There are two sides to every story.
Read two opposing opinion pieces on the same topic.
To be an informed citizen, you need access to truthful, balanced information. To be a more engaged citizen, you should form your own opinions on issues you care about.
Pick a topic or an issue that you want to know more about, and find two opposing views. You can look for articles or blogs online, in books or magazines at the library, or in your local newspaper. There's really no shortage of opinion pieces out there. You may want to stick with a source you know and trust like the The New York Times, which is more liberal, or The Wall Street Journal, which is more conservative.
After reading both pieces, look more closely at the ways each writer constructed her argument, see if either attempts to manipulate the facts or distort the truth, think critically about the pros and cons of each position, and formulate your own opinion.
If you really want to go deep, check out The Opposing Viewpoints Series published by Greenhaven Press, which has published books on every conceivable topic for the past forty years.
Come back tomorrow for the next task in our GOOD citizenship challenge.
Learn how to live like a citizen at The Guiding Lights Weekend conference on creative citizenship March 8-10 in Seattle.
Propose an idea to promote GOOD citizenship where you live for a chance to win $500 to make it happen.
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