Roles of the Citizen

Personal and Civic Responsibilities

Personal Responsibilities

• Every person has responsibilities having to do with his or her private life. People have to help take care of themselves and their families. They fulfill these responsibilities in many ways.

Civic Responsibilities

• Americans also have civic responsibilities. These are the things people must do in order to help support their community and their government. Our system of government depends on the active involvement and participation of people in a number of tasks. For example, because ours is a government of, for, and by the people, citizens must run for office, and others must participate in elections.

Civic Responsibilities

• Americans also have civic responsibilities. These are the things people must do in order to help support their community and their government. Our system of government depends on the active involvement and participation of people in a number of tasks. For example, because ours is a government of, for, and by the people, citizens must run for office, and others must participate in elections.

Conflicting Responsibilities

• A person’s civic responsibilities can sometimes create conflicts with his or her personal responsibilities. The demands of time and energy for civic life may make it harder to fulfill financial or family duties.

Your Right to Disagree and Your Responsibility to Accept the Consequences

• In some cases, the decisions of a government may go against a person’s morals or ethics. In the past, people have used a practice called civil disobedience to protest government rules that go against their personal morality. With civil disobedience, a person who objects to a law or policy breaks that law or policy peacefully—and accepts the legal punishment for that action. So, while expressing opposition to the policy, the person accepts the authority of the law.

Identifying Personal and Civic Responsibilities

For each of the following try to guess if it is a personal responsibility a civic responsibility, or both. After each picture, an answer and explanation will appear.

Case #1 – Obeying and Respecting The Law

This is a Civic Responsibility BUT

Testifying in open court is definitely a civic responsibility but you also have a personal responsibility to obey and respect the law as well as to “do the right thing” which we call ethical behavior. Telling the truth in court is a personal responsibility (as well as a civic one).

Case #2 – Living by a Code of Ethics – “Doing the Right Thing!”

This is a Personal Responsibility

“Doing the Right Thing” by acting in an ethical manner is a personal responsibility. Whether a law exists or not, you must live by a code of ethical standards .

Case #3 – Learning About Civics and Government in and out of the Classroom…

This is a Civic Responsibility

While it is important on a personal basis to understand the world around you and how it works, it is also very much a CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY to learn as much as you can about our system of government!

Case #4 – Making yourself available to serve on a jury when called …

This is a Civic Responsibility

Serving on a jury when summoned by the courts is a civic responsibility. This is a sacrifice we must make in order to have a fair and impartial judicial system. Just think:What if you were the one on trial ……?

Case #5 – Registering to Vote and Participating in the Election Process

This is a Civic Responsibility

If you want to live in a democracy you must be willing to participate. Since we really live in a democratic republic, the way citizens participate in the process and make their voices heard is trough elections!

Case #7 – Making Your Voice Heard Through Protest and Civil Disobedience.

This is a Both a Civic and Personal Responsibility

You have an obligation as a citizen and to yourself to let your voice be heard if you disagree with a governmental action. But remember, participating in political disobedience also means you are willing to accept the consequences of your actions.

Case #8 – Paying Your Taxes!

This is a Civic ResponsibilityIn order to provide services to its citizens, a government must have a way of collecting revenue. This is generally done through taxes. At the federal level, this means paying income taxes to Uncle Sam!

Case #9 – Caring For Family Members

This is a Personal ResponsibilityCaring for Family Members is the responsibility of every family member … We owe our parents, grandparents, and siblings our love, respect, and time at the very least ……. But this is what we do for FAMILY!

Case #10 – Cooperation and Teamwork

This is both a Personal and Civic Responsibility

As members of a community, we have both a personal and civic duty to work in cooperation with those around us. Conflict and violence rarely bring about a peaceful resolution to a problem.

Case #11 – Volunteering in the Community

This is both a Personal and Civic Responsibility

Being an active member of the community is both a personal and civic responsibility. It’s what we do in order to live and work in society!

Case #12 – Caring for Personal Health and Safety

This is a Personal Responsibility

Taking care of yourself is something you do for you and those who love you. This is a personal responsibility but many would argue that in today’s era of rising health care costs it is also a civic responsibility to care for your health and safety!

Case #13 – Striving for Compromise During Conflict

This is both a Personal and Civic ResponsibilityJust as cooperation is important, it is understandable that conflict can and will arise but it is our personal and civic responsibility to strive to resolve conflict through compromise. This is what the American system of government was founded on!

Let’s Review:

The End!