The Duty of Citizenship

    I would like to pose this question to the reader. Does the reader believe that the duty of the citizen is to be obedient to the laws of government, or the duty of the citizen is to question the quintessence and philosophy of these laws of the government? The answer to this question will allow both the author and reader to determine who claims sovereignty. While I attempt to find an answer to this question, a great war is raging through out the world. A war which will determine who claims sovereignty. Does sovereignty belong to the people, central government, or plutocrats?
   
    Socrates gives us an initial in site to this question. Socrates gives a sharp contrast of freedom of expression and independent thought, against civil obedience. The ultimate message that I interpreted, from “The Apology,” was education of the people, and who has sovereignty. I believe it’s important to indicate that for Athens; plays and poetry was the source of education and media. A play called “The Clouds,” which was a popular mockery of Socrates, 24 years before “The Apology.” Socrates argued that the authority which accused him of high treason, was educated from this play at an impressionable age. If he is found guilty, it’s because “The Cloud” poisoned the minds of Athen’s youth. Ultimately, Socrates was found guilty and executed, which has made the apology an important event on freedom of expression. This verdict expresses a very important question; we must explore. Who has the right to educate and inform? 

    I will not explore education in detail until later, but the western world’s governments educate the people, which implies the central government has the right to educate the people. From this fact, I will draw the claim that central government recognizes that sovereignty belongs to the people.  If the government is sovereignty why educate the people which would ultimately threaten its sovereignty. An example of this recognition of sovereignty. In 2011, DARPA revealed Social Media In Strategic Communications (SMISC) program [1]. The purpose of this program was to place propaganda campaigns into social media sites. The pentagon will educate the people using its propaganda to pursue their own goals and interests. Now, if the central government did not recognize the peoples sovereignty, why would they create this program to manipulate education of the sovereignty.

    Now, I will explore who has the right to inform. I place this topic under serious scrutiny since the plutocrats control the mass media; I must contain my protest against the blatant censorship and manipulation of information in the mass media. The right to inform is important for a sovereignty to make intelligent forms of freedom of expression and independent thought that Socrates defended in “The Apology.” A poll was done to quantize the American peoples’ view on Iran. 70% of the people believe Iran has nuclear weapon capabilities, and 58% believe military action is necessary with Iran [2]. These percentages should frighten the reader for two reasons. The mass media has had an extensive campaign to give an impression that Iran has nuclear weapons, and they possess intercontinental missiles. I implore the reader to realize these are direct lies. The mass media also implies that war with Iran is necessary, but the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey stated “Iran is a rational actor.” [3] The general also advises that a war with Iran is ill advised, and the entirety of the top officials between Israel and the US advise; it’s not prudent to attack Iran [4]. Why go through so much trouble to rally the people into a war with Iran? Well, the Plutocrats make new fortunes with new wars, which implies that the plutocrats recognize the people as the sovereignty. If the plutocrats were the sovereignty, they would not need these mass media campaigns to convince the people war is necessary. These two examples between the central government and plutocrats is only a fraction of the intentional attempt to mislead the people, which these attempts show that they concede to the people as sovereignty.

    Education and information allow the people to develop independent thoughts and philosophies about laws and society. If the people are the sovereignty, the right to educate and inform the sovereignty are the most sacred honors. Any attempt, in abuse of these given rights, to mislead, manipulate, or misinform the sovereignty to achieve alternative interest or goals should be considered as the highest treason against the sovereignty.

    Let us assume, the people are the sovereignty. This assumption implies the duty of the citizen is to question the quintessence and philosophy of laws; therefore, the duty of the citizen is civil disobedience. The citizen must appose the law and break the law; The citizen must question the actions of government and purpose of its laws; the citizen must question the very existence and structure of central government. When the people claim sovereignty, these are the times when they achieve the common good.

    We have not yet explored the second question; I posed to the reader. Does the reader believe that the duty of the citizen is to be obedient to the laws of government? This question was also explored in plato’s “Crito.” When Socrates was imprisoned, he chose not to escape with Crito. Socrates in opposition with his statements in “The Apology” stated breaking the law is unjust. It undermines the social contract which maintains Athens. What does Socrates statement suggest about the citizens duty? This citizen must comply with the laws of government even under unjust circumstances because its the laws of government which make a “just society.” We form a contract with society and government, so we may all benefit. These acts of breaking and questioning law threaten the very existence of government and contract, and no one can benefit from the social contract. 

    Obedient citizens cannot hold sovereignty because it must obey the laws to form a social contract. Citizens which hold sovereignty cannot maintain the social contract or government. Our social contract only proclaims the people as the sovereigns in theory but not in practice; the people have a pseudo-sovereignty because we have periods of times; we have civil disobedience to acquire the common good, but we must also have periods of time of obedience to maintain the social contract; however, it’s during these times the plutocrats and central governments strip more rights and liberties, and the people’s pseudo-sovereignty only slows this process.

    My answer to my questions is disappointing. My conclusion is the answer is simply a combination of the two. The periods of time which the duty of the citizen is obedience should not effect the liberties and rights of the citizens since it is the government’s responsibility to maintain it, so the people may rally when it is necessary; however, It was during this time of obedience; I witnessed the suffering of people around the world. Central governments and plutocrats continually taking away rights and freedoms. I watched as ACTA is signed by multiple central governments. I watched as the U.S. Government signs the PATRIOT Act and NDAA; I watched as London increased camera security; I watched as Greece fell into hardship and suffering for our banks and central governments; I watched as President Obama authorized the assassination of a U.S. citizen in direct action against the U.S. Constitution [5]; I watched as thousands of families were wrongfully foreclosed, and the central government gave no punishment [6]. I have watched countless other tragedies of central governments and plutocrats. It’s the people that make this world, and they are being treated like cattle.  The only solution is a singular duty; the duty of the citizen is to question the quintessence and philosophy of government and law. If the people can acquire sovereignty and maintain the social contract, the people will forever be free.