JCs, Judging, & Jury Duty.

by Amazing 10 Replies latest jw friends

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  Amazing

  Okay everyone, AI cannot believe what has just happened to me. Here I type away publishing my JC series showing how untrained and at times incompetant men should not be sitting in judgment of their fellow JWs, when I get a summons from the Cook, County office to appear for Jury Duty in Chicago. [Don't they understand that Al Cappone said that there are no gangsters in Chicago? When I first arrived here, there was a big billboard out on the Tollway (Freeway back in Oregon) with a silouette of big Al and the above words in quotation marks.]

  I have never before been summoned to Jury duty. Back on the west coast you had to be a registered voter, so as a JW, I was never called, and we were, as JWs supposed to get out of Jury duty because the Society said we should not sit in judgment of our fellow man - that was God's job. Barf, choke, laugh, spit.

  Well, now the states use both voter registration and driver licenses. But, just so you know I am not only registered to vote, I was a member of the Republican party. Right now I am not in the party, but I generally agree with its mean-spirited, pro business, starve the children platform. Seriously, I am a fiscal conservative and social moderate.

  So, now, here is the problem. Instead of being on a JC as an untrained, incompetant, unqualified person to sit in judgment of fellow JWs, I am now going to be on a jury as an ordinary citizen, untrained (although I have a measure of professional experience in the judicial system) unqualified, incompetant person sitting in judgment of my fellow man, bethey a JW or other religion. Now, isn't that irony or what?

  I expressed some meausre of support for the death penalty in my comments about Tim McVeigh, and it turned into the biggest post of all time on the JWD forum, so this is a touchy issue. I don't know yet what the trial is about, so I hope it is some low profile type of misdemeanor that will be over in a few hours. But, given my luck from the JW JC days, it will be another type of OJ Simpson trail, and I will be the lone holdout juror. - Amazing
• 

  Farkel

  : So, now, here is the problem. Instead of being on a JC as an untrained, incompetant, unqualified person to sit in judgment of fellow JWs, I am now going to be on a jury as an ordinary citizen, untrained (although I have a measure of professional experience in the judicial system) unqualified, incompetant person sitting in judgment of my fellow man, bethey a JW or other religion. Now, isn't that irony or what?

  I don't see any problem. Tell them you are a former JW who was taught for years that God is going to kill 99.99% of the world's population, but before he does that he will melt people's eyes in their sockets while they are still standing and in general give a fantastic gore spectacle for people like you who just can't wait for that to all happen. Tell them that God needs all the help he can get with that task of his and you are his front-line soldier and assistant who wants to make his job easier when it comes. THAT is the reason you really cannot WAIT to sit on a jury.

  You'll leave the place with boot marks on your butt and I doubt they'll ever call you back again.

  And don't forget to say, "If they are charged with a crime, then they are guilty of that crime. Case closed."

  I'm being facetious of course: jury duty is the most honorable contribution citizens can make to their fellow citizens in a Republic. That's why I've never done it.

  Farkel
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  noidea

  Amazing,
  Very Ironic!
  You could always tell them that you have had plenty of experience and that you miss the good old days...LOL
  That your training is so good they won't even have to have a trial. You can tell their guilty by the look in their eyes.
  What would be even more ironic... If the person going to trial was a jw. keep us up to date.
  PS. I always love reading your post.
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  AMAZINGEX

  Hi Amazing,

  Don't forget that "many are called but few are chosen." Getting a jury duty summons doesn't guarantee you will be on a jury.
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  metatron

  Try Grand Jury duty.

  You don't try people, you judge evidence.
  Is the evidence solid enough to arrest and try this guy.
  You get to hear a lot of cases - it will be one of the
  most interesting experiences of your life.

  As to judging, well
  I figure if guys with common sense like us don't
  volunteer, they'll pick somebody else.

  Somebody worse - or stupider - or more biased
  or whatever.
  Your experience gives you greater ability to judge.
  like it or not.

  metatron
• 

  Billygoat

  Amazing,

  Haha! That's too funny! I know you may not believe as I, but I do believe in God and Heaven. I think this is an instance that shows He has a sense of humor. He figures you've got a skill and wants to utilize it. Haha!

  The last sentence is tongue-in-cheek of course. :)

  Good luck with jury duty! (I'm still giggling!)

  Billygoat
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  Pork Chop

  Let me tell you Amazing. When they're going through the jury selection process they ask a very limited number of very specific questions. Highly unlikely your 'background' would ever come up.
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  LDH

  HA HA Amazing the difference is that in Jury Duty you get to hear both sides present their case, assisted by men who ARE trained.

  The other great thing is jurors don't have to be perfect, unlike we were told JCs were. The law prescribes a jury of 12 peers.

  With 12 neutral, uninvolved persons on the case, justice is far more likely to be reached than with three 'untrained volunteers' sitting in judgement.

  Have fun!

  Lisa

  (ps I have been called for jusry duty about 10 times since registering for a CA driver's license, but unfortunately have never had to sit for it. My husband has had to sit for a few, and he tells me that everyone becomes involved in the case, and is interested in justice.)
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  slipnslidemaster

  Just tell them that if the offender is really repentent he can go free.

  If he is a child molester you don't understand why the court doesn't hide his name and hassle the molested.

  Slipnslidemaster: "While we are postponing, life speeds by."
  - Seneca
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  Francois

  Don't sweat it. The point has already been made that few people actually serve on a jury once called. One of the prerequisites is that you can't even APPEAR to have the ability to think for yourself. The lawyers don't want that, they want people on that jury who they can TELL what to think. Why do you think that most juries are made up of cafeteria workers, floor sweepers, retired pet care workers, retired federal GS-6 employees, etc., etc.(Please, no nasty letters).

  All you gotta do is show up dressed in a suit, clean-cut, carrying your copy of "Conscience of a Conservative" or something erudite like that. (I can't stand the thought of a fellow child-starver wasting time on a jury of nincompoops.)

  If you are asked any questions, pull out as many polysyllabic words as possible and just generally act like you could find your ass with one hand, and you'll be outta there.

  Franc

  Where it is a duty to worship the Sun you can be sure that a study of the laws of heat is a crime.