There are some things that are expected of all people, things like simple manners, saying please and thank you, and so on. But then there are things that the government expects of us, such as voting, serving on a jury, signing a petition, paying taxes, volunteering. I think it is completely natural of the government to expect such things from us. After all, we are citizens of this country and not another. That is why all people should participate in the responsibilities that come with being a citizen of a country. These responsibilities also allow us to take part in the government. We're lucky that we can sign petitions, protest, and vote, so we should take advantage of these opportunities that many other people in other countries don't have. Civic duty is a way of showing that we are grateful for having these responsibilities. Along with these government-related activities, we should also remember to respect the rights of others. Just because we have the freedom of speech and a lot more freedoms than other people, doesn't mean that we can abuse that power, which is why we're also expected to be respectful. We should help others when we see that they need it, starting with simple things such as giving up your seat for elders, pregnant women, or anyone who needs it more than you, or holding the door for others or saying thank you when someone does something nice for you. Sometimes people forget common courtesy and I think being courteous is included in civic duty.
Of course the government also shouldn't abuse its power. Just like citizens should respect each other, the government should respect its citizens. It can do so by listening to citizens' concerns and reacting to their needs and demands.
We've all heard the "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" thing, and even though it doesn't always work, we can hope that others will notice the example we're setting and remember their responsibilities. And even if they don't, we can do nice things simply because they feel good.
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