Citizens must fulfill obligations and duties to the community In our ever-changing world, how do we define "a citizen?" Peter J. Gomes in his speech “Civic Virtue and the Character of Followship” defines a citizen as “…one who belongs and one who has obligations” (206). He adds that a citizen has “…the notion of belonging, having an identity of which he is proud and by which he is defined, and having an obligation to share and serve in the name of that greater good” (206). Webster's New World Dictionary defines a citizen as "a member of a nation by birth or naturalization," but a citizen is more than that. A citizen does not only have rights and privileges; he is a proud and contributing member of society. I define a citizen as someone who understands and fulfills his or her obligations and duties to his or her community. Patriotism, love of country, is an ideal that every citizen should possess. I know many disagree. They believe that showing patriotism equates to arrogance, conceit, and sends the message that we are superior to everyone else. I don't agree. After the September 11 attacks, our nation experienced a surge of patriotism. We were not simply individuals living with each other; we were Americans. We were proud to announce to the world that America is the greatest nation in the world. We were showing love and support for the ideas that America stands for: freedom, individual rights and tolerance. Even when we disagree with our government's policies, we, as citizens of the United States, can take pride in the fact that in our country we have the right to openly disagree with those policies. Being considered citizens requires more of us than simply feeling pride in our nation; citizenship also brings with it duties and responsibilities... middle of paper... our change will happen. John F. Kennedy said it best in his inaugural address: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” Works Cited Gomes. Peter. J. “Civic Virtue and the Character of Followership: A New Interpretation of an Old Hope.” The presence of others. Eds. Andrea A. Lunsford and John J. Ruszkiewicz. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2000. 205-212. Kennedy. John. F. “1965 Presidential Inaugural Address.” Washington, DCJanuary 11, 1965. InforTrack (academic expanded soon). Howard Community College Library, Columbia, MD. October 22, 2002. .Ushkow. Microphone. “Voter Turnout Highs and Lows.” Campaigns and elections. December/JanuaryV22. (2002): 10. InfoTrack (academic expanded soon). Howard Community College Library, Columbia, MD. October 18th 2002./>.