“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.” — Proverbs 22:6
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength. Repeat these words to your children, talk about them at home, and write them down as reminders. –Deuteronomy 6:5-9
For the country to survive in the rat race of global political, economic, and socio-geographic shenanigans (devious tricks used especially for an underhand purpose), and maneuvering, the idea of citizenship must be revised (again and again) and expanded. Thus writes Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) President Richard Haass in his book entitled The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens. For Malawi and to some extent Africa, should be added do not tell untruths to your children about the past of your country. The untruths are hard to remember, the children will find out the truth some other way, and it is a terrible thing to demean your country because by it, you demean your children’s heritage. Love your country, tell the bad as well as the good of your country. This is the first step to raising the good citizens of any country, every country, everywhere.
Haas states that “The United States faces dangerous threats from Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, terrorists, climate change, and future pandemics. But the greatest peril to the US and indeed many other countries, does not come from abroad but also from within, from none other than citizens. Haass says “the question is whether Americans, (or nationals of other countries), are prepared to do what is necessary to save their democracy.” To make this saving act, it must be done in a manner that best suits the nationals of those countries, and not as other countries say or order.
The same is very true not only of the US, but of Malawi, and even Africa as a whole. All citizens have equal rights and limits to enjoying those rights; but there are causes and consequences of democratic deterioration when these are not exercised by the governors and the governed. All citizens have rights, responsibilities, and national duties that make them good citizens. What makes or what duties must a person do that shows he or she is a good citizen?
Haass’s 10 points of duties that make a good citizen. These are (1.) Be informed, (2.) Get involved, (3.) Stay open to compromise, (4.) Remain civil, (5.) Reject violence, (6.) Value norms, (7.) Promote the common good, (8.) Respect government service, (9.) Support the teaching of civics, and (10.) Put country first.
The US Pew Research Center outlines 11 responsibilities of a good citizens have to vote, pay taxes, follow the law, serve on juries, respect differences of opinions of others, participate in national census, volunteer to help others, know the pledge of allegiance, follow what happens in government and politics, protest when you think government action is wrong, and display the national flag.
Being a good citizen involves various components that include values, norms, ethical ideals, behaviors, and expectations of participation. These must be locally brewed or adapted; and in tandem with social, political, economic, and educational implications.
Not surprisingly, schools are traditionally considered agents of political socialization, and teachers play a crucial role in the political socialization of students up to their adolescent stages. Regretfully, in recent years, citizenship has been challenged by political parties supplanting national loyalty. Increasingly, this too is compounded by briefcase carriers entering the country to buy dramatic changes to national, continental values. Many thrusts are aimed at changing laws. This further divides the loyalty value of citizens.
The current political times offer a complex global context to understand youth political attitudes and dispositions. Such tugs of war between liberal democracies, the rise of authoritarianism and populism, concern about the climate crisis, and xenophobia against the increase of immigration, and lumping a variety of issues into the human rights plate, are causing citizens to reject their national identities: hating theirs and loving the foreign version of human rights. Social media and traditional media are constantly knarling and making it difficult for good citizenship to flourish, as individuals, influenced by outside versions of the good citizen, spread out in the national space.
I therefore add a local The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of good Malawian citizens (1.)Teach the young with pride, about their history, (2). respect for national structures of government,(3) pay taxes, (4) follow the law, (5) attend meetings called by traditional, local or civic leaders, (6) help your others, especially those in need, (7) sing the national anthem, standing up, (8) follow the news and learn what is happening in government and politics, protest when something is wrong, (9) respect the flag, (10) speak proudly of your tribe, country and have at least two or three great historical things you can say about your heritage/country, and (11) know the meaning of the flag.
As a citizen, what we do in front of other people, especially young people, models the good or the bad citizen; if it is the good citizen, then we are inherently helping to increase the population of the good, positive-thinking citizens.
The very scary part of this is that if we do not teach our children or model to other people to love Malawi, other people will teach them how to not to love their country, in fact other people will teach them how to hate their Malawi, their roots, and their national heritage. Lastly, “Children are great imitators. So give them something great to imitate,” late Hall of Famer journalist Bob Talbert said. In the words of Urban Intellectuals, “the knowledge of our ancestors gives us wisdom to make good choices,” an ideal value for building a good citizen.
