My American Responsibility

My responsibility as an American is to stand up for what I believe in. Many men and women have fought and many died to give me freedoms that so many others are denied. It is my responsibility to take advantage of the opportunity that people sacrificed their lives to give me.
With this gift, I should take the chance to be the voice for those who cannot speak, or for those who are ignored. It is my responsibility to speak out for those who are overlooked, not only in a large way, but in all of the little ways too. Using my right of speech, I can protest the government decisions in an effort to make my country a better place. The American Anti-Slavery Society, the Women’s Liberation Movement, and the Civil Rights Movement are all examples of Americans
using their rights to shape our country into what it is today. And just like William Lloyd Garrison, Susan B. Anthony, and Martin Luther King Jr., I have the opportunity help create the future by participating in events that are important to me.
On a much smaller scale, I can help make my community and my town better for individuals who are here right now.
People are often mistreated because of their circumstances: not enough money, a different skin color, or contradictory ideas. I can use my rights and potentially beneficial standpoint to defend other people’s right to express their opinion, or even just enter the local grocery store without being scorned. I can speak up if I see a group of kids bullying or ostracizing another child because of their differences, and do what I can to make their day just a little bit better.
Finally, I have the responsibility to show respect for other’s rights. Although I may have a different opinion than another person, this person has the same right as I do to express this opinion. If I were to deny them this right, or treat them differently because of what makes them different, it would be an act of disrespect not only to this individual, but to all of the people who made sacrifices to give them the right to be who they are, and act of disrespect towards everyone who has worked to make this country a place where people are accepted.
It is my responsibility, and the responsibility of every American, to defend and respect the rights of all people, despite any differences between us, and to try to continue our country’s legacy. Together, with every person doing what they can where they are, we may reach the dream that was on the minds of brave men and women as they risked their
lives.