Sentence:  We have every obligation to take seriously their claims to <WSD>being</WSD> democratic and free countries ; we also have , in consequence , the duty to appraise realistically and honestly their performance and to communicate our judgments to their leaders in frank but friendly ways . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun)