knew and understood the effects of war and the death and destruction caused by war. He also understood that the European powers were always fighting each other and that the United States was still too weak to get involved. Washington was also a Christian who prayed frequently during the Revolutionary War. Many people say that God was on Washington’s side because of all the near-death experiences that he had encountered and miraculously survived. For example, getting his horse shot dead while he was riding. A famous painting of General Washington is a depiction of him at Valley Forge in prayer. Washington certainly is a good example of how a citizen should take an active role in the American government.
To take charge as a citizen like General Washington, you should know your elected officials. You should know your sheriff. You should at the bare minimum be able to spot your officials if they are in public. You need to know your officials because how can they represent you if they do not know you? A citizen must use their rights, especially the ones that the Constitution protects in writing such as the freedom of speech, press, assembly, petition, religion, and the right to bear arms (1st and 2nd Amendments to the U.S. Constitution respectively). These are all basic rights that every American has. Of course, there are many other rights in the Constitution like the right to a speedy trial by jury in the state and district where the crime was committed as well as being informed of what you are being charged for and having the right to confront the witnesses against you in court and the right to have a defense counsel (7th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution). There are other rights that need to be practiced by all Americans. The right to vote is important because being able to choose who you want to represent you is the basis of our Constitutional Republic. Citizens in local government need to step up and take an active role in leadership and representation whether it is a city council position or a county official position. There are simply more of those positions. Yes, state and federal positions are available as well, but there is only one president of the United States, and there are only fifty State Governors. However, there are thousands of local presidents of city councils and thousands of county officials. That is where citizens must first step up. To be a good representative, the citizens should have a good family that is well organized. The citizen should be of faith and should also be morally straightforward. These are all requirements that the citizen should consider. How can a representative run a government if they cannot run their own family? It may seem a bit overdramatic, but it is true. Also, following in the footsteps of Washington, your position is not a permanent position. Instead, think of it as a hotel room where you book a room for a night or two before heading off for your next destination. Being a public servant is not a permanent thing. Everyone should think of it as “I did my duty, now it is time to move on” Washington started the tradition, now it is the duty for the citizen to assume a public office for a brief period before returning to normal life. If everyone did that, there would be no need for term limits.
The role and duty of the citizen is essential and often overlooked. It is not the simple “Go Vote” answer. Instead, it is a higher duty for all to participate in. The role is to participate in the rights they have such as voicing their opinion and petitioning the government. They can and are encouraged to run for public office, especially in local government where it is closer to the people. The role of the citizen is to perform is a basic and simple right that is part of the government that is unique in the pages of history. It is often forgotten, but a simple lesson on American History and Civics can inform people. Thomas Jefferson said in a letter to James Madison “Educate and inform the whole mass of the people. Enable them to see that it is their interest to preserve peace and order, and they will preserve them. And it requires no very high degree of education to conceive them of this. They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.” (Miscellanies from the Papers of Thomas Jefferson). “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country” (John F. Kennedy). Educate yourself and become an active citizen like General George Washington. Strengthen your faith and further organize your family. Take hold of your freedoms and understand that many have sacrificed their lives as Abraham Lincoln put it best, “shall not have died in vain that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
Works Cited
“‘Ask Not What Your Country Can Do for You…’” John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, http://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/education/teachers/curricular-resources/ask-not-what-your-country-can-do-for-you. Accessed 2 Aug. 2024.
“Declaration of Independence: A Transcription.” National Archives and Records Administration, http://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript. Accessed 02 Aug. 2024.
“Gettysburg Address.” Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 20 June 2024, http://www.britannica.com/event/Gettysburg-Address. Accessed 02 Aug. 2024.
Jefferson, Thomas. “Letter CXVII: To James Madison.” Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies from the Papers of Thomas Jefferson, edited by Thomas Jefferson Randolph, II, F. Carr, Charlottesville, Virginia, 1829, pp. 272–277. Internet Archive, https://archive.org/details/memcorrmisc02jeffrich/page/2/mode/2up. Accessed 2 Aug. 2024.
“The Bill of Rights: A Transcription.” National Archives and Records Administration, http://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights-transcript. Accessed 02 Aug. 2024.
“The Constitution: Amendments 11-27.” National Archives and Records Administration, http://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/amendments-11-27. Accessed 02 Aug. 2024.
“The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription.” National Archives and Records Administration, http://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript. Accessed 02 Aug. 2024.
The Gettysburg Address, rmc.library.cornell.edu/gettysburg/good_cause/transcript.htm. Accessed 02 Aug. 2024.