The best time and place to be a citizen of a community or nation is when there is peace and prosperity. But the rights and duties don’t stop then. Here are some civic-minded actions that a good citizen with do when there are no greater issues at hand.

Most of us are never called on to do any great deed. But the character of the nation is determined mostly by how ordinary citizens behave during ordinary times. Here is a list of rights and duties — or just good things to do — as a citizen and a member of a society.

America gained it independence because a generation of our forefathers rebelled and defied authority. If we honor their actions, we must recognize that standing up to tyranny can sometimes be necessary. Below are some activities that can be the right or the duty of citizens when they are pushed beyond their limits.

America in 2021 is not a healthy republic and few people think favorably of government. Too many Americans get their news from national sources and don’t understand the services that state and local governments provide. They are detached from opportunities to join and serve in their communities. So too few citizens volunteer or engage with public affairs because they don’t see a role for themselves. or because they see public affairs as dirty, even shameful. But there is no substitute for the “Let’s do it together.”