Our
mission is to teach
Americans, especially young Americans, how to be effective citizens.
We believe:
- The lack of citizen involvement is a quiet epidemic
and threat to our future. (more)
- Americans need a broader view of citizenship - it goes well
beyond voting,
jury duty, and community service. (more)
- Effective
citizens do simple, yet powerful, things - citizen
actions - on a daily basis that keep our country strong,
vital and free.
Our focus is on those Citizen Actions - identifying them, explaining why they matter and, in some cases, explaining how to do them. We have grouped 100 Citizen Actions into six categories. Specifically categories of actions that:
- remind us of our
Heritage,
- involve
us in the Democratic Process,
- support
Special Groups with a responsibility for keeping the country
strong,
- help
us understand our Government,
- promote a sense of
Community, and
- strengthen Individuals and Families.
President Kennedy recognized
this need for more citizen involvement in his 1961 Inaugural address admonition:
"Ask not what your country can do for you -
ask what you can do for your
country."
(listen - 15 min)
In some small, yet important way, Good Citizen's mission is a
response to his plea.