What it means to be a citizen
Being a good American citizen isn’t waving a flag, holding my gun over my head, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance before I do anything, or having a copy of the Constitution in my pocket. Those are just symbols.
Being a good citizen is helping out those around me who might need it: giving my fellow Americans a meal if they are hungry; helping them stand up when they need a lift; finding them a place to sleep at night.
Respecting what (if any) religion others follow. Respecting that we might have differences of opinion, which means we don’t spit on them or bomb their churches.
Being a good citizen isn’t a flag tattoo; it’s the dog tags, now in a drawer, that I wore when I was in the service.
It’s not telling another American who they can marry, where they can pee or what religion they should follow. It’s not telling another American that if they follow a different religion than me, that they are automatically a terrorist.
Being a good citizen means that I understand that we are all different. It doesn’t mean that if you and I don’t agree, we can’t love the same country.
Mark Preston
Lexington
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This story was originally published July 8, 2016 at 5:56 PM with the headline "What it means to be a citizen."