Thoughts on Citizenship
More thoughts on government...and a citizen's responsibility thereto...
[NOTE: This was written prior to the 2004 elections...and I hope that the trend that began in 2000 of a greater than 50% voting rate will only continue to rise.]
Here is a scary concept...at least it terrifies the crap outta me...in two out of the last four presidential elections, less than 25% of the eligible population voted for the winning candidate...and only in the two most recent election did more than half the eligible voters even bother to cast a ballot...and then only about 52%
Does that not strike anyone else as just plain wrong? And then...this really gets to me...but people have the gumption to spew off about how screwed up this country is getting...WTF?!?!?! If you don't care enough to go vote...shut your yap...each vote...each person can have a say...and a direct effect on events...
Now here it comes...that concept that I endorse that one of my friends labelled as fascist...*S*
In all honesty, though...I have to attribue most of this to Robert A. Heinlein...
I believe that citizenship is a priviledge...and like all priviledges must be earned...And, to my mind...the only way that citizenship in a state can be truly earned is in service to that state...and service begins at the bottom rungs...not as a leader, but as a follower...
Service could come in many forms...the military services being the major ones...but service would need to be something that is of benefit to the community or nation, such as police, medical, emergency worker, postal, infrastructure (roads, communications or utilities)...also Peace Corps or other service organizations...
After a period of service, which would be totally voluntary, of approximately 3-5 years...more dangerous service would require less time...one would earn their citizenship, and the right to vote...after a second term of service, the citizen would then also have the right to hold office...this would result in leaders who know what it is like in the Real World...
As for those that opt out of performing their citizenship obligations...there would be no onus on them under the law...they would pay no more in taxes than their citizen brethern...they would have the same rights...such as the right to bear arms, own property, and have that property protected....they would be eligible for the same jobs...same education...They would just not have the PRIVILEDGE of voting or holding office...
Well....I think I will expand a lil more on government organization in the future...
I urge everyone that reads this...no matter where you live...to safeguard your rights and priviledges...to exercise them regularly...
Take care and God Bless America!!!
[NOTE: This was written prior to the 2004 elections...and I hope that the trend that began in 2000 of a greater than 50% voting rate will only continue to rise.]
Here is a scary concept...at least it terrifies the crap outta me...in two out of the last four presidential elections, less than 25% of the eligible population voted for the winning candidate...and only in the two most recent election did more than half the eligible voters even bother to cast a ballot...and then only about 52%
Does that not strike anyone else as just plain wrong? And then...this really gets to me...but people have the gumption to spew off about how screwed up this country is getting...WTF?!?!?! If you don't care enough to go vote...shut your yap...each vote...each person can have a say...and a direct effect on events...
Now here it comes...that concept that I endorse that one of my friends labelled as fascist...*S*
In all honesty, though...I have to attribue most of this to Robert A. Heinlein...
I believe that citizenship is a priviledge...and like all priviledges must be earned...And, to my mind...the only way that citizenship in a state can be truly earned is in service to that state...and service begins at the bottom rungs...not as a leader, but as a follower...
Service could come in many forms...the military services being the major ones...but service would need to be something that is of benefit to the community or nation, such as police, medical, emergency worker, postal, infrastructure (roads, communications or utilities)...also Peace Corps or other service organizations...
After a period of service, which would be totally voluntary, of approximately 3-5 years...more dangerous service would require less time...one would earn their citizenship, and the right to vote...after a second term of service, the citizen would then also have the right to hold office...this would result in leaders who know what it is like in the Real World...
As for those that opt out of performing their citizenship obligations...there would be no onus on them under the law...they would pay no more in taxes than their citizen brethern...they would have the same rights...such as the right to bear arms, own property, and have that property protected....they would be eligible for the same jobs...same education...They would just not have the PRIVILEDGE of voting or holding office...
Well....I think I will expand a lil more on government organization in the future...
I urge everyone that reads this...no matter where you live...to safeguard your rights and priviledges...to exercise them regularly...
Take care and God Bless America!!!
posted by Mik at 11:25 AM
1 Comments:
I’d like to add my comment, please, to Mik’s astute observations and glaringly good solutions.
The privileges of being an American, of being in our country under any circumstance, are more and more regarded as entitlements, especially by those who merit them the least.
Familiar with the concept of doing the right thing? No matter what country you’re from, in your heart you know, your know what your Mom raised you to do. Well, the vast majority of us, let’s allow. The right thing involves thinking of yourself last, taking responsibility for your acts or omissions, without evasion. The present interpretation of the precept that a lawyer must advance the most vigorous defense possible, up to and including assisting anyone to get away with anything, is a deformation of the spirit of the precept. The judge who spoke so vehemently whilst admonishing an apathetic counselor, didn’t mean the defendant gets to lie, cheat, evade, receive the benefits of a lawyer who can play the system, in other words, get away with murder. A vigorous defense is exactly what lawyers do, they claim coyly, for their clients are always innocent. Let me that say that again. They say that all their clients are innocent. It is a conceit they say with a straight face not only to us, but in what can only be called a mental breakdown (we’ll get to moral breakdown some other time), to themselves. It helps salve the soul they are afraid to notice.
The right thing is you confess your crime, you do not fight to get away with it. You stand up, face the consequences and by your act, renew in measure the justice our system of juris prudence is charged with administering. Justice is only a word unless we respect what that means. Not hiring Have Gun Will Travel to kill the bastards who want to put you away. Not re-victimizing the victims. For there to be justice, the wrong-doers must do right. Defense lawyers can participate in advancing justice when they eat their veggies. You know, that other stuff on their plate. The other tasks and duties inherent to their title as officers of the court. The other duties they keep ignoring involve advising their client to do the right thing. If he’s committed the crime. Now, we all know that clients lie to their counsel. Just like patients lie to their doctors. Where the lawyers betray themselves and us is when they play along. Yeah, yeah, that’s the ticket.
So, let’s get to this radical idea.
Preface: Some will find this heresy. Some will find it so common sense as to make them wonder why didn't they think of it first. Some will identify and commend the posit for its acknowledgement of those who did, and do, what is right in order to be a citizen. And for all I know, some will find it not an original idea. Someone else thought of it first and I’m just ig’nerent of it. Here goes….
If your parents are not natural born U.S. citizens, or naturalized citizens, before you are born here, you do not automatically become a citizen. You become an automatic applicant for citizenship. It means you get to stand in line, like everyone else. And this line you must stand in before you get to stand in our other lines. First and most urgent, the line for a chance to buy medical insurance, just like the rest of us. A chance to make grades good enough to get into college, not because you’re X color, just like the rest of us. A chance to learn a skill to get a job that doesn’t pay minimum wage, doesn’t humiliate you, doesn’t break your back… just like the rest of us.
It is forthright, easy to understand and unambiguous. It is not tortured by doubt. And it is elegant and instantly effective in removing one of the chief reasons people of other countries will use to rationalize breaking our laws. Notice illegal aliens grasp the concept without hesitation. It’s easy, it’s simple. Barely any formal education needed to understand it thoroughly. To be a citizen, just be born here. That’s it.
Remove the temptation that leads them to trespass. The term anchor babies will earn a second meaning. Those who evade ejection by pointing at their American citizen child, will not be separated from each other, of course. The family returns to their country of origin, intact. The child is not yet an American citizen. We are not tossing off his land a citizen. We are holding the door open for them to have a nice trip, their applications are in progress, here’s the number to call to check on its status.
For those of you who come here only to work, because you don’t have jobs in your country, please, let’s ask a simple question. What else besides physical labor can you do? If you have a skill that is in demand, more likely, perhaps not in abundance, but there are jobs in your country. If you only offer the same talents that thousands of others do too, nothing special, then your enemy is the unskilled laborer already working the job you want. Consider the heroes of your history who fought for freedom and equality in your country. Don’t have any such heroes? Now there’s a job that any of us is qualified for. All you need is courage and conviction. Everyone comes with that, even day laborers. But it will require you to dare.
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