What is Citizenship?

Cloey Hirst
Jill Darling
Comp 105
11/6/18

What is Citizenship?

               Voting, paying taxes on time, volunteering for your community, donating for an organization you feel passionate about, recycling, participating in jury duty, obeying the law, or serving in the armed forces are all qualities of a good citizen. But what is citizenship? Citizenship is the status of being a citizen, along along with the rights, duties, and privileges of being a citizen. Every able person in our society has the right to freedom and happiness, but in order to attain such benefits, you are required to fulfill and promote your civic duties as an American. Although that notion in text is simple, sometimes our course for citizenship is difficult. 

              A prime example of satisfying our semaritan obligation is through voting. Every few years people of this country can include themselves in politics and vote for local policies, house representatives, senators, Supreme Court officials, electoral college members, and even the decision to elect the President of the United States. All they have to do is register to vote, find their way to their local precinct and fill out the form. The only problem with that is its not as easily accessible as it is for some. Unfortunately, when election season roles around every year, less and less of the African American and Latino community turn up to vote. It's not that they choose not to vote, it's simply because they are not registered. According to NPR session: "The Cost to take a Ballot," In 1940, a mere 3 percent of voting-age black men and women in the South were registered to vote... and in Mississippi less than 1 percent were registered." Luckily today that amount has since gone up, but unfortunately, still only 30 percent of Blacks can vote. This inevitably leads to a low voter turn out across the country because this group of people make up a large, swaying percentage of potential votes. This year, I am happy to see that there is an expect 45 percent increase in turn out for this primary election with the hopes of making an easier process for registering under policy 3. 

           When we look at what makes a good citizen we are often faced with comparing it to patriotism. When I come to this conclusion I am talking about the anger towards Colin Kaepernick when he decided to take the knee during the national anthem. Thousands of people believed he was disowning his country and discarding his civic rights as a U.S citizen, but to him "the actual point of his protest was to disrupt how we move about our daily lives... I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color" (The Awakening of Colin Kaepernick). In my perspective, I am not saying what he did was completely correct, but in my own opinion of "good" citizenship is when you can see the world as it is and make it better with the tools you have. What Kaepernick did was provide a movement just as Martin Luther King Jr. did for his community when he granted rightful citizenship to those of color. Regardless of how you look at the situation, Kaepernick's intention of change for those who have been victimized of hate is what makes him a true "good" citizen of American society.

         When you think of the qualities that make up citizenship, you think of someone who votes, volunteer, pays taxes on time, participates in fundraisers, recycles, serves in a jury, obeys the law, or even aides to the armed forces.  A good samaritan abides by their civic duties as Americans and with that are able to live a free and happy life. Nevertheless, in becoming or being viewed as a worthy citizen has often proven difficult in our society. Dating back to the 1940's, voting registration has been an on going issue and continues to disregard a large portion of opinion from being heard. When looking at an instance were we determine if Colin Kaepernick is deem rightful, it is up to perspective. In the future, I would like to live in a country where our civic duties are accessible and our movements for change are accepted by all. 

Equality and Freedom

Cloey Hirst

Jill Darling 

Comp 105

Equality and Freedom

                  Basic Human rights are defined as the equal and inalienable rights that are given to everyone for the simple fact of being human. In recent decades, the battle of our freedom has been an ongoing process. With so many cultures, beliefs, and religions coexisting in our world, it is important that we treat everyone as equals. After the horrific period of slavery in the United States, it was time to embark on a major change. Fortunately for us, many brave men and women rose to the occasion to act and improve the basis of equality for all.

                  As Martin Luther once stated, “we know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor but demanded by the oppressed” (Letter from Birmingham Jail, 2). As harsh as this may sound, this action remains true. Time and time again ill formed frustration lingers within those of the less fortunate and for over 340 years of fighting, it will never be apparent of when the waiting for freedom will be over. Fortunately, during the 1960’s, justice was denied no longer. Martin Luther King Jr. created confidence to rise against prejudice and racism because “all too many others have been more cautious than courageous and have remained silent behind the anesthetizing security of stained glassed windows” (Letter from Birmingham Jail,5). Although it led to many dangerous, violent outbreaks, the message that was received lead to those who were more privileged to see the vision of bettering the lives of the citizens in America; creating a nationwide conversation. Martin Luther King Jr.’s goal was to show people, who have never seen it, the harsh realities that faced the oppressed. His conscious was to show that everyone deserves to be equal in a country that stands for equality and to denounce them of that right was to take away their freedom. 

                  Just like Martin Luther King who stood heroically for his people, Benazir Bhutto was able to conspire a progressive movement for her country. Unlike the United States, the country of Afghanistan is centralized around very traditionalist views. For example, the oppression and subordination of Afghan women has led to the continuation of gender inequality. Being invisible to the public and imprisoned inside their own homes, women have been banned from going to school, having jobs, being active in politics; with punishments as severe as death. With that in mind, Benazir Bhutto realized a changed needed to be made. Although the risk of danger was tremendously high, she used her father’s political platform and became the first female prime minister in the Islamic country. From there, she introduced the idea of democracy which terminated the concept of a double standard. In her speech as new prime minister Bhutto declares “therein shall be granted fundamental rights, including equality of status, of opportunity and before law, social, economic, and political justice, and freedom of thought, expression belief; faith, worship, and association, subject to law and public morality” (Islam and democracy, 182). Under the newly formed democracy, Bhutto engaged in the civil act to bring the unalienable rights that should be given to all humans no matter the gender or race. The only problem with that is that “Democracy is not welcomed by others” (Islam and Democracy, 178).  Although the journey to achieve a non-violent freedom seems easier said than done, the many trials to reach the goal seem almost worth it to the people. Though fighting for freedom and equality may difficult to manage due to traditional values, it only takes one person to make all the difference.

                  Living in a country that is based on the concept of freedom for all, it’s hard to say if that’s actually ever been the case. Thankfully with so many brave young men and women, we are able to provide that basic human right. After years and years of living in fear based off of what you stand for, and the sacrifices made by iconic figures, maybe now we have hope for the future.