There has been in recent years excessive emphasis on a citizen's rights and inadequate stress put upon his duties and responsibilities.
quote by Paxton Blair

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Related quotes

Nobody performs her or his duties. Governments do not, because they do not know, they are not able or they do not wish, or because they are not permitted by those who effectively govern the world: The multinational and pluricontinental companies whose power — absolutely non-democratic — reduce to next to nothing what is left of the ideal of democracy. We citizens are not fulfilling our duties either. Let us think that no human rights will exist without symmetry of the duties that correspond to them. It is not to be expected that governments in the next 50 years will do it. Let us common citizens therefore speak up. With the same vehemence as when we demanded our rights, let us demand responsibility over our duties. Perhaps the world could turn a little better.
quote by Jose Saramago

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The UN Commission on Human Rights, whose membership in recent years has included countries - such as Libya and Sudan - which have deplorable human rights records, and the recent Oil-for-Food scandal, are just a few examples of why reform is so imperative.
quote by John Linder

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Inadequate
Inadequate.
It means not enough.
Like water in a glass half full
it is insufficient.
Some necessary bit is absent.
Inadequate is deficient.
It is vitamin C
in the diet of someone suffering from scurvy.
Inadequate is precisely what you feel
when you work yourself tired
for something your heart so desired
and in the end disappoint yourself still.
Inadequate is when you lack the will
to even try because somewhere inside
you just know you will fail.
Inadequate is someone when rejected.
Something inadequate is something defective.
Inadequate can mean not deserving company
almost like you're invisible maybe,
too unimportant to like or hate.
This word 'inadequate'
resounds in my head of late.
poem by Shaqueena Celestin

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The Plain Citizen Of The Republic
the government for sure
cannot survive without you plain citizen
you are taxed
that is the most certain thing that happens in your life
as plain citizen
of this republic
the property that you own
is subject to confiscation
from womb to tomb
you, plain citizen is bound with a lot of other
responsibilities
you make them rich
and give them power
you let them stay for more
than expected and they all laugh
like mad men
you do not make a stir
on the fold
the law chases you just in case
and the prison cell is crowded
so plain citizen of the republic
be good
lick them
as they suck you
pamper them
as they spare you
plain citizen you sell your right to be king
in this republic
now you sit there
and you will be next!
poem by Ric S. Bastasa

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0019 A passing thought
It's a society of rights -
and duties too? Oh, that can wait.
Anyone has the right
to dress up as a black pillar-box
with an anonymous lady inside
or I, I guess, in
the equivalent -
my sex-object status disguised with
hoodie, balaclava helmet
and perhaps a large backpack
with my favourite alarm clock
ticking away inside
wojja mean rights come with duties
poem by Michael Shepherd

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I am an American citizen and feel I am entitled to the same rights as any other citizen.
quote by Nat King Cole

Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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Model Citizen
Be an Arab
Be a Jew
Be a boxing
Kangaroo
Beat yourself
All black and blue
I don't care
Be a bleeder
Be a Cancer
A hemophiliac
Romancer
Be a crippled disco
Dancer
Oooh... What a pair
He's a model citizen
I think I've got them fooled them again
He's an ultra-sweety guy
And a master of disguise
He's a model citizen
Just keep believing that my friends
I'm a model citizen
I'm a model citizen
I'm a model citizen
I'm a model citizen
I'm an all American!!!
I'm a hostage
In a city of creeps
They've got mercenary guards
That watch me sleep
They'd like to kill me slow
Bury me deep
In the heart of Texas
I'm a martyr
I'm a sadist
I might be the Saviour here to save us
I'm a friend of Sammy Davis, casually
He's a model citizen
I think I've got them fooled again
He's an ultra-sweety guy
I won't let down my disguise
He's a model citizen
Just keep believing that my friends
I'm a model citizen
I'm a model citizen
I'm a model citizen
I'm a model citizen
I'm an all American
I'm a model citizen
I'm a model citizen
I'm a model citizen
I'm an all American
song performed by by Alice Cooper

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The strength of the Constitution lies entirely in the determination of each citizen to defend it. Only if every single citizen feels duty bound to do his share in this defense are the constitutional rights secure.
quote by Albert Einstein

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Racism Poem - Where Racism matters
i live in a country
multi racial in nature
where certain communities
enjoy special rights
the politicians keep asking
why there is racial polarisation
well, if i have special rights
i will make sure i really
get the best deal of it all
i will not be a stupid fool
or even modest
no two way about it
that includes telling others
to be aware that they do
not have special rights
drawing the line doubly clear
just in case they
infringe on these rights
rights to everything special
housing, education,
medication, career advances
etc, etc, etc
and of course
i would make
every citizen aware
they are living in a society
where racism matters
because it is a matter
of life and death
for those with special rights
and of course for those
without the rights to
keep decently quiet about it
or else these special rights
could mean the rights
to take away things
dearest to them
poem by John Tiong Chunghoo

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No Georgian has the right to evade or neglect his duties and responsibilities.
quote by Eduard Shevardnadze

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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When you put the interest of a kid on money instead of heart then you're destroying the beauty of our lives and our thought process, which should be about how much responsibilities you carry as an athlete and a citizen.
quote by Alexis Arguello

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I read upon the subject and grew more and more interested, and after a time I became a member of the National Board, and had duties and responsibilities that kept me busy after my day's work was done.
quote by Rose Schneiderman

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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A Pole and The Rope
A pole and the rope not visible at all,
Pulled and rewind cord, perfect of all.
From the middle of the heart,
The cable extends near and afar,
From the center of the nation,
The chain prolong to space station,
When the pole is the love,
The rope is the responsibilities.
Stuck to the invisible pole of love,
Our responsibilities inspire us to excel,
For each and every one of them,
Whom we love and cherish.
From the pole of patriotism,
Our duties start to end in victory.
Is there any difference?
Between the love and patriotism,
The poles, around which our life goes around.
poem by Veeraiyah Subbulakshmi

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Dont You Think It's Time?
children have rights,
women have rights.
lovers have rights.
people of all religions,
and even atheists have rights.
people of all colors,
speaking every language have rights.
trees and rivers have rights.
cats and dogs have rights.
cattle have rights,
homeless people have rights.
prisoners have rights.
democrats and republicans have rights,
even socialists have rights.
the jobless have rights,
old people have rights...
and the hungry have
the right to be fed!
damnit! dont you think it's time?
poem by Eric Cockrell

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The course that will restore to the workmen a father's duties and responsibilities, between which and themselves the state has now stepped, is for them to reject all forced contributions from others, and to do their own work through their own voluntary combinations.
quote by Auberon Herbert

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Dash In The Years
dramatic spans
years and years of waiting
to get exactly what you want
in what you do
you reflect the need to wait for the return
of a particular quality of light,
time of day,
or time of year,
in order to proceed
selecting the mood
waiting for the right
time to unfold
about your struggles
with uncooperative weather
or other alterations in your chosen motifs,
in your effort to record faithfully
what you see and feel
all very impressive
such excessive literalness
your only aim,
devoid of interest
early surrealizing images
to recent staccato cityscape
and suave sculptures
and refined poetry
you were never literal
because at the end
you put the last line
exactly,
truth is never exact as they always
want to see and
write about it
poem by Ric S. Bastasa

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341
dramatic spans
years and years of waiting
to get exactly what you want
in what you do
you reflect the need to wait for the return
of a particular quality of light,
time of day,
or time of year,
in order to proceed
selecting the mood
waiting for the right
time to unfold
about your struggles
with uncooperative weather
or other alterations in your chosen motifs,
in your effort to record faithfully
what you see and feel
all very impressive
such excessive literalness
your only aim,
devoid of interest
early surrealistic images
to recent staccato cityscape
and suave sculptures
and refined poetry
you were never literal
because at the end
you put the last line
exactly,
truth is never exact as they always
want to see and
write about it
poem by Ric S. Bastasa

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For Government To Be Fair!
for any government to be fair,
every citizen has to be
just as important as every other.
every citizen has to have equal rights,
whether black or white,
rich or poor, gay or straight.
whether they believe in the same god,
in another, or in none.
whether they speak english,
or another language.
whether they are educated,
or not!
every citizen has to have an equal chance,
for employment, for education,
for housing, for love and happiness.
and every citizen has to respect,
both himself, and others...
this government should be
a government by the people...
any leader should be from among the people.
government, small in tether,
large in affirmation!
we're not anywhere close to this in America!
we have been sold out by our own greed,
and have chosen in our apathy to follow the lie.
now it's come to a head!
what we do next determines if democracy works.
what we do next defines our level of humanity.
call it democracy, call it socialism,
it doesnt matter what you call it.
what it has to be is redemption...
what it has to bring, is freedom!
finally!
poem by Eric Cockrell

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Stress removes stress
Stress your eyes to stare;
Stress your ears to listen;
Stress your brain to think;
Stress your belly to secrete.
Then they grow out of stress.
04.03.2003
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar

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