“The Bill of Obligations” written by Richard Haass, is a provocative guide to how we must re-envision citizenship if American democracy is to survive. Haass is nonpartisan, having worked for both Republican and Democrat Presidents.
Haass believes that the 10 Bill of Rights are not enough to save our democracy. We must also adopt the following obligations: 1. Be Informed. Understand how the government and economy operate. Elect individuals to represent what you believe.
2. Get Involved. Vote! Only four in 10 eligible Oklahomans voted in November 2022.
3. Stay Open to Compromise. The current infrastructure bill is a result of bipartisan compromise and all of us benefit.
4. Remain Civil. Civility is closely aligned with manners. Treat others as you would like others to treat you.
5. Reject Violence. There is no excuse to use violence or threats to promote your beliefs. Peaceful protest is how we exercise our right to free speech. Mahatma Ghandhi and Martin Luther King have both changed the world with their nonviolent protests.
6. Value Norms. Norms are the unwritten traditions that complement our democratic laws. We can expect our politicians to refuse bribes; to speak honestly; to accept fair elections.
7. Promote the Common Good. Remember that equality of opportunity to realize the American dream should be available to all of us.
8. Respect Government Service. These are the workers who make our lives bearable whether schoolteachers, firefighters or social security workers Many citizens don’t realize how important civil servants are to our society.
Haass has a suggestion that we should create a program that enlists every 18-year-old to work in a government job, exposing them to different cultures and geographies. Familiarity brings understanding.
9. Support the Teaching of Civics. We need to teach the essentials of what it means to be an American citizen.
10. Put Country First. Put country and American Democracy before your party and person. This takes an abundance of character which is virtue. It is right and moral and ethical. This takes courage. I wonder how many of our politicians lack the courage to put country first?
Haass concludes with these words: “The central argument of this book is that American democracy will endure only if obligations join rights at the core of a widely shared understanding of citizenship.”
Sherrie McNall
McClain County Democrat Party chair
