The first requisite of a good citizen in this republic of ours is that he shall be able and willing to pull his own weight.
Every good citizen makes his country's honor his own, and cherishes it not only as precious but as sacred. He is willing to risk his life in its defense and its conscious that he gains protection while he gives it.
It is not always the same thing to be a good man and a good citizen.
Bad officials are the ones elected by good citizens who do not vote.
My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.
Citizenship comes first today in our crowded world... No man can enjoy the privileges of education and thereafter with a clear conscience break his contract with society. To respect that contract is to be mature, to strengthen it is to be a good citizen, to do more than your share under it is noble.
Citizenship consists in the service of the country.
No one is born a good citizen; no nation is born a democracy. Rather, both are processes that continue to evolve over a lifetime. Young people must be included from birth. A society that cuts off from its youth severs its lifeline.
Young people must be included from birth. A society that cuts itself off from its youth severs its lifeline; it is condemned to bleed to death.
The test of good citizenship is loyalty to country.
The World is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion.
Whatever makes men good Christians, makes them good citizens.
This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in.
It is now no more that toleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people, that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights. For happily the government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction - to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens.
It is now no more that toleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights.
... happily the Government of the United States... gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.
Good government is no substitute for self-government.
My country is the world, and my religion is to do good.
Our immigration system is a broken system that needs to be fixed. We need reform that provides hardworking people of good character with a real path towards citizenship.
At the 1894 ALA conference it was fairly well agreed that the primary goal of the public library must be to teach good citizenship. Libraries recognized that such "Americanization" could be achieved through literacy. Thus, teaching immigrants to read was not just a benefit in and of itself; literacy would also serve the interests of democracy.
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