Caring citizens strengthen their American character by investing in our 1st Amendment. It’s our personal and shared responsibility.

“Invest our time, talents, and treasures in our 1st Amendment freedom to gather weekly for conversations that matter and identify caring policy directions that expand our liberties.” (from Model Caring Citizens Chapter Constitution)

When was the last time you had a conversation that mattered with a neighbor, or group of neighbors, for the soul purpose of making our common life better? Investing in our 1st Amendment freedom to gather means investing in a relationship with our neighbor, our neighborhood, and our community. Building trust for effective governance takes place in a safe environment, where honest and open communication can flow freely.

I recently stopped by a neighbor’s house to invite them to participate in our photo petition for Healthcare Is A Human Right Collaboration. The wife works outside the home and the husband is confined to a wheelchair at home. The conversation was cordial enough but my request was met with skepticism. The wife was concerned that if she participated her job would be in jeopardy. The husband asked, “What’s in it for you? What are you going to get out of taking my picture?”

The question revealed a worldview that sees an invitation to collaboration as foreign and unnatural. We live in a world where many expect not only winners and losers in sports, but winners and losers in life, AND a government that encourages winners and losers . . . a plutocracy of, by, and for the rich. If you’re a loser, and not rich, tough. It’s your own fault.

Our founders called “peaceable assembly” our 1st freedom and responsibility. You know your American character is strong when your weekly calendar ALWAYS has an hour set aside for a public conversation that matters: Our founders said it was for the “redress of grievances.” You’re part of the problem is you’re not part of the solution. Caring citizens strongly communicating our American values of empathy and responsibility, both personal and communal, are the solution.

Investing in our 1st Amendment freedom to gather is to invest in a worldview that government is about win-win governing, not win-lose governing. Investing in our 1st Amendment freedom to gather is to strengthen the notion that human rights are front and center of decisions of right and wrong.

Effective public government begins with caring citizens gathered with their neighbors to govern and fulfill the caring citizen’s community contract to protect and empower each other. Investing in our 1st Amendment with our time, talent, and treasure is our moral commitment to each other.

Yes, we believe in personal responsibility and pledge to work hard on behalf of ourselves and our own families. However, we also know that any wealth we accumulate was not of our own making. We may have built a successful business. But the road we deliver our goods on to market were built by our neighbors through their public investment dollars. The people we hired to make our business successful were educated by our neighbors in public schools. We don’t have to worry about looters attacking our business because we have a public police force.

Our shared responsibility is a moral imperative to take a portion of our wealth and combine it with the investment of others for the common good. Investing in our 1st Amendment freedoms to gather is paying it forward and begins with a handshake with a neighbor. You can start that investment by inviting your neighbor to a conversation that matters. Here’s an example.

Otherwise, we can’t claim to be a caring citizen.