responsibilities of a citizen essay

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4.2: Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens and Non-Citizens

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• Page ID 128421

• Robert W. Maloy & Torrey Trust
• University of Massachusetts via EdTech Books

Standard 4.2: Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens and Non-Citizens

Describe the rights and responsibilities of citizens as compared to non-citizens. (Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for History and Social Studies) [8.T4.2]

FOCUS QUESTION: What are the rights and responsibilities of United States citizens and non-citizens?

Information from the Department of Homeland Security (public domain):

The Bill of Rights (the Constitution's first 10 amendments) set forth the rights (protections under the law) of Americans. But those rights come with responsibilities (obligations that citizens are expected to perform), such as paying taxes, serving on a jury when called, defending the country, and participating in the democratic process. Exercising one's rights and fulfilling one's responsibilities are the features of active and engaged citizenship in this country.

Non-citizens also have rights and responsibilities as members of American society, but their situations are complicated by legal rules and political pressures.

What are the rights of citizens and non-citizens? The modules for this standard explore that question by outlining specific rights and responsibilities, examining the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, and considering whether Fred Korematsu or other individuals who fought for civil rights and civil liberties should have a national day of recognition.

Modules for this Standard Include:

• MEDIA LITERACY CONNECTIONS: Portrayals of Immigrants in Television and Film
• UNCOVER: The Internment of Japanese Americans during World War II
• ENGAGE: Should Individuals Who Fought for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Have a National Day of Recognition?

4.2.1 INVESTIGATE: The Rights of Citizens and of Non-Citizens

93% of the people living in the United States are citizens; 7% are non-citizens ( Kaiser Family Foundation, 2020 ). One recent estimate puts the number of non-citizens at 22.6 million ( CAP Immigration Team & Nicolson, 2017 ).

The rights of individuals under the Constitution apply to citizens and non-citizens alike.

Non-citizens, no matter what their immigration status, generally have the same rights as citizens when law enforcement officers stop, question, arrest, or search them or their homes. Since the Constitution uses the term "people" or "person" rather than "citizen," many of the "basic rights, such as the freedom of religion and speech, the right to due process and equal protection under the law apply to citizens and noncitizens. How those rights play out in practice is more complex" ( Frazee, 2018, para. 6-7 ). Learn more: Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities & Constitutional Rights of Non-Citizens .

Media Literacy Connections: Portrayals of Immigrant in Television and Film

Portrayals of immigrants and the immigrant experience are frequent themes in television and film.

A portrayal is how an individual or group is presented in media, but such representations may or may not be factually accurate. Sometimes these representations offer an idealized view of the immigrant experience. While the Statue of Liberty portrays a nation welcoming newcomers, the reality is that the United States was and is not a land of opportunity for many who come here.

In other instances, immigrants may be presented in harmfully stereotypical terms, often as criminals or threats. In the report Change the Narrative, Change the World: How Immigrant Representation on Television Moves Audiences to Action, researchers from the University of Southern California found viewers who saw programs with more inclusive immigration storylines had more welcoming, supportive attitudes toward immigrants than those who did not.

In these activities, you will explore whether current portrayals and representations of immigrants in television and film media are accurate or stereotypical, and while so doing, consider: "What does media representation of immigrants mean to immigrants?"

• Activity 1: Write a Letter of Praise or Protest (Persuasive Writing)
• Activity 2: Evaluate the Representation of Immigrants in the Movies

Suggested Learning Activities

• Legal Rights of Undocumented Immigrants , KQED Learning
• Know Your Rights: A Guide to the U.S. Constitution , Office of the U.S. Attorney, District of Minnesota
• Know Your Rights When Encountering Law Enforcement, American Civil Liberties Union

\(^*\)This activity is designed to demonstrate that the rights guaranteed to all Americans as citizens are not universal for all people (even legal immigrants to the country). It ask students to think critically and creatively about what rights all people should have. It is based on a learning plan developed by University of Massachusetts Amherst teaching interns Conor Morrissey and Connor Frechette-McCall in Fall 2019.

Online Resources for the Rights of Citizens and Non-Citizens

• LEARNING PLAN: When Some Students are Undocumented, and Some Are Not: Teaching Civics in Mixed-Citizenship Classrooms , Social Education (November/December 2020).
• Becoming American: Exploring Names and Identities , Facing History and Ourselves
• Rights of Non-Citizens under the Equal Protection Clause , from Exploring Constitutional Conflicts
• The Supreme Court has incorporated the numerous rights from the Bill of Rights against actions by the government.

4.2.2 UNCOVER: Internment of Japanese Americans during World War II

Following the December 7, 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066 , which mandated moving 120,000 Japanese-Americans from their homes to one of 10 internment camps in the western part of the United States. Most of the people relocated were U.S. citizens or legal permanent resident aliens.

The internment camps , officially called "relocation centers," were located in California, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming, Colorado, and Arkansas. Over 50% of those interned were children. To learn about the camps, view Building History 3.0: An Interactive Explorations of the Japanese American Incarceration in Minecraft .

Constitutional safeguards given to United States citizens were ignored or bypassed in the name of national defense. People were detained for up to four years, without due process of law or any factual basis, and forced to live in remote camps behind barbed wire and under the surveillance of armed guards.

Video \(\PageIndex{1}\): "Japanese Relocation", a short film released by the U.S. government in 1942 to explain the internment of Japanese and Japanese Americans.

Actor George Takei, of Star Trek, and his family were imprisoned in Rowher, Arkansas, as documented in his autobiography To The Stars (1995). Takei and three co-writers have since collaborated on They Called Us Enemy , a graphic memoir about his experiences in the camp (2019).

In 1944, two years after signing Executive Order 9066, President Roosevelt revoked the order. The last internment camp was closed by the end of 1945. There was no official apology from the United States government until passage of The Civil Liberties Act of 1988 . In 1991, President George H. W. Bush wrote a letter of apology to each surviving internment camp member, who also received a $20,000 check from the government ( Letter from President George Bush to Japanese Internees ).

Largely forgotten today were the experiences of Japanese-American soldiers who fought for the United States in western Europe. Many of these soldiers were Nisei (American-born children of Japanese immigrants), and former members of the Hawaii National Guard. They experienced the contradiction of fighting to liberate Europe and close down German concentration camps while other Japanese-Americans were interned in camps at home. Learn more about the hidden history of Japanese-American Soldiers in World War II from the website Re-Imagining Migration.

• Japanese Relocation is a short video from the US government explaining the decision to create internment camps
• The Internment Diary of Toyojiro Suzuki from the State Historical Society of North Dakota.
• A collection of Ansel Adams' photographs showing life in a Japanese Internment camp.
• Japanese-American woman who was forced into an internment camp at 16 recalls time in custody
• Brief Overview of the World War II Enemy Alien Control Program
• Children of the Camps is a PBS documentary (and accompanying website) about the experiences of six Japanese-Americans who were detained as children.
• Densho: The Japanese American Legacy Project offers multimedia materials including a slideshow and videos as well as oral histories from Japanese Americans who were imprisoned during World War II.
• As a model for this activity, see Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II Poster Exhibition from the Smithsonian.
• Find more information on a wiki page for Japanese Internment in World War II
• Split the class into two groups and have one group research reasons for the use of internment camps and the other group research issues and unfair treatment that resulted from the camps.
• Share findings and discuss whether or not the internment camps should have been used after hearing both sides.
• What alternatives could the U.S. government have used instead of internment camps?
• Should constitutional safeguards given to United States citizens be ignored or bypassed in the name of national defense?

Online Resources for Japanese Internment

• Lesson plan on Japanese Internment from Library of Congress
• Lesson Plans from the Mananzar National Historic Site focus on the experiences at one of the primary internment camps.
• A More Perfect Union: Japanese Americans & the U.S. Constitution from the Smithsonian Museum of American History that uses images, music and text to explore the experience of citizens placed in detention camps during World War II.
• Hirabayashi v. United States (1943)
• Korematsu v. United States (1944)

4.3.3 ENGAGE: Should Individuals Who Fought for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Have a National Day of Recognition?

In 1942, a 23-year-old Japanese American named Fred Korematsu refused an order to move to one of the government's wartime internment camps. He was arrested, convicted, and jailed for his actions. Along with two other resistors, he appealed his case to the Supreme Court which upheld his conviction. That conviction was eventually overturned in 1983.

To honor his fight for civil rights and civil liberties, Fred Koresmatsu Day was enacted in California in 2010. It was the first state-wide day in the United States to be named after an Asian American. Hawaii, Virginia, and Florida have since passed laws honoring Fred Korematsu to perpetuity. Learn more at It's Fred Korematsu Day: Celebrating a Foe of U.S. Internment Camps , and Honoring a Japanese-American Who Fought Against Internment Camps .

Deciding to honor someone for their historical efforts has large political implications in the United States today. Despite its racist history, there are states and communities that continue to celebrate the Confederacy and Confederate war heroes with days of recognition ( Southern Poverty Law Center, 2019 ). At the same time, there are individuals and groups who fought for civil rights and civil liberties but who remain neglected or omitted from history books and state-level history curriculum frameworks.

Students can be effective advocates for honoring those who fought for civil rights and civil liberties . In the early 1980s, students from Oakland Tech High School class of 1981 - " The Apollos " - engaged in a four-year campaign to get the state of California to establish a day honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Their efforts were successful when California became the fourth state to have a MLK Day (the national holiday was established in 1986). In 2109, students at the school wrote and performed a play about the efforts of the Apollos ( California High School Students Who Lobbied for State MLK Holiday Honored in Oakland Tech Play ).

Who would you nominate for a State or National Day of Recognition for efforts to achieve civil rights and civil liberties?

• Why has the U.S. failed to fully recognize individuals like Fred Koresmatsu who stood up for American ideals?
• Select an individual and write a persuasive essay (or design a video) to send to a local or national elected official.
• For example, on August 14, 2021, Navajo Code Talkers Day became a legal state holiday in Arizona.
• Kinfolk , an app by Movers & Shakers NYC, features augmented reality monuments of famous Black historical figures with narrated text, artifacts, images, biographical information, and other materials.
• Navajo and Tlingit Code Talkers
• Benjamin Banneker, African American Author, Surveyor, and Scientis t
• Langston Hughes, Activist and Journalist
• Marian Anderson, Singer and Civil Rights Activist
• A. Philip Randolph, Black Labor Activist
• The Black Cabinet was a group of 45 African Americans who held positions in cabinet offices or New Deal agencies. Learn more at the National Women's History Museum website: Mary McLeod Bethune - Overview and Background (1875-1955) .
• There is more information at Bessie Coleman from The History Chicks podcast site and a historical biography page on the resourcesforhistoryteachers wiki: Bessie Coleman, African American Aviator and Civil Rights Pioneer .

Standard 4.2 Conclusion

In the United States, every citizen has rights and responsibilities as a member of a democratic society. Non-citizens have rights too, although they differ from those of citizens. INVESTIGATE explored the specific rights of citizens and non-citizens. UNCOVER focused on the suspension of citizenship rights during the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. ENGAGE asked whether days of recognition should be given to Fred Korematsu or other women and men who fought to establish and preserve civil rights and civil liberties throughout American history.

Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Social Justice — Responsibilities Of An American Citizen

Responsibilities of an American Citizen

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Published: Mar 25, 2024

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Introduction, active participation in the democratic process, promoting social justice, contributing to the betterment of communities.

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Essay on Responsibilities of a Good Citizen for Students [500+ Words]

December 10, 2020 by Sandeep

Essay on Responsibilities of a Good Citizen: Responsibility of a good citizen is to sacrifice everything for the motherland. Respecting the culture & heritage of their own country is one of the duties of a citizen. He or She must always keep in mind to raise the future of his country. Unity & prosperity must be the priorities of a good citizen.

Essay on Good Citizen 500 Words in English

Below we have provided the responsibilities of a good citizen essay, written in easy and simple words for class 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 school students.

We are born and raised in a single country, sometimes different countries., regardless of location, we incorporate the values of our respective cultures in the way we act and treat other people. Being a citizen of a country, however, is much more than some words and a stamp on endless paperwork. Along with it, one bears an ideology that connects them to other citizens of that country, regardless of their race, religion, or gender. Being a citizen gives a person all the rights to which the constitution says they are entitled.

This is why the process of citizenship of any country is a long and complicated one since it means that the person will legally have a voice in matters of the country. It also means that they will have to abide by the laws of that country, out of respect for the nation as a whole, as well as to uphold law and order. To be a responsible citizen, the person must educate themselves about their country and culture. This begins by conversing with people and understanding their way of life. It also involves an awareness of the country’s history and heritage.

This would mean reading about important figures in the country’s history, crucial events that led the country to where it currently stands, and other aspects such as the history of art and literature. It is also crucial that people who want to be responsible citizens know the diversity of different socioeconomic groups in the country. They must learn about the situation in the country in regard to equality in terms of race, religion, gender, and several other factors. One must learn about how minority groups are treated in the country, and if they are discriminated against, then the person must be an advocate to protect their rights.

A responsible citizen must always stay updated with the news. This does not mean simply reading the headlines on the front page of a newspaper- it means reading the articles thoroughly to understand the state of the nation. In an age where fake news is rampant, one must also not limit themselves to a single news source. They should try understanding an issue by learning about it from different news channels and articles by different newspapers. They will always provide different perspectives on the same issue, and this knowledge will allow the person to gain a better understanding of what their stance ought to be.

One must also learn about their own purchases- in an age of globalization, the products we use can be made in one country with materials from another. As a responsible citizen, one must not completely boycott products from other countries but should try to use local goods and services as much as possible. By doing so, the person is helping the economy of the country as well as financing local households. Volunteering and contributing to community development efforts is an important step in helping the country progress. One does not have to have widespread connections with major NGOs to volunteer- simply helping a disabled neighbour with their groceries also counts.

One can volunteer in local homeless shelters, orphanages, animal shelters, retirement homes, as well as other educational institutions like struggling schools and nurseries. If one does not have the time in their schedule to volunteer physically, they can instead choose to donate to charity. However, one must always donate wisely, because some charities are dishonest and lack transparency in terms of what actually happens with the funds from the donation. Therefore, always research the charity before donating to it.

However, supporting the community isn’t limited merely to volunteering with organizations or donating- it also involves supporting art, music, and cultural activities. One should support local artists by promoting their work and also stay on the lookout for shows, exhibitions, and other cultural events. By attending and promoting them, the person will not only develop a healthy sense of what truly constitutes entertainment but also allow the culture of the country to flourish in all areas truly. Being a good citizen involves being cooperative, friendly, considerate, and dedicated to fostering a positive environment in the community.

The Concept of Civil Responsibilities Essay

Civil means a citizen or citizens and responsibilities mean reply or state of being responsible. Civil responsibilities are responsibilities of citizens, which are also the active action that involves taking part in government, democracy, paying taxes, obeying the law, jury services, and respecting others. These actions one can enhance them by being civilly aware and recognizing them in defending the constitution according to the U.S citizenship and immigration services. It can also be defined as the duties to be called upon to respond to actions at law for an injury caused by a felony or crime as opposed to criminal responsibility or liability to be proceeded against in a criminal tribunal (Maley et al. 47).

The above-mentioned errands are vital in making sure that American maintains its freeness and prosperity. This is because the responsibilities involve action within the community where the people vote and encourage other citizens to vote as a sign of taking part in the democratic process.

This concept of civil responsibility was first recorded in ancient Rome. It was in here that citizens wanted to generate contributions for the good of the whole society and not for themselves as individuals. This idea was amongst other things that were included in the U.S constitution. By the 18 th and 19 th centuries, this idea had spread and was manifested in volunteer participation in fire departments and public works projects (Trakman, Leon and Gatien 78).

Civil responsibilities do occur within the community and in addition to the national responsibilities of community service that avails a chance for citizens harboring unique capabilities to participate in the civic duties. The individuals who do not meet their civil duties ought to encounter legal charges. On the other hand, civil responsibilities are voluntary.

The civil society organizations also have civil responsibilities. Their role is building and shaping good citizens. In order to accomplish this, they should play a central role in ensuring citizens are aware of their rights and responsibilities. They should also assist in forming the dream society made of people educated in areas of active and patriotic citizenship.

Civil responsibilities are not necessarily required by the law. It is socially a good behavior to perform, and its examples include voting in elections, signing up for the military, participating in government politics, and holding committee. The public, as well as the organization of civic societies, take the mandates to ensure good and acceptable conditions in protecting and exercising the civic roles and responsibilities.

The importance of civic responsibilities is allowing everyone to have basic human rights. The right to vote is a civil responsibility, which is most cases in countries that is free to vote, it is taken for granted. Forget that many people around the world do not have that freedom of voting because their government is dictatorship e. g in China.

Without civil responsibilities, means having no opportunities for civil engagement. When this happens, the chances of violence are likely to increase as the citizens seek their voices to be heard and their needs to be met (Asch 89).

In perspective, the citizenship was perceived as an entity linked to labor of common people making products and applying strategies that benefited people due to civil responsibilities. This type of civil that was identified did help to create an important balance between pursuit of individual wealth and creation of public things.

Another important of engaging in civil responsibilities is that citizens ensures and upholds democratic values and duties which include equality, privacy, justice human rights, property authority participation, rule of law and self respect. The schooling institutions release competitive skills to learners in civil responsibilities while aiming at developing responsible students who participate actively towards national, community, and government interests. This method of teaching civil responsibilities is known as civil Education (Asch 59).

It also helps one to discover own voice and potential by interacting with other people from different countries. Essentially, the civil responsibility is associated with churches and memberships in voluntary associations to foster the lives of the population practicing it. When people are able to develop their strategies to operate in a reliable ecosystem based on mutual achievements and contents, they develop reliable roles that help other individuals as well as the government to maintain order and sustainability. The attitude and actions related to civil responsibility are displayed through political, civil, environmental and economic advocacy (Faust 102).

Civil responsibilities require supporting the community by providing opportunities for human and financial resources. This requires one to accept and utilize values that are beneficial to society and not for individual gain. The use of resources to support a sustainable life for all people within an economic boundary is a key civic responsibility. These responsibilities are aimed at enhancing the formation of a suitable ecosystem for human coexistence.

Finally, can say that civil responsibilities are very important in our nations and are the responsibilities of citizens in a society to show certain attitudes and actions related to participating in the society and democratic governance. Therefore, civil responsibilities assist citizens in respecting and exercising their rights and responsibilities.

Works Cited

Asch, Sidney H. Civil Rights & Responsibilities under the Constitution . New York: Arco, 1968. Print.

Faust, Drew Gilpin. This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War . New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2008. Print.

Maley, William, C. J. G. Sampford, and Ramesh Chandra Thakur. From Civil Strife to Civil Society: Civil and Military Responsibilities in Disrupted States . Tokyo: United Nations UP, 2003. Print.

Trakman, E. Leon and Sean Gatien. Rights and Responsibilities . Toronto: U of Toronto, 1999. Print.

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IvyPanda. (2023, November 2). The Concept of Civil Responsibilities. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-concept-of-civil-responsibilities/

"The Concept of Civil Responsibilities." IvyPanda , 2 Nov. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/the-concept-of-civil-responsibilities/.

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IvyPanda . 2023. "The Concept of Civil Responsibilities." November 2, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-concept-of-civil-responsibilities/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Concept of Civil Responsibilities." November 2, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-concept-of-civil-responsibilities/.

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• The Diminished Civic Engagement among American Citizens
• Good Citizenship and Global Citizenship
• Dual Citizenship Pros and Cons
• Citizenship History and Development
• How Is Globalization Impacting Citizenship?
• The Role of Civic Leadership
• Voting: Protecting the Right to Vote
• Defining of Citizenship and Its Aspects
• Civil Law Differences Between China and United States
• John Winthrop and the Puritan Concept of Freedom
• Affirmative Action Laws, Their Role and Changes
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Handout A – Background Essay: What Does it Mean to Be a Citizen?

Directions: Read the essay and respond to the Review Questions at the end.

What is a Citizen?

The term, “citizen” is related to the Latin term, civitas, meaning “city,” and referred in early times to an inhabitant of a city. In modern times it denotes a legally recognized member of a state who is entitled to certain rights and bears certain responsibilities. In the United States, our understanding of what it means to be a citizen comes from a number of influences that predate the U.S. Constitution, which did not initially define citizenship, but left it to each of the states to determine the qualifications for participation in government. To the ancient Greeks, a citizen was a member of the community who participates in public affairs through informed, reasoned debate and discussion, respectfully considering the views of others. Aristotle taught that a citizen is capable of both ruling and being ruled through active participation in deliberation and decision-making. In the Roman Republic, civitas consisted of those city residents who were educated and had the right to vote and hold office. Ideally, they exercised moderation and good judgment by voting for the good of the people, sharing in the rights and responsibilities of self-government.

Why did the Founders think virtue is necessary?

Building on this underpinning, the Founders of the United States took the position that citizens must exercise certain knowledge, skills, dispositions, and virtues in self-government. Among the many observations of Founders regarding the important role of a citizen are the following:

• John Adams wrote, “Public virtue cannot exist in a nation without private [virtue], and public virtue is the only foundation of republics.” John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, April 16, 1776
• Benjamin Franklin wrote, “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become more corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.” Letter to Messrs, the Abbes Chalut, and Arnaud, April 17, 1787
• James Madison stated: “To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical [imaginary] idea.” Speech in the Virginia Ratifying Convention, June 20, 1788
• Madison also wrote, “As there is a degree of depravity in mankind which requires a certain degree of circumspection and distrust, so there are other qualities in human nature which justify a certain portion of esteem and confidence. [America’s republican form of government] presupposes the existence of these qualities in a higher degree than any other form.” (Federalist No. 55, 1788).
• Thomas Jefferson wrote: “Convinced that the people are the only safe depositories of their own liberty, and that they are not safe unless enlightened to a certain degree, I have looked on our present state of liberty as a short-lived possession unless the mass of the people could be informed to a certain degree.” Letter to Littleton Waller Tazewell, 1805.

Ratified in 1868, the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides the legal definition of U.S. citizenship, stating, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and the State wherein they reside.” For purposes of this study, we will use the following description:

A citizen in a free society is a person who functions privately and publicly  according to principles of moral and ethical excellent essential to leading a worthwhile life and to effective self-government. A citizen seeks to be active in public life, demonstrating civic virtues in everyday life and solving community problems.

What virtues are necessary in a free society, and who is responsible for cultivating them among the citizens?

If citizens are to be free, how is it appropriate for government to be concerned about character formation? What does it mean to be free? The Founders believed that all humans are born with certain natural rights, and that legitimate government is based on the will of the people expressed through the laws they make for themselves through their representatives. Self-government in civil society depends on certain attributes of character, but the government is not the primary institution responsible for inculcating those virtues. Rather, generating the necessary knowledge, skills, and dispositions is primarily the responsibility of families. The first and most powerful influences on character come from experiences and expectations learned in the family setting. In the endeavor to develop decent human beings who know how to work with one another, solve problems, and resolve disputes productively, families are supported by private institutions such as religious institutions and civic associations. Government plays a secondary role in encouraging these qualities in a variety of ways, including through its provision of tax-supported community schools.

There are many virtues that contribute to civil society, but the Founders’ public and private writings tell us that many of them understood at least the following attributes of character to be necessary: justice, responsibility, courage, moderation, respect, initiative, honor, perseverance, self-reliance, and civic knowledge.

To preserve freedom citizens must first understand what justice is and have the courage to assert themselves when their rights or the rights of others are violated. If individuals are to be free, they must exercise self-reliance and responsibility to provide for themselves and their families. They must also respect others enough to behave generously when other community members face hardship. Another outgrowth of respect for others is that individuals exercise moderation in their thoughts and actions in order to listen and engage in civil discourse. Communities built on this foundation also require individuals who apply initiative to act energetically in solving problems, perseverance because problems often do not yield to easy solutions, and honor so that people can trust one another to do the right thing. Civic knowledge is necessary so that people understand their rights and can act with wisdom based on evidence and reason. In addition to applying these virtues in their own lives, citizens must hold their elected officials accountable to these standards. Seeking to serve the public in a representative office is a heavy responsibility, and voters must exercise vigilance and wisdom as they mark their ballots. What principles guided the Founders in establishing the structure of the U.S. Constitution?

Based on their long and diligent study of the kinds of governments that been established in human history, Founders like James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, James Wilson, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, and George Mason, urged that certain principles must be incorporated in the framework of government in order for it to do its main job, which was protecting the natural rights of the citizens. Those principles of constitutional government included rule of law and due process, the idea that government and citizens alike abided by the same laws regardless of political power, and that those laws must reflect the virtue of justice. Because all humans are born with equal and inalienable rights, no one is born with a natural right to rule over others, so legitimate government is based on the principle of consent of the governed. In a large and complex society, the principle of consent is generally expressed through the principle of republicanism (or representation) as the people entrust to certain elected officials the responsibilities of day-today decision-making regarding law and policy. Because humans are flawed and disposed to increase their own power at the expense of others, Founders believed it is important to preserve the principle of limited government through a complex structure of enumerated, divided, shared powers and checks and balances.

The Founders knew that the preservation of liberty would not be easy; it is often difficult for flawed human beings to engage productively with one another to live peaceably in community. And they also knew that the American experiment in self-government had no chance to succeed without these constitutional principles, as well as personal and civic virtues.

REVIEW QUESTIONS

• Using the definitions of “citizen” in the first paragraph of the essay, write your own definition of what it means to be a citizen.
• Which of the Founders’ quotes in the second paragraph do you believe is most important for citizens to understand today? Be prepared to explain your answer.
• Why do institutions like government, religious institutions, and voluntary organizations play a secondary, or supporting, role in developing strength of character, compared to the primary role of family?
• Of the specific virtues listed in the essay, select the three or four that you think are most important, and be prepared to explain your opinion.
• Of the specific principles described in the essay, select one or two that you believe are most important and be prepared to explain your opinion.
• Paraphrase and evaluate the following quote from an essay that Samuel Adams wrote at the age of 27 in 1749. Was Adams correct, partially correct, or incorrect? Defend your answer. “Neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt. He therefore is the truest friend of the liberty of his country who tries most to promote its virtue.” Samuel Adams, Essay in The Public Advertiser, 1749

Essay on Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens for Students

Table of Contents

India is a democratic country where its citizens live freely however they have lots of rights and responsibilities towards their country. Rights and responsibilities are two sides of a coin and both go side to side. If we have rights we must have their corresponding responsibilities too. Rights and responsibilities go hand in hand with us where we live in whatever home, society, village, state, or country. Now-a-days, students gets assigned by their teachers to write some paragraphs or complete essay on any topic to enhance their English writing skill and knowledge as well as spread awareness. Following are some paragraphs, short essays and long essays on Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens to help students in completing their related task. All the Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens essay are written very simply. So, you can select any essay according to your need and requirement:

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Long and Short Essay on Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens in English

Rights and responsibilities of citizens essay 1 (100 words).

Citizen is the person who lives as an inhabitant in any village or city of the state and country. We all are citizen of our country and have various rights and responsibilities towards our village, city, society, state and country. Rights and duties of each citizen are very valuable and inter-related. Every state or country provides its citizens some fundamental civil rights such as personal rights, religious rights, social rights, moral rights, economic rights and political rights. As a citizen of the country we are morally and legally required to complete our duties always together. We should love and respect each other and live together without any difference. We are expected to sacrifice time to time in order to protect our country.

Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens Essay 2 (150 words)

Citizens living in the country must know their rights and responsibilities. Understanding all the rules and regulation presented by the government may help every citizen in completing their responsibilities towards country. We must understand our rights for our own well being and freedom in the country as well as serve for the communities and country. The constitution of India (called as supreme law of India) came into force in 1950 on 26 January which has given democratic rights to the Indian citizen. According to the Indian constitution, people of India have various rights and responsibilities.

There are around six fundamental rights of the Indian citizens without which no one can live in the democratic manner. Means, democracy in the country can work only if its citizens have rights. Such rights prevent the government from being dictatorial and cruel. Fundamental rights help people in their moral, material and personality development. In case of rights violations of someone, courts can protect and safeguard them. There are some fundamental responsibilities too for the peace and prosperity of the country.

Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens Essay 3 (200 words)

Fundamental rights of the Indian citizens are given to them for the basic and essential conditions of good life for their progress. Without such rights no Indian citizen can develop his/her personality and confidence. These fundamental rights are preserved in the Indian Constitution. Fundamental rights are protected and guaranteed to the citizens by supreme law while ordinary rights by the ordinary law. Fundamental rights of the citizens are not violable in ordinary situation however in some reasonable circumstances they can be suspended but temporarily.

Six fundamental rights according to the Indian constitution are Right to Equality (Article 14 – Article 18), Right to Religion (Articles 25 – Article 28), Right against Exploitation (Articles 23 – Article 24), Right to Culture and Education (Articles 29 – Article 30), Right to Freedom (Articles 19 – Article 22), and Right to Constitutional Remedies (Article 32). Citizens enjoy their fundamental rights living anywhere in the country. He/she can go to the court for legal assistance in case his/her rights are violated by force. There are various responsibilities too of the good citizens which everyone must follow in order to improve surroundings and get inner peace. Fulfilling responsibilities towards country gives sense of ownership for the country. Being a good citizen of the country, we should not waste electricity, water, natural resources, public property, etc. We should follow all the rules and laws as well as pay tax timely.

Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens Essay 4 (250 words)

Fundamental rights given to the Indian citizens are essential part of the Constitution. Such fundamental rights can be altered by the Parliament using special procedure. No person other than Indian citizen is allowed to enjoy such rights except right to liberty, life, and personal property. Other fundamental rights except right to life and personal liberty can be suspended during time of emergency. If any citizen found his/her rights violated can go to the court (Supreme Court and High Court) for enforcement. Some fundamental rights are positive or negative in nature and always become superior to the ordinary laws. Some fundamental rights like freedom of speech, assembly, cultural right and educational rights are limited to citizens only.

There were no fundamental duties preserved in the Constitution of India when it came into force in 1950. However, ten fundamental duties (covered by Article 51 A) were added in the 42 nd Amendment of the Constitution of India in 1976. Following are the fundamental responsibilities of the Indian citizens:

• Indian citizen must respect their National Flag and the National Anthem.
• They must respect, value and follow all the noble ideals used in the national struggle for freedom.
• They must to protect the power, unity and integrity of the country.
• They guard the country and maintain the spirit of common brotherhood.
• They must protect and preserve the cultural heritage sites.
• They must protect, preserve and improve the natural environment.
• They must safeguard the public property.
• They should develop scientific temper and spirit of inquiry.
• They must work hard to get excellence in every area of individual and collective activity.

Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens Essay 5 (300 words)

Fundamental duties of the Indian citizens are mentioned in the 42nd Amendment of the Constitution of India in 1976. All the responsibilities are very important and necessary for the vital interest of country. They can be civic duties or moral duties which cannot be enforced legally upon the citizens even by the courts. One cannot be punished if he/she is not performing his/her duties as there is no legal force governing these duties. Fundamental duties (right to equality, right to freedom, right against exploitation, right to freedom of religion, cultural and educational rights and right to constitutional remedies) are the integral part of Constitution of India having moral impact and educative value upon the Indian citizens. Inclusion of such responsibilities to the Constitution is important for the progress, peace and prosperity of the country.

Some of the fundamental responsibilities mentioned in the Constitution of India are like respect to the National Flag, the National Anthem, citizens must defend their country, commit to provide National service whenever required, safeguard the public property, etc. Such rights and responsibilities are very important for National interest of the country however not forcefully enforced to the people. In order to completely enjoy the rights, people must perform their responsibilities towards country in a well manner as rights and responsibilities are related to each other. As we get rights our responsibilities increases too towards individual and social welfare. Both are not separable and vital regarding prosperity of country.

As a good citizen of the country, we need to know and learn our all the rights and duties for the welfare of our society and country. We need to understand that all of us are responsible for good or bad condition of the society. We need to change our thinking into action to bring some positive effect in our society and country. If the individual action performed by a person can change the life; why not, our collaborative actions have positive effects over the society and country. So, the duties of citizens matters a lot for the prosperity and peace of society and entire country.

Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens Essay 6 (400 words)

As we are a social animal, we have lots of responsibilities for the development as well as bring prosperity and peace in the society and country. In order to fulfill our responsibilities we have given some rights by the Constitution of India. Rights are very necessary given to the citizens for their individual development and improve the social life. Democratic system of the country is completely based on the freedom of its citizens to enjoy their rights. Rights given by our Constitution are called as Fundamental Rights which cannot be taken back from us in normal times. Our Constitution gives us six rights such as:

• Right to Freedom: It is very important fundamental right which makes people able to express their thoughts and ideas through speech, writing or other means. According to this right, a person is free to cherish, criticize or speak against the governmental policies. He/she is free to carry on any business in any corner of the country.
• Right to Freedom of Religion: There are many states in the country where people of various religions live together. Each one of us is free to practice, propagate and follow any religion we like. No one has right to interfere with the faith of anybody.
• Right to Equality: Citizens living in India are equal and have no any difference and discrimination between rich and poor or high and low. A person of any religion, caste, creed, sex or place can get the highest position in office for which he/she has ability and required qualifications
• Right to Education and Culture: Every child has right to education and he/she can get education in any institution up to any level.
• Right against Exploitation: No one has right to force anybody to work without wages or against his/her wish or children below 14 years of age.
• Right to Constitutional Remedies: It is the most important one which protects all the fundamental rights. If someone feels that his/her rights are being harmed in any condition he/she can approach to the court seeking justice.

As we know that both, duties and rights go side by side. Our rights are meaningless without duties thus both are inseparable. We do not have right to get benefited with rights if we do not follow our duties properly for the smooth running of country. As being the citizen of the country, our responsibilities and duties are:

• We must respect the National Flag and National Anthem.
• We should respect and obey the laws of our country.
• We should enjoy rights and freedom under the limit without interfering with freedom and rights of others.
• We should be ready to protect our country whenever required.
• We should respect and protect national property and public property (such as railways, post-offices, bridges, roadways, schools, colleges, historical buildings, places, forests, etc).
• We should pay our taxes with honesty in timely manner.

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Essay on Global Citizenship

Students are often asked to write an essay on Global Citizenship in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Global Citizenship

What is global citizenship.

Global citizenship means seeing yourself as a part of the whole world, not just your country. It’s about caring for people and the planet, no matter where they are. Global citizens work together to solve big problems like poverty and climate change.

Responsibilities of Global Citizens

Being a global citizen means you have duties. You should learn about different cultures, respect the environment, and help others. It’s about making good choices that don’t hurt others around the world.

Benefits of Global Citizenship

When we act as global citizens, we make the world better. We get to understand different people and can work on making peace. It also helps us to solve big problems that affect everyone, like keeping the earth clean and safe.

250 Words Essay on Global Citizenship

Global citizenship is the idea that everyone on our planet is part of a big community. It’s like thinking of the whole world as one big neighborhood. People who believe in global citizenship care about issues that affect everyone, no matter where they live.

Caring for the Earth

One part of being a global citizen is looking after our planet. This means doing things to protect the environment, like recycling or turning off lights to save energy. It’s about keeping the Earth clean and safe for all of us and the animals too.

Helping Each Other

Global citizens also think it’s important to help people in need. This could be by giving money to charities that work all over the world or by learning about different cultures and understanding people who are different from us.

Another big idea in global citizenship is fairness. This means making sure that people everywhere have what they need, like food, water, and a chance to go to school. It’s not fair if some people have too much while others have too little.

Working Together

Finally, global citizenship is about countries and people working together to solve big problems. This can be anything from fighting diseases that spread across countries to making sure everyone has a good place to live.

In short, being a global citizen means caring for our world and the people in it. It’s about learning, sharing, and working together to make the world a better place for everyone.

500 Words Essay on Global Citizenship

Imagine a big school that has students from every part of the world. These students learn together, play together, and help each other. This is a bit like what global citizenship is. Global citizenship means thinking of yourself as a part of one big world community. Instead of just looking after the people in your own town or country, you care about everyone on Earth.

Why is Global Citizenship Important?

Our world is connected in many ways. What happens in one country can affect many others. For example, if the air gets polluted in one place, it can travel to other places and make the air dirty there too. By being global citizens, we can work together to solve big problems like pollution, poverty, and sickness that can touch people everywhere.

Respecting Cultures and People

Global citizens respect and learn about different cultures and people. Every culture has its own special stories, food, and ways of living. When you are a global citizen, you are curious about these differences and you understand that every person is important, no matter where they come from.

Taking Care of the Planet

Our Earth is the only home we have. Global citizens take care of it by doing things like recycling, saving water, and planting trees. We all share the same air, water, and land, so it’s everyone’s job to look after them.

Helping Others

Global citizens try to help people who need it. This can be by giving money to charities that work all over the world or by being kind to someone from another country who moves to your town. When we help each other, the whole world becomes a better place.

Learning and Sharing Knowledge

Being a global citizen also means learning about the world and sharing what you know. You can read books, watch films, or talk to people from different places. Then, you can share what you learn with your friends and family.

Being Active in Your Community

Even though global citizenship is about the whole world, it starts in your own community. You can join groups that clean up parks, help people who are sick, or raise money for good causes. By doing small things where you live, you are being a part of something much bigger.

Global citizenship is like being a friend to the entire world. It means learning, sharing, and caring for others and our planet. Even if you are just one person, you can make a big difference. When we all work together as global citizens, we make the world a happier, healthier, and more peaceful place.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Indian Tourism
• Essay on Everyday Life
• Essay on Everyone Deserves A Second Chance

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What public k-12 teachers want americans to know about teaching.

Illustrations by Hokyoung Kim

At a time when most teachers are feeling stressed and overwhelmed in their jobs, we asked 2,531 public K-12 teachers this open-ended question:

If there’s one thing you’d want the public to know about teachers, what would it be?

We also asked Americans what they think about teachers to compare with teachers’ perceptions of how the public views them.

Related: What’s It Like To Be a Teacher in America Today?

Pew Research Center conducted this analysis to better understand what public K-12 teachers would like Americans to know about their profession. We also wanted to learn how the public thinks about teachers.

For the open-end question, we surveyed 2,531 U.S. public K-12 teachers from Oct. 17 to Nov. 14, 2023. The teachers surveyed are members of RAND’s American Teacher Panel, a nationally representative panel of public K-12 school teachers recruited through MDR Education. Survey data is weighted to state and national teacher characteristics to account for differences in sampling and response to ensure they are representative of the target population.

Overall, 96% of surveyed teachers provided an answer to the open-ended question. Center researchers developed a coding scheme categorizing the responses, coded all responses, and then grouped them into the six themes explored in the data essay.

For the questions for the general public, we surveyed 5,029 U.S. adults from Nov. 9 to Nov. 16, 2023. The adults surveyed are members of the Ipsos KnowledgePanel, a nationally representative online survey panel. Panel members are randomly recruited through probability-based sampling, and households are provided with access to the Internet and hardware if needed. To ensure that the results of this survey reflect a balanced cross section of the nation, the data is weighted to match the U.S. adult population by gender, age, education, race and ethnicity and other categories.

Here are the questions used for this analysis , along with responses, the teacher survey methodology and the general public survey methodology .

Most of the responses to the open-ended question fell into one of these six themes:

Teaching is a hard job

About half of teachers (51%) said they want the public to know that teaching is a difficult job and that teachers are hardworking. Within this share, many mentioned that they have roles and responsibilities in the classroom besides teaching, which makes the job stressful. Many also talked about working long hours, beyond those they’re contracted for.

“Teachers serve multiple roles other than being responsible for teaching curriculum. We are counselors, behavioral specialists and parents for students who need us to fill those roles. We sacrifice a lot to give all of ourselves to the role as teacher.”

– Elementary school teacher

“The amount of extra hours that teachers have to put in beyond the contractual time is ridiculous. Arriving 30 minutes before and leaving an hour after is just the tip of the iceberg. … And as far as ‘having summers off,’ most of August is taken up with preparing materials for the upcoming school year or attending three, four, seven days’ worth of unpaid development training.”

– High school teacher

Teachers care about their students

The next most common theme: 22% of teachers brought up how fulfilling teaching is and how much teachers care about their students. Many gave examples of the hardships of teaching but reaffirmed that they do their job because they love the kids and helping them succeed. 

“We are passionate about what we do. Every child we teach is important to us and we look out for them like they are our own.”

– Middle school teacher

“We are in it for the kids, and the most incredible moments are when children make connections with learning.”

Teachers are undervalued and disrespected

Some 17% of teachers want the public to know that they feel undervalued and disrespected, and that they need more public support. Some mentioned that they are well-educated professionals but are not treated as such. And many teachers in this category responded with a general plea for support from the public, which they don’t feel they’re getting now.

“We feel undervalued. The public and many parents of my students treat me and my peers as if we do not know as much as they do, as if we are uneducated.”

“The public attitudes toward teachers have been degrading, and it is making it impossible for well-qualified teachers to be found. People are simply not wanting to go into the profession because of public sentiments.”

Teachers are underpaid

A similar share of teachers (15%) want the public to know that teachers are underpaid. Many teachers said their salary doesn’t account for the effort and care they put into their students’ education and believe that their pay should reflect this.

“We are sorely underpaid for the amount of hours we work and the education level we have attained.”

Teachers need support and resources from government and administrators

About one-in-ten teachers (9%) said they need more support from the government, their administrators and other key stakeholders. Many mentioned working in understaffed schools, not having enough funding and paying for supplies out of pocket. Some teachers also expressed that they have little control over the curriculum that they teach.

“The world-class education we used to be proud of does not exist because of all the red tape we are constantly navigating. If you want to see real change in the classroom, advocate for smaller class sizes for your child, push your district to cap class sizes at a reasonable level and have real, authentic conversations with your child’s teacher about what is going on in the classroom if you’re curious.”

Teachers need more support from parents

Roughly the same share of teachers (8%) want the public to know that teachers need more support from parents, emphasizing that the parent-teacher relationship is strained. Many view parents as partners in their child’s education and believe that a strong relationship improves kids’ overall social and emotional development.

“Teachers help students to reach their potential. However, that job is near impossible if parents/guardians do not take an active part in their student’s education.”

How the U.S. public views teachers

While the top response from teachers in the open-ended question is that they want the public to know that teaching is a hard job, most Americans already see it that way. Two-thirds of U.S. adults say being a public K-12 teacher is harder than most other jobs, with 33% saying it’s a lot harder.

And about three-quarters of Americans (74%) say teachers should be paid more than they are now, including 39% who say teachers should be paid a lot more.

Americans are about evenly divided on whether the public generally looks up to (32%) or down on (30%) public K-12 teachers. Some 37% say Americans neither look up to or down on public K-12 teachers.

In addition to the open-ended question about what they want the public to know about them, we asked teachers how much they think most Americans trust public K-12 teachers to do their job well. We also asked the public how much they trust teachers. Answers differ considerably.

Nearly half of public K-12 teachers (47%) say most Americans don’t trust teachers much or at all. A third say most Americans trust teachers some, and 18% say the public trusts teachers a great deal or a fair amount.

In contrast, a majority of Americans (57%) say they do trust public K-12 teachers to do their job well a great deal or a fair amount. About a quarter (26%) say they trust teachers some, and 17% say they don’t trust teachers much or at all.

Related: About half of Americans say public K-12 education is going in the wrong direction

How the public’s views differ by party

There are sizable party differences in Americans’ views of teachers. In particular, Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are more likely than Republicans and Republican leaners to say:

• They trust teachers to do their job well a great deal or a fair amount (70% vs. 44%)
• Teaching is a lot or somewhat harder when compared with most other jobs (77% vs. 59%)
• Teachers should be paid a lot or somewhat more than they are now (86% vs. 63%)

In their own words

Below, we have a selection of quotes that describe what teachers want the public to know about them and their profession.

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About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .

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The Interpreter

Israel bombed an iranian embassy complex. is that allowed.

Israel can likely argue that its actions did not violate international law’s protections for diplomatic missions, experts say.

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By Amanda Taub

Reporting from London

On Monday, Israel bombed a building that was part of the Iranian Embassy complex in Damascus, killing seven people, including Gen. Mohamad Reza Zahedi, who oversaw Iran’s covert military operations in Syria and Lebanon, and two other senior generals.

For centuries, diplomatic premises have been afforded special protections. Diplomats get immunity from prosecution in their host country, and embassy buildings are often viewed as a sanctuary for their nation’s citizens — they cannot be entered by the host country’s police without the permission of diplomatic staff, and often become refuges for expatriates in times of war.

So attacks on diplomatic compounds carry particular weight, both in law and in the popular imagination. But in this case, experts say, Israel can likely argue that its actions did not violate international law’s protections for diplomatic missions. Here’s why.

The embassy complex was not on Israeli soil.

Diplomatic buildings are entitled to broad protections from attack or other interference by the host country under international customary law, codified in the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the 1963 Convention on Consular Relations .

Article 22 of the Convention on Diplomatic Relations states:

“The premises of the mission shall be inviolable. The agents of the receiving State may not enter them, except with the consent of the head of the mission. The receiving State is under a special duty to take all appropriate steps to protect the premises of the mission against any intrusion or damage and to prevent any disturbance of the peace of the mission or impairment of its dignity.”

Those protections remain in force even if the embassy is used for criminal or military purposes. The receiving state can break off diplomatic relations, or revoke the diplomatic immunity of specific individuals and eject them from the country, but it must still “respect and protect” the embassy buildings and their contents even after the mission has closed.

Consulate premises are likewise inviolable under Article 31 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. In a particularly shocking example of how that can play out, after the journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered inside the Saudi Consulate in Turkey in 2018, Turkish officials had to wait for days before they were finally given permission to enter.

But while those rules of diplomatic relations are a bedrock principle of international law, they actually have little force in the case of the Damascus bombing, experts say, because they only refer to the responsibilities of the “receiving State” — in this case, Syria — and say nothing about attacks by a third state on foreign territory.

“Israel is a third state and is not bound by the law of diplomatic relations with regard to Iran’s Embassy in Syria,” said Aurel Sari, a professor of international law at Exeter University in the United Kingdom.

Receiving states do have an obligation to protect embassies from attack, Sari said, which theoretically would mean that Syria had an obligation to protect the Iranian Embassy if it could. However, it is not clear what protective steps it could have taken in this case.

In practice, there is a strong taboo in international relations against attacking embassies, said Marko Milanovic, a professor of public international law at Reading University in the United Kingdom. But that custom is broader than what international law actually prohibits, he said.

“Symbolically, for Iran, destroying its embassy or consulate, it’s just seen as a bigger blow,” he said, than “if you killed the generals in a trench somewhere.” But, he added, “the difference is not legal. The difference is really one of symbolism, of perception.”

Could an attack on embassy grounds violate international law in other ways?

“Embassies are protected from use of force in an armed conflict, not primarily because they are embassies but because they are civilian objects,” said Yuval Shany, an international law professor at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. “Therefore, in principle, it is not permissible to target an embassy in the same way it’s not permissible to target a school.”

An embassy can lose those protections, however, if it is used for a military purpose, as is true of schools, homes, and other civilian buildings during wartime. That would first be a threshold question about whether the conflict itself is legal: International law generally prohibits the use of force against another sovereign state, except in self-defense.

An Israeli military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari did not confirm or deny Israel’s role in the attack but told CNN that the strike had targeted “a military building of Quds Forces disguised as a civilian building in Damascus.”

A member of the Revolutionary Guards, which oversee the Quds Force, told the Times that the strike on Monday had targeted a meeting in which Iranian intelligence officials and Palestinian militants were discussing the war in Gaza. Among them were leaders of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a group armed and funded by Iran.

Iran has long blurred the lines between its diplomatic missions and its military operations in the Middle East. It selects its ambassadors to Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen — countries that make up the “axis of resistance” — from the commanders of the Quds Forces, the external branch of the Revolutionary Guards Corps, rather than its career diplomats. In 2021, Mohammad Javad Zarif, then Iran’s foreign minister, said in a leaked recording that Iran’s foreign policy in the region is determined by its field military operations and not traditional diplomacy set by the foreign ministry.

If the strike targeted individuals engaged in military operations against Israel, including through a proxy armed group, that would likely mean that the building was a legitimate military target, Shany said.

Israel has been engaged in a yearslong shadow war with Iran that has included multiple assassinations of Iranian military leaders and nuclear scientists.

Iran also arms and funds Hezbollah, a Lebanese militia, which has been bombing northern Israel , and that also has a presence in Syria.

International law would still require an attack to be proportional: the expected military gain would have to outweigh the harm to civilians and civilian objects, including buildings. Iran’s ambassador to Syria, Hossein Akbari, told state television that no civilians were killed in the attack on Monday.

Where does this leave Syria?

In this case, Israel used force against two states: Iran, whose embassy compound and generals were targeted, and Syria, the country in which the embassy was located.

“An Israeli airstrike carried out within Syria without its consent would be in contravention of Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter, which prohibits a state from using force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any other state,” said Sari, the professor at Exeter. “Unless Israel were able to justify any airstrike as an act of self-defense, it would be in violation of international law.”

There is debate among legal experts about how and when the law of self-defense can justify attacks on the territory of third countries, Shany said. “ It is a question in international law, to what extent you could actually globalize your campaign and actually take it to the territory of third countries,” he said. “To some extent, the global war on terror raised similar issues. To what extent can you target military assets in third countries?”

Farnaz Fassihi contributed reporting.

Amanda Taub writes the Interpreter , an explanatory column and newsletter about world events. She is based in London. More about Amanda Taub

Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens Essay

India is a democratic country where its citizens live freely however they have lots of rights and responsibilities towards their country. Rights and responsibilities are two sides of a coin and both go side to side. If we have rights we must have their corresponding responsibilities too. Rights and responsibilities go hand in hand with us where we live in whatever home, society, village, state, or country. Now-a-days, students gets assigned by their teachers to write some paragraphs or complete essay on any topic to enhance their English writing skill and knowledge as well as spread awareness. Following are some paragraphs, short essays and long essays on Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens to help students in completing their related task. All the Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens essay are written very simply. So, you can select any essay according to your need and requirement:

Long and Short Essay on Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens in English

Rights and responsibilities of citizens essay 1 (100 words).

Citizen is the person who lives as an inhabitant in any village or city of the state and country. We all are citizen of our country and have various rights and responsibilities towards our village, city, society, state and country. Rights and duties of each citizen are very valuable and inter-related. Every state or country provides its citizens some fundamental civil rights such as personal rights, religious rights, social rights, moral rights, economic rights and political rights. As a citizen of the country we are morally and legally required to complete our duties always together. We should love and respect each other and live together without any difference. We are expected to sacrifice time to time in order to protect our country.

Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens Essay 2 (150 words)

Citizens living in the country must know their rights and responsibilities. Understanding all the rules and regulation presented by the government may help every citizen in completing their responsibilities towards country. We must understand our rights for our own well being and freedom in the country as well as serve for the communities and country. The constitution of India (called as supreme law of India) came into force in 1950 on 26 January which has given democratic rights to the Indian citizen. According to the Indian constitution, people of India have various rights and responsibilities.

There are around six fundamental rights of the Indian citizens without which no one can live in the democratic manner. Means, democracy in the country can work only if its citizens have rights. Such rights prevent the government from being dictatorial and cruel. Fundamental rights help people in their moral, material and personality development. In case of rights violations of someone, courts can protect and safeguard them. There are some fundamental responsibilities too for the peace and prosperity of the country.

Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens Essay 3 (200 words)

Fundamental rights of the Indian citizens are given to them for the basic and essential conditions of good life for their progress. Without such rights no Indian citizen can develop his/her personality and confidence. These fundamental rights are preserved in the Indian Constitution. Fundamental rights are protected and guaranteed to the citizens by supreme law while ordinary rights by the ordinary law. Fundamental rights of the citizens are not violable in ordinary situation however in some reasonable circumstances they can be suspended but temporarily.

Six fundamental rights according to the Indian constitution are Right to Equality (Article 14 – Article 18), Right to Religion (Articles 25 – Article 28), Right against Exploitation (Articles 23 – Article 24), Right to Culture and Education (Articles 29 – Article 30), Right to Freedom (Articles 19 – Article 22), and Right to Constitutional Remedies (Article 32). Citizens enjoy their fundamental rights living anywhere in the country. He/she can go to the court for legal assistance in case his/her rights are violated by force. There are various responsibilities too of the good citizens which everyone must follow in order to improve surroundings and get inner peace. Fulfilling responsibilities towards country gives sense of ownership for the country. Being a good citizen of the country, we should not waste electricity, water, natural resources, public property, etc. We should follow all the rules and laws as well as pay tax timely.

Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens Essay 4 (250 words)

Fundamental rights given to the Indian citizens are essential part of the Constitution. Such fundamental rights can be altered by the Parliament using special procedure. No person other than Indian citizen is allowed to enjoy such rights except right to liberty, life, and personal property. Other fundamental rights except right to life and personal liberty can be suspended during time of emergency. If any citizen found his/her rights violated can go to the court (Supreme Court and High Court) for enforcement. Some fundamental rights are positive or negative in nature and always become superior to the ordinary laws. Some fundamental rights like freedom of speech, assembly, cultural right and educational rights are limited to citizens only.

There were no fundamental duties preserved in the Constitution of India when it came into force in 1950. However, ten fundamental duties (covered by Article 51 A) were added in the 42 nd Amendment of the Constitution of India in 1976. Following are the fundamental responsibilities of the Indian citizens:

• Indian citizen must respect their National Flag and the National Anthem.
• They must respect, value and follow all the noble ideals used in the national struggle for freedom.
• They must to protect the power, unity and integrity of the country.
• They guard the country and maintain the spirit of common brotherhood.
• They must protect and preserve the cultural heritage sites.
• They must protect, preserve and improve the natural environment.
• They must safeguard the public property.
• They should develop scientific temper and spirit of inquiry.
• They must work hard to get excellence in every area of individual and collective activity.

Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens Essay 5 (300 words)

Fundamental duties of the Indian citizens are mentioned in the 42nd Amendment of the Constitution of India in 1976. All the responsibilities are very important and necessary for the vital interest of country. They can be civic duties or moral duties which cannot be enforced legally upon the citizens even by the courts. One cannot be punished if he/she is not performing his/her duties as there is no legal force governing these duties. Fundamental duties (right to equality, right to freedom, right against exploitation, right to freedom of religion, cultural and educational rights and right to constitutional remedies) are the integral part of Constitution of India having moral impact and educative value upon the Indian citizens. Inclusion of such responsibilities to the Constitution is important for the progress, peace and prosperity of the country.

Some of the fundamental responsibilities mentioned in the Constitution of India are like respect to the National Flag, the National Anthem, citizens must defend their country, commit to provide National service whenever required, safeguard the public property, etc. Such rights and responsibilities are very important for National interest of the country however not forcefully enforced to the people. In order to completely enjoy the rights, people must perform their responsibilities towards country in a well manner as rights and responsibilities are related to each other. As we get rights our responsibilities increases too towards individual and social welfare. Both are not separable and vital regarding prosperity of country.

As a good citizen of the country, we need to know and learn our all the rights and duties for the welfare of our society and country. We need to understand that all of us are responsible for good or bad condition of the society. We need to change our thinking into action to bring some positive effect in our society and country. If the individual action performed by a person can change the life; why not, our collaborative actions have positive effects over the society and country. So, the duties of citizens matters a lot for the prosperity and peace of society and entire country.

Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens Essay 6 (400 words)

As we are a social animal, we have lots of responsibilities for the development as well as bring prosperity and peace in the society and country. In order to fulfill our responsibilities we have given some rights by the Constitution of India. Rights are very necessary given to the citizens for their individual development and improve the social life. Democratic system of the country is completely based on the freedom of its citizens to enjoy their rights. Rights given by our Constitution are called as Fundamental Rights which cannot be taken back from us in normal times. Our Constitution gives us six rights such as:

• Right to Freedom: It is very important fundamental right which makes people able to express their thoughts and ideas through speech, writing or other means. According to this right, a person is free to cherish, criticize or speak against the governmental policies. He/she is free to carry on any business in any corner of the country.
• Right to Freedom of Religion: There are many states in the country where people of various religions live together. Each one of us is free to practice, propagate and follow any religion we like. No one has right to interfere with the faith of anybody.
• Right to Equality: Citizens living in India are equal and have no any difference and discrimination between rich and poor or high and low. A person of any religion, caste, creed, sex or place can get the highest position in office for which he/she has ability and required qualifications
• Right to Education and Culture: Every child has right to education and he/she can get education in any institution up to any level.
• Right against Exploitation: No one has right to force anybody to work without wages or against his/her wish or children below 14 years of age.
• Right to Constitutional Remedies: It is the most important one which protects all the fundamental rights. If someone feels that his/her rights are being harmed in any condition he/she can approach to the court seeking justice.

As we know that both, duties and rights go side by side. Our rights are meaningless without duties thus both are inseparable. We do not have right to get benefited with rights if we do not follow our duties properly for the smooth running of country. As being the citizen of the country, our responsibilities and duties are:

• We must respect the National Flag and National Anthem.
• We should respect and obey the laws of our country.
• We should enjoy rights and freedom under the limit without interfering with freedom and rights of others.
• We should be ready to protect our country whenever required.
• We should respect and protect national property and public property (such as railways, post-offices, bridges, roadways, schools, colleges, historical buildings, places, forests, etc).
• We should pay our taxes with honesty in timely manner.

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