“No man can be a good citizen who is not a good husband and a good father, who is not honest in his dealings with other men and women, faithful to his friends and fearless in the presence of his foes, who has not got a sound heart, a sound mind, and a sound body.”
Read More“The ideal good citizen must be a paragon of multiple virtues, who brings to the fore different qualities according to circumstances.”
Read MoreThe 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.
Read MoreMost 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.
Read MoreAmerica 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.
Read MorePersonal integrity and self reliance are good. But they are not enough. They are the starting point, and not the final goal. The distinction between good self-reliance and bad self-reliance is whether the person thinks minding their own affairs frees them of obligations to others. Because that never happens. Every citizen owes care and cooperation and contribution to the society they are part of.
Read MoreAmerica 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.”
Read MoreWaving a pocket copy of the Constitution in the air like it was a magic token is weird. It doesn’t matter so much if the words “domestic tranquility” are written down somewhere. What matters is whether domestic tranquility actually exists on the streets across the country.
Read MoreBibliography of books and major articles cited in A Citizen’s Syllabus, and/or books that are worth reading.
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Johns Hopkins University President Ronald Daniels
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