Unit 8.7 Citizenship: Action and Leadership

8.7 Citizenship Leadership

To what extent should we embrace an ideology?

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." –Lao-tzu, Chinese philosopher (604 BC - 531 BC)

Local Citizenship: What Can You Do in Your Community?

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Your local community is a complex environment. Governments try to provide the necessary services so that as many people as possible get the care they need. These government services can include health care, postal services, employment services, and social services. Large cities have more services than smaller communities. However, there is always a need for communities to offer more services. The needs of society are great. Sometimes, bringing awareness about the needs of others can be as important as helping organizations help themselves. For example, every summer, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation holds a 60 km walk as a fundraiser. If you cannot walk the 60 km, you can help in the concession stands, assist in the medic tent, help with fundraising, or work traffic control on busy intersections during the walk.

People in liberal societies believe that working is not the only reason we exist. We do not live to serve the government. We live to enjoy the freedoms that are guaranteed to us. Liberal societies encourage organizations that increase the quality of life of all citizens. Think about the sports, cultural, or environmental organizations in your community. Someone has to organize each group so that individuals can be active members of a community.

National Citizenship: What Can You Do Nationally in Canada?

Sometimes you feel an issue is urgent enough that you must take action. Every year, we hear about concerns about an outbreak of the flu. Many of us think influenza is a minor illness. All we need is some painkillers and bed rest, and we can recover. Actually, influenza can be deadly to the elderly or people in a weak state. What can you do to promote actions that prevent people from becoming sick with the flu?

Another issue is censorship and changing ethics. What do you think about the content of television programs or the movies? Are you offended by what you see? If not, do you think you might change your mind after you have children? Or do you think that the current standards are acceptable and should be defended from any attempt by other citizens to restrict what is available? Where is the limit? What should be done?

Both these issues affect Canadians locally, but they also impact all of Canada.

Pandemics As travelling has become easier, people have become more exposed to various cultures, languages, traditions, and foods. People now move from one country to another more often, and when they travel, they take the diseases and viruses into areas where the people have no immunity to the new diseases. Because there is no immunity to these new diseases, many more people die. If a disease threatens a population, it is called an epidemic. Every year, we hear of epidemics of colds, flu, and outbreaks of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). If a disease kills many more people than expected and threatens the lives of thousands on a global scale, it is called a pandemic. The bubonic plague or Black Death in the 1300s was a pandemic that devastated Europe. During World War I, North American soldiers were exposed to the Spanish Influenza on a large scale for the first time. When these soldiers went home, they took the virus with them. The Spanish Influenza was responsible for the death of over 50 million people worldwide. The spread of HIV/AIDS is a pandemic in our contemporary society.

Most levels of local, provincial, and national governments, as well as the Red Cross and the World Health Organization, now have plans for managing pandemics. Prevention plans include public awareness campaigns and the stockpiling of medications to prevent the severity of the illnesses.

Liberal governments must do what is best for society. When diseases become pandemics, liberal governments must take action and protect the health and well-being of citizens. Sometimes, these actions can restrict individuals' rights and freedoms; travel restrictions may be enforced. To protect yourself and those around you, regularly washing your hands and coughing into your sleeve can help. During a pandemic, volunteers can help overwhelmed medical staff with the sick. Precautions are taken to prevent the spread of disease to medical staff and volunteers.

Censorship In a liberal society, we protect freedom of speech, but we also protect citizens from exposure to ideas that may hurt people. For example, we have hate laws that restricted a teacher, Jim Keegstra, from teaching his students that the Holocaust did not actually happen. We also use laws to determine the ratings for television programs and movies. These ratings help the public know what to expect to see in the movie or program. Some movie and television producers have pushed the limits of these ratings. Because of changes in society, we have become more accustomed to viewing scenes with profanity, violence, and sexuality.

One strategy the public can use to influence lawmakers is to present petitions that asks them to change the laws. A petition is a statement of what needs to be changed and a list of people who support the change. Sometimes a petition asks the government to keep the status quo, which means to keep laws as they already are written.

Liberal governments must follow the will of the people. Individuals in society must feel that they have the right to be heard. One way citizens can be heard is through petitions. If enough citizens sign a petition, government must take into consideration the will of the people. Petitions are an effective democratic tool that allow people who are concerned about an issue to express their concerns. Then, the government has a responsibility to decide how to serve best the will of the people.

Global Citizenship: What Can You Do for Others around the World?

"Today, when the consequences of our actions (and inaction!) reach further into time and space than at any previous point in history, we more than ever need politically engaged citizens." –Jakob von Uexkull, Swedish social reformer; founder of the World Future Council (2004), an international, non-governmental organization working for a sustainable future in the environment, governance, human development, human rights, and peace

Citizens of all nations in the global community face issues of concern: The Environment: Climate change, pollution (air, land, and water), destruction of wildlife habitat, growth of cities, deforestation, and desertification Humanitarian Crises: poverty, starvation, drought, natural (weather, earthquake) and man-made (war, industrial accidents) disasters, human rights abuses (child labour, slavery, lack of human rights in general)

What can you do? What do your beliefs and values tell you? There are plenty of problems for all to become involved in something!

Indian Ocean Tsunami, December 26, 2004 (Visit Wikipedia website to learn more 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake.) A large scale undersea earthquake triggered a series of huge tsunamis (huge destructive waves) along the coastlines of countries around the Indian Ocean. These coastlines were hit with tsunamis as high as 30 metres, killing 230,000 people in 14 countries. The human and economic devastation was immense. Whole communities were swept away—people, houses, fishing boats. Countries around the world sent humanitarian aid in the form of food, clothing, shelter, money, equipment, fresh water, and medical supplies. Many individuals went as volunteers to help rebuild the lives of those affected. Two of those people that volunteered to build houses to replace those that were destroyed were teacher Don Cross and his daughter Glenna. Sri Lanka, an island country just south of India, was one of the hardest hit by the Indian Ocean Tsunami on December 26, 2004. More than 30,000 Sri Lankans were killed by the tsunami that hit the southern coastline of Sri Lanka. Those who survived lost loved ones, their homes, and their livelihoods (way to make a living). Don Cross and his daughter Glenna volunteered in Sri Lanka for five weeks. It was hot, dirty work but ultimately satisfying. The experience helped several Sri Lankan families and changed Don and Glenna's outlook on life. Why did we go to Sri Lanka? We saw the TV footage and pictures and felt we could help. We had always wanted to volunteer on a project. We found an organization that would help us volunteer specifically for tsunami victims. I decided I wanted to go with my dad to Sri Lanka because I saw so much about the tsunami in the news and saw how bad the situation was. When my dad told me he was going to volunteer, I thought instantly that I could also help and that it would be one of the only chances I would ever have to participate in something so great. I ended up taking 6 weeks off school to volunteer. I believe that my volunteering helped in a variety of ways, as I built houses which provided shelter for families who had lost their houses in the tsunami. I also brought with me a sum of money donated by various Didsbury area schools and distributed the funds personally to various refugee camps for medical supplies and food. I also bought a few miscellaneous items for various people I met, such as a bicycle for a man who had no way to get to work, a new knife for a fisherman, and baby food for a new mother. In giving my time to Sri Lankans during their time of need, I could tell that they were very grateful for everything we did for them. All volunteers were also affected deeply by the experience. I, for one, was thrust into a way of life I could have never fathomed before and got to experience first-hand how much of the people on earth live every day. It was a true awakening which made me appreciate my life in Canada much more than I had before. I think this realization is important for everyone to have at least once in their lives. It was a very strong character-building experience that I will never forget. –Glenna Cross