Originally Posted By: Berny
I just received a jury duty notice and I have to report Thursday morning. Am I happy about it? No. But it's part of being an adult and my civic duty. I've received and about 8-10 jury duty summons in my life time. Served once on a civil matter. I guess the part that really bothers me is the people that shrug their civic responsibilities. Each time during roll call for the prospective jurors, at least a third are "no shows". I sure some have legitimate reasons for not being there, I consider the rest to be deadbeats of society. Man up and do what's right!
You can't do whats right if youre not even an educated juror. Dumb people showing up who can be manipulated wont fix it either. Things like jury nullification if done on a wide scale would force some reforms though.
I'll admit that it rubs me a bit sideways to hear about civic responsibilities when we live in a system where for instance criminal bankers that create financial crises (ie - thanks to the dismantling of the Glass-Stiegal Act or however its spelled) get trillions of dollars of bailouts, but the very same banker will turn around and scream about 'deadbeats' not paying for the mortgage which is paying interest on a debt created out of thin air via declarative fiat. Just an entry in a computer system.
If I want to stand up for whats right, my own solution isn't just going along with whatever is expected as a civic duty. It has to include challenging things that are wrong to make them change. People say voting is a civic duty too but if nobody represents you, or they lie and do something else once in office, all you've done is given your moral consent to being abused. People that are resentful of "civic duties" sometimes have a good bone to pick but not always the words to express what they feel is wrong.
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Name the country that has a better one!
Lots of places in Europe are less corrupt. Or dont go after victimless crimes.
