Privileged

Why do we call it "jury duty"? Why not "jury service"? or better yet, "jury privilege"? It's easy to forget how recently all women and black men were denied this essential right of citizenship. So I'm delighted with the new U.S. Postal Service stamp celebrating juries. I especially like how "we, the People" range in color from purple to green!

Juries are our final line of defense against tyranny. It was attorney Don Keenan who reminded me of this several years ago. He was on our show talking about children's rights, and the appalling lack thereof. (He had to go to the U.S. Supreme Court to establish that children should at least have rights equal to what we afford our prisoners.)

I'm glad jury service is not optional. It's the one time we're face-to-face with what it takes to rule ourselves instead of being ruled. And most of us are in the same boat. Our rights to be full citizens had to wait for Amendments to a Constitution originally written to protect only the privileges of white, propertied men. The powers vested in a juror are at least as important as those of a voter.

The next time a notice arrives to tell me it's my turn to serve, I think I'll replace my usual groan with a "Thank You!" When I weigh my convenience against my democracy, there's no question which way the scale will tip.


You'll find a great many of the Guests on our Show - from David McCullough and Cornel West to Simon Shama and Gail Buckley - recount the struggle to extend full citizenship rights, including the right to serve on juries, beyond the Founding Fathers' original vision. You can listen to the Show at our website http://www.PaulaGordon.com.

Comments

[hopeless277]

No worries. I hear that Bush will do away with trial by jury any time now in favor of a guess by cop. This way no expensive trial is needed. The arresting cop will just decide if you are guilty or not and sentence you on the spot. This sentence, of course, will be unreviewable and unpardonable. All fines will be based on bank account records of the criminal and will be collected in cash by the arresting officer. There will be no paper trail or audit trail. Your permenant government file will be updated with the heading CRIMINAL. This is just one of many new initiaves coming to America which so far have included torture and kidnapping for ransom. Ain't America Great????

[RepublicanBrain]

Juries are indeed a wonderful thing. I was only called once, and I couldn't serve because I was in school. A real shame, that.