The Constitution And Declaration Of Independence - 1793 Words

The US government was founded, as described in documents such as the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, upon the principles of equality and the power of the people. The documents explicitly express and imply people’s rights, which include Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness among many others (Declaration of Independence). American citizens are constantly reminded of the rights they do have – speech, religion, protection against cruel or unusual punishment, to name a few – but are not reminded of responsibilities nearly as much. Among citizens’ responsibilities is the duty to participate in the democratic process, which involves staying informed of local and national events and issues. Citizens who do not want to take†¦show more content†¦In and of itself, the assembly of special interest groups is political participation, as citizens involved are actively attempting to interact with government. However, the population has since grown exponentially and the need for vast numbers of people to participate directly in protest movements has diminished since actions geared toward equality have been taken. Additionally, many people are not inclined to become government representatives or leaders in protest movements. Since political participation is a responsibility of the people, many of them handle this duty by voting to elect officials based on their beliefs and lending support to organizations that ally with their causes and values. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or NAACP, is one of the largest and most revered lobbyist groups in America. Founded in 1909, the NAACP’s mission was to bring attention to inequality and problems with civil rights. At the time of its founding, the NAACP was responding to horrific violence against blacks, which continued throughout the Civil Rights Movement as blacks across the country moved against injustice and a distinct absence of fair treatment (History.com Staff). During its time as a leading organization for people’s