Have you ever watched someone become American? Last week at a national citizenship conference I organize thirty immigrants from 17 countries swore an oath and became citizens of the United States. It was a stirring experience for the hundreds of people in the room.

The American experience influenced my understanding of individuality basic human rights freedom of expression and the rights and responsibilities of citizens.

The bill neither confers nor abridges the rights of anyone but simply declares that in civil rights there shall be equality among all classes of citizens and that all alike shall be subject to the same punishment.

Distinctions between citizens solely because of their ancestry are by their very nature odious to a free people whose institutions are founded upon the doctrine of equality.

The Nordic countries are leading the way on women's equality recognizing women as equal citizens rather than commodities for sale.

The mandate I have received and for which I will speak with heart and head to implement over the next seven years had its four pillars - an inclusive citizenship equality and participation and respect in a creative society creating an excellence in everything we Irish do.

The American economic political and social organization has given to its citizens the benefits of material prosperity political liberty and a wholesome natural equality and this achievement is a gain not only to Americans but to the world and to civilization.

Civilization is built on a number of ultimate principles... respect for human life the punishment of crimes against property and persons the equality of all good citizens before the law... or in a word justice.

The equality that we are all entitled to as citizens of this democracy can't be avoided by some religious dogma of a President who's is supposed to believe in the notion of separation of church and state. And he frankly doesn't.

States have the responsibility to create rules and conditions for growth and development and to channel the benefits to all citizens by providing education and making people able to participate in the economies and in decision-making.