Civic Responsibility – What does that mean?

Civic Responsibility is defined as the "responsibility of a citizen" (Dictionary.com).It is comprised of actions and attitudes associated with democratic governance and social participation. Civic responsibility can include participation in government, church, volunteering, and memberships of voluntary associations. Actions of civic responsibility can be displayed in advocacy for various causes, such as political, economic, civil, environmental, or quality of life issues (learningtogive.org).

A citizen is, "a person owing loyalty to and entitled by birth or naturalization to the protection of a state or union" (ibid).

Citizenship means, "a productive, responsible, caring and contributing member of society" (ibid.)

Although Civic Responsibility has existed for centuries in society, it was officially sanctioned as a blueprint for democracy in 1787 by the ratification of the United States Constitution. The Constitution declared, "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States" (ibid).

It is the obligation of every American citizen to be a contributing member of their community. This translates into, among other things, the importance of exercising the right to vote.

Every registered voter has an obligation to vote at every opportunity, not only for presidential elections, but also for all elections. Since all politics is local, every election matters. It is important to be an informed voter, to elect a person that best reflects your point of view. The challenge in today's overloaded glut of information and misinformation is to decide based on sources you trust. Most importantly, invest some time to become an informed citizen and VOTE. 

Visit https://ivoterguide.com for information on voting.