Am I a Citizen?

As a former dual citizen, I always struggled with the nationalistic (jingo-istic) sense of citizenship. What does it mean to pledge allegiance to your country? That you would fight a war to protect your country? What if the war is unjust? That you will exercise your right to vote? What if Taliban threatens to chop of any finger with voter-ink on it?

Citizenship, as I understand it now, is not about your country alone. You are a citizen of the neighborhood you live in, the county, province or state you occupy, of the earth with its mighty oceans, and potentially of space. It does not refer to your rights - to vote, or to protest, or to send your kid to school. It does not refer to your duty to protect or fight for what you do not believe in. It is not citizenship in any legal sense. It is about  belonging and participating.

Without us participating in our neighborhood, there is no real neighborhood. Do you get to know your neighbors? Do you care about your streets, about the parks, and the parking, and the crime? Do you do something to improve those?

Without us participating, there is no state or province or county or country. Do you make an effort to know and influence what the law makers are doing? Whether it is public transportation, or health care, or wars, do you feel that you are part of the solution?

Somewhere, we (at least I) have become non-citizens. We are too busy between making more money, driving our kids to soccer lessons, and changing diapers to learn about our surroundings. We are too overwhelmed by the amount of issues out there to fight for any one.

We can't do everything, but we can do something. Take a 1/2 hour every week to do something that makes you a better citizen. Invite your neighbor for tea, or read up the health care bill. It doesn't take a lot.