We talked quite a bit over the last few days about what citizenship is, and about how we can be good citizens. While we learned that there are certain steps to becoming a U.S. citizen, we hopefully realize by now that being a citizen of the U.S., or any other country for that matter, does not necessarily mean we active citizens of our community or our country.
So what does it take to be a good citizen? As citizens of the United States, should anything be expected of us when it comes to citizenship? How about required? Should citizens of this country be required to serve their communities and/or nation? Or should it be left up to the individual?
Some countries around the world have laws requiring citizens to serve in the military for a few years. Would this be a good idea in our country? How about requirements for community service? How do we balance the precious right to choose what we want to do with our time with the need for citizens to take an active role in protecting those freedoms?
Finally, how important is it that we as citizens take the initiative to learn all of that information on the citizenship test that we took on Thursday? If so few natural born citizens know that material, should we still require immigrants to know it in order to become citizens?
There is a lot to think about here, so take your time and give thoughtful responses. Teach me and your fellow students something.
I've provided a few links throughout the above text. They may help you think about the topic.
Your comments must be posted by 11:59 pm, on Wednesday, September 10. Good luck and have fun!!
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123 comments:
I think that to be a good citizen, you have to love your country. For example, if you lived in China for many years, then had to move to America, you couldn't march around yelling "China is the best! America sucks!!!" Also, murdering people and committing crime isn't exactly a good way to be a great citizen, you know? You just have to have a good mind, and be able to support your country without giving us the image of a forceful and cruel country.
To the question should their be requirement for the citizens, I think there shouldn't be. The whole point of the way our government is set up and the laws we currently have in place is for citizens of the United States is to allow citizens to choose what they want to do with little government interference. However the government should be able to step in on issues that aren't being addressed seriously enough such as pollution and global warming. Communities should have expectations of their citizens though and they should encourage good citizens.
Switching topics, I think it is ridiculous for the United States of America to require people who want to become citizens to know stuff very few people already citizens of the United States know! Also, people already a citizen of the United States should strive to become as informed as possible on issues not only in the US but all over the world!
I think that citizens should be able to decide if they want to be an active citizen or not. But, I think it should be encouraged by the government, including the President, and by schools that you should be an active citizen in your community. I mean there are so many easy things you can do to be a good citizen, like recycle, work at the shelter, or help a local church. I think that there should be some requirement or test that you have to meet or take, to become a U.S. citizen, but I agree with Austin, I think it's a bit stupid to quiz someone on things to be a U.S. citizen, when natural born U.S. citizens don't even know the answers. Hopefully al those words weren't to confusing.
Also, I believe that one person only can't make a difference in the world, you have to have people who agree with you. Most of the time, One person doesn't make a difference, he/she needs to have people who support them to make a difference.
i think that to be a good citizen you need to help around your community. Help others with projects and things like that. Expected things that should be done could also be community service or helping one another. Yes i don think some things should be required like having family time, or no mass killing. i do think it would be a good idea if we had laws to require that you had to serve a few years. I also agree with Emily, and Austin it is ridiculous and stupid. If natural born citizens don't even know this information then why should all the people who want to come live here. just because the we as U.S citizens don't know the information doesn't mean we shouldn't try to learn some of the information.
Now that I think about it, it actually is pretty stupid to have to take a test you don't know (Mr. Veliz!!). It would be really unfair if you had just escaped a country, like Cuba, and you arrived in America after a long journey and then had to be sent back across the ocean for failing a test that we already don't know. I think that if immigrants don't know, they should be able to at least have a chance to re-take the test if the government is stubborn and stupid enough to keep it
I feel that to be a good citizen, you should know, love and respect your country. I believe that as a citizen, we should be expected to know and understand as much about our country as we can. It shouldn't be a requirement, just a personal decision. I feel that immigrants shouldn’t be required to take a citizenship test, because most natural born American’s don’t even know the material of the test. I agree with Emily when she said that it's easy to help serve in our community. We should feel good about helping out and making a difference. Serving in our country's army would be an honorable thing to do, but no one should be forced to do it. So as you can see, a good citizen is someone who is determined to know, love and respect our country.
Natalie is right, immigrants should have the chance to retake a test if they don't pass. I also agree with her when she said that it takes a group of people to help out in a community. Good citizens pull together to make a difference in a community or even the world.
I have to disagree with Maria on the subject of having to take a citizenship test. I don't mean to condridict myself but I do feel their should be some sort of requirement immagrants should have to fulfill to become a citizen, but nothing has elaborate as that citizenship test we took.
I also feel one person can make a diffrence if you look back on an issue like say segergation yeah sure a bunch of people had the same feelings as Martin Luther but no one did anything close to what he did. Sure people stood up for what they believed but under his influential speeches they got Segergation banned. He got people to voice their oppinions and stand up for what they belive in. Their are numerous other examples were people came together on oppinions thanks to single people voicing their oppinions.
I think that trying to become a citizen should not involve taking a test of questions that most people already citizens don't know. I think the questions on the test should be easier so that say a normal already-citizen would know the answers.
i agree that the questions on the test should be easy enough for an average citizen to know. u shouldnt have to stay up studing for days and days just to pass a citizenship test to become an american citizen after u took all the effort to get here. I think being a good citizen is helping with community work and just loveing our country. to be a good citizen u dont have to do charity work every second of your life, but u could could just help recycle and that makes a big difference. U should never be forced to do anything u dont want to do. we all came to America to be free.
I kind of agree with Austin I think there shouldn't be any requirment to be a citizen. I also think that there should not even be a test to be a citizen.Because there is all most all of the citizens in the US that know all the questions to the test they give you to become a citizen. But of course some form of way doing some kind of community service like, recycling or picking up trash. i think if you can be a good citizen you can be in the United States
I think that the Citizen test was pretty complicated. I can't even imagine the pressure on the immigrants when they're taking this test. I would be freaking out. I still think they should take the test though. I mean, you wouldn't want an immigrant just waltz in, speaking no english, and demand citizenship. You would want them to have done their research and know how we live life in America. What laws we go by, how our political system goes, and be able to communicate effectively. I wouldn't want our country to be taken over by illegal immigrants and have America turn into a country with a small population of Americans.
i also think u should be able to retake the citizenship test because it is really hard and its good to have a second chance
actualy i dissagree with kira and natalie and all of you other peaolpe who said the citizinship test was hard it was TOTALY yeasy!!! (hush up maria!) i also dissagree with austin i think it fair that they should take a test. if they want to live here they should know a bout the back ground of there country! shame on the people who live here and dont! :p
(i meant easy not yeasy!)
u may of thought it was easy but everyone else in the class (minus a few people) thought it was hard. and i bet alot of the immigrants think that it is hard also!
yes the immagrants may think it is hard but if they wish to live in america i think it should be nessisary for them to be imformed on there country. For example: i think the tests in clary were hard (come on i know yall thaught they were hard too!!! uh hu thats what i thaught!) so thats why we all studied. she didnt make it easy on us so we studied so we could learn. and if the immagrants studie about the us history then it wont be so hard for them.
yaah but some people arent really good at studing and they deserve to be an american citizen as much as everyone else. if they keep the questions the same then they should at least have a second try
To become a citizen is very important, i srtongly agree with cara that it is also important to help your community if you want to ba a citizen. Natalie, Austen, and Cara i agree with when they they stated that it is stupid that a natual born american probably wouldn't pass the test but other people would have to take the test and past that right there seems unfair to the people who risk everything to be free; and to come to america.But if you are going to live in America you need to be suppotive of our troops and be at least patriotic in some way.
When some immagrants come over here they should not take that as an advantage and do crimes, not pay taxes they should know that if they come to america they should have to work just as hard to become succussful and noy cheat.
I meant not cheat
i understand how some immagrants may be trying to escape and be free but what if there trying to escape because there a criminal on the loose!! Like the illigal mexicans trying to get in to ameria, what if they have a criminal record and you all want to let them in for free!
delani has a good point they shoulndt take advantage and they should work hard and respect the us. (usa! usa! usa! Ra Ra Shishcom Ba!)
ok that last comment was by me i dint think it would put my blogger name. oops!
I think Natalie was right you have to love your country and give it a chance. Austin was right when he said that a natural born citizen should know the things on the citizenship rather than just the the people trying to become citizens. I also agree with Emily that you have to want to be an active citizen and get involved in activites to help the country. People need to make a diffrence in how they use gasses and recycling or the next generation wouln't be able to see things that we get to. Natalie is right immagrants that don't pass the test should get more time to study and get a re-test before getting sent back to their previous country. I disagree with Kira that the questions should be the same if your retaking it because then you know exactly what the answers are. They should atleast reword them.
Sydney is Anonymous
I think that for the time being, no one needs to go to the extreme of serving our country by risking your life by serving in the military, unless you really want to. As for the community service thing, people everywhere should volunteer. We should have humongous groups of people who go around helping people who need it. If everyone did that maybe, once a week, everyone would have all the help they need. Like I said, one person helping out doesn't cause much difference, but many people helping out with little things every day will.
Alright, so maybe immagrants should take a test, because they can't just come to America without understanding what America is. Emily is right, the test should be a little easier. Oh and Austin, you need to show a little respect. I won't hush Leah! I believe I made a good point!
Listen up Leah! We don't all have mom's involved in government stuff! Natalie, I totally agree with you! Austin, you should listen to Natalie and I!
Hello, Mr. Veliz!?! Would you like to add anything to the conversation?
I agree with Natalie that everyone should pitch in and help, but what if a lady has some people helping her on one day then the next day when no ones there she falls or has a heart-attack. No one was there to help her then so you help you gave to the community but when some one needed you you weren't there when they realy needed you. I think if you are a part of a group helping someone you people should work out a schedule so theres some one there every day
To be a good citizen firt of all you must love the country you live in. You sould take part in some things in your community. Like making people happy at some nursing homes. Mostly you need to be proud to live in your country.
i just heard a quote by Thomas Jefferson from 1776 and he said, In order to be an American citizen all you had to do was beleive in the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. ( there was no test back then)
I HAVE A WAY TO SETTLE ALL THIS BICKERING ABOUT THE CITIZENSHIP TEST!!!! I THINK THAT EVERY ONE IN AMERICA SHOULD TAKE THE TEST AND IF YOU FAIL YOU LEAVE!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! I GET TO STAY!! GOOD BYE MARIA!!! >:P
I agree Sydney You should be there for every day instead of being there once aday and have something happen when the days you are not there.
Funny
IM GUNNA SAY THIS A GAIN JUST FOR MARIA!! I HAVE A WAY TO SETTLE ALL THIS BICKERING ABOUT THE CITIZENSHIP TEST!!!! I THINK THAT EVERY ONE IN AMERICA SHOULD TAKE THE TEST AND IF YOU FAIL YOU LEAVE!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! I GET TO STAY!! GOOD BYE MARIA!!! >:P
Now that I think some more about it, I think that the original citizenship test was just right. I think that this could be a way to encourage people to learn more about our country. Oh, and you know what Leah!? I think that everyone who passes should leave America! HAHAHA! BOO-YAH!!!
LEAH, YOU NEED TO SHUT-UP! YOU'VE GOT TO RESPECT! You said that twice already Leah! Who's anonymous that finds that sooo hilarious? Thomas Jefferson is a smart dude, (unlike Leah)! HEHEHE, HAHAHA, BOO-YAH AGAIN!!!
I agree with Austin. Many U.S. citizens do not know many things about there own country! And the government expects immigrants trying to become a citizen of the United Statee to know a lot about the United States. I think more U.S. citizens should get involved in their country and learn about the curent news around the whole world. But there should be a requirement for people to become an American citizen.
Wow, pretty good job to all. Remember to make your points in a respectful way.
I think that we can all study for a test and pass it, but is the mere fact that we pass a test make us worthy to claim citizenship? I'm certainly not against requiring tests for immigrants seeking citizenship. They usually covet citizenship more than we appreciate it.
I am more concerned with natural-born citizens that never take an interest in the their own country's history or the workings of their government.
Mr. Veliz
WOW
I think your right Mr. Veliz, it takes more than a test to become a true citizen of the U.S. A true citizen is someone who loves and takes an interest in our country.
Dean was right and so was Austin. I think that before anyone else takes that all Americansshould take it and see who knows what real citizens know. then take off the material thats too hard
I THINK M RITE!!!!!! AND MARIAS WRONG!!!!
im meant "IM"
I THINK THAT MARIA IS RIGHT AND LEAH IS WRONG
I THINK CARAS WRONG :P
CARA AND I ARE RIGHT!!! LEAH'S WRONG! We shouldn't be fighting, this is an assignment!
I think maria and leah need to calm down. Also, I still think that citizens should have to take a test, but it needs to be things that a normal citizen would know.
i agree with Emily, but still Americans need to know some of the things already on the test.
I guess I agree with Maria because most of us american citizens dont really know much about our country that we live in BUT we should still know some facts on our country though.
is EVERY1 taking marias side!!! plus none of us has even conqured the real guestion yet: are you a good citizen???? (i dont think maria is)
hey this is taylor i agree with both
I think to be a good citizen you have to respect the laws of the country and to vote. You can't go running around killing people or robbing banks thats disrespectful to the country and to people its just plain mean. You also have to vote to be apart of the decision on whos going to run your country. You wouldn't want some wacko dude so every vote counts.Also taking part in helping others is a good way to be a good citizen. Giving donations or reading to sick people in a hospital are ways you can show good citizenship and also leadership mabey other people will start getting the hang of it too.
I need to take the citizenship test i wuz absent.
i agree with emily.
I think doing good things because your told to is not good citizenship, but if you want to do them and you make the choice to do them it is a good thing and also good citizenship. if Mr.Burch said "If your don't clean Mr.Veliz's room i'll expell you!" wouldn't you do it? now if you staied after school and helped Mr.Veliz clean up on your own will it is good citizenship because it is not required.
I also think that it is wrong to force people leave their family to go and fight in the military. it should be the person's decision unless there is an urgent need for troops.
on the subject of the citizenship test being required of natural born citizen I think it shouldn't be required, but maybe people should be encouraged to take it for something in return for passing like a small tax deduction. I mean seriously your not going to ask hobos or babies to take a test so they can live in the best countrie in the world are you? besides babies can't even write!
I hope you have enjoied my comment!
MARIA IS NOT A BAD CITIZEN LEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you Crystal. Taylor's right, we all need to respect and love one another. Emily's right, you need to chill Leah! I'm a perfect citizen! "Why can't we be friends, why can't we be friends? Why can't we be friends, why can't we be friends?" (That's a song!)
THANK YOU WILL!!!! LEAH SHOULD LISTEN TO YOU!! Oh, and you're right Will, doing good deeds because you want to shows true, good citizenship. Doing good deeds because your told to, just shows obedience.
wow u two r so funny!!!! LOL this is ridiculouse siriously theres notin wrong with taking a test and theres nothing wrong with being freindly towards one another!!!! cough cough LEAH!!!! learn from ur classmates!!!
....................Anyone????
Leah, your just proving that your a bully and that's not good citizenship. I'm sure that everyone see's you for who really are now, a bully! Mr. Veliz, please tell Leah to stop flaming me! (Flaming means to bully someone on the internet.)
Thank you Taylor! You are so kind!
MARIA ROCKS [: && SO DOES LEAH!!! so you two take a CHILL PILL (: thanks, but anyways back to the REAL reason were all here....I think being a good citizen involves, not killing or breaking the law. I think that as long as you are an active citizen you should be considered a good citizen. (:
We shouldn't argue over silly things like whether we should take a test or not! This situation is similar to what's going on in the world today. Leah and I are arguing over something, but we aren't listening and understanding one another.
haha maria...Leah is cyber bullying. LEAH stop FLAMING(:
I think all Americans should take the test. Immigrants should need to score higher than the average American score. This way, Immigrants only have to know as much as Americans citizens know. We should have a choice in serving in the military. It just wouldn't be the United States if we had so much government interfering with our lives. Its good to help out the community, but not when we are forced to do it.
I think that people should know the background of their new country but the people should make a little less of the questions that not a lot of the people know.But it doesn't mean everyone else should agree,but they should consider it. And Leah stop cyber bullying.
I think Leah is right and people have been answering the Natalie did Austin did and i did and people agreed with them.
I'm really not trying to be rude, but we don't all have a government mom that can teach us everything.
(That's Leah)
.......ANYWAY, to be a good citizen, well, there are certain ways which considers that Leah AND Maria are correct.
A good citizen should feel willingly to learn about their country. Barging into a different country, first of all, is not right. So, if someone comes here but doesnt find any interest learning about our country, they're punishment is being kicked out.
But honestly, Natalie states a very good point. Loving your country probably is the most important thing that considers you as a good citizen
Yes I do because I take care of my cummunity I volunteer to help people that need to be helped and i love my country a whole lot. also I my taxes well my parents pay taxes and I vote even though it does not count yet.
Yes I do because I take care of my cummunity I volunteer to help people that need to be helped and i love my country a whole lot. also I my taxes well my parents pay taxes and I vote even though it does not count yet.
joanna is right. the main point about about being an american citizen is loving and respecting our country!
Joanna makes a good point.
Joanna and I make the same points. Yay Joanna!
How about everybody stops argueing and get over it! 8D
i agree with dean 110% just stop arguing
I agree with Joanna being a good citizen Its just bieng a good person, but you also have to vote and not kill people and stuff like that.
Natalie makes a good point, to be a good citizen you have to love your country.
I also agree with Dean %110..... stop argueing and flaming! cough!! LEAH!! cough!!
No I.M. taylor!!!
by I.M. I mean instant messageing abreveations.
Being a good citizen means being a participant in our country. I love to get involve in my community ever since I joined girl scouts. We have help our country from environmental issues to just giving kind company to the disabled. I think digging deeper into America's history could also help. The more I learn about the history of our country the more I understand why things are the way they are today. Overall being a good citizen means having a clean record from obeying the laws to just being nice to any person around you.
I agree with Dean too, and you have to admit that Leah was pretty harsh. But otherwise i don't wan't to draw myself into this mess.
Leah i think everyone has taken maria's side now from the comments ive been reading.
ok i am not flaming!!!! hey dean i thaught you were on my side!!! thank you emily and sydney i do rock!!! and if you guys actualy read the stuf me and maria posted were fighting for the same thing so say in im rite is also saying marias rite. so i dosnt matter whos side your on (EVEN THOUGH I WOULD WIN!!!!!) WE BELIVE IN THE SAME THING!!
I agree with Maria too, because it isn't easy to some people and they don't know what they are supposed to be studying, because Leah said today in school that they could study. Should they memorize the constitution??? THEY DON'T KNOW!!!!
the last anonymous was Natalie because I couldn't post it. This one is too.
Plus Leah, I would vote for MAria because she rocks like that even though you SAY you are aiming for the same thing.
-Natalie
ENOUGH!! Dean, your right, we should stop arguing. Leah, we're both fighting some pretty good points, and they are kind of the same. I appreciate everyone that says I'm right, but I'll admit that Leah has fought a pretty good battle. (Although, she was pretty harsh to me! You really hurt my feelings! Just kidding.)
GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LISTEN I HAVE A GREAT POINT!!!!!its not a matter of having a mom to teach you all this stuff its about taking the class to learn about it. once were done with american history class youll think the test was easy. its not how you learn the information (supper mom or not) what matters is that you know the information, if the citicenship test was easy it would have no meaning.
Thank you, Dean, David, Will, Breanna, Emily and Natalie for agreeing with me!
the reason you guys side with maria is cause you dont know the information so you all think it was hard. once you learn it it will become easy. if a 7th grader (me) knows all the stuff then i think it will be easy for the adults (who are immagrants) to learn it.
ATTENTION: HERE IS MY FINAL POINT! Immigrants should take a citizenship test, because we all know that it wouldn't be fair to join something that you know nothing about. Understanding how are country became what it is today, is key in good citizenship. But, the choice to really learn about America, is totally personal. It's just a natural decision. Thank you for your time.
Honestly Leah, I don't think you would win from the coments i've read!
I vote that Maria wins the arguement! she had some great points! Sorry Leah.
I think that being a Great citizen means to be responsible, reliable, and respectful. They should call that the 3 R's of citizenship! A great man once quoted "Ask not what you're country can do for you, but what you can do for you're country,". This magnificent man was John F. Kennedy, one of our former president's. He was a man of his word, besides all the other stuf he did, but anyways he had the 3 R's of citizenship. Yeah he realy left his mark in the history books, the good way and the bad way. But I respect him.
Joanna was right you the main point of being a good citizen is loving and respectinng your country. hasin't that what we have been at all along.
ok, wow i just read all these comments. (: thanks maria and leah for calming down. If you need i can give you a chill pill. (JUST KIDDING!) I think everyone makes really good points, and we all have our personal opinions about good citizenship and what it takes to be a good citizen, and I think we should all respect those opinions.
THANKS!!! [:
thanks maria for finally settling your opinion i agree with you and leah! NO MORE TAKING SIDES PEOPLE PLEASE!!!! Thank youu!
Hmmm, nice last comment Maris, nice and deep. And good quote Jared. But by all means being a good citizen also means we as a country can agree on the same matters, consider everyone elses words, and respecting your neighbors. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH STARTING A DEMOCRACY WITH YOUR FELLOW CLASS MATE!
I meant Maria back there
Will did you even read my last to comments?!?!?
i dont care if maria wins i just thing i make a GRATE last two points. just take the time a PLEASE go back and read them. Thanks for your time im done. (WHATEVER PHILLYCHEESESTAKE!!!)
no
I couldn't find them in all of the other comments :)
Philly, cheese, and steak are seperate words!
Hello All i agree with maria but i think you both should stop arguing it is not that big of a deal how is right. To all the people who said the immigrants should take the test and if they fail then they can retake it i think that is fine. we all should know our country and about its history
maria and leah STOP fighting
something about philly cheese stick is not cool.@!?!?!??
Hey yall this is Darya and u only have 117 comments becuz like 10 people blogged short stuff like 50 times and were having there own conversation. by the way B PERIOD ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i dont think so darya. I belive it's all about A period!!! (: thankss,
A PERIOD IS WHERE IT'S AT!!!!
I ment F period!!!
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d litiuz chok?
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