Someone musta gotten the tip off about my having lived in DC the past two months cuz I got jury duty the first day back! AND I was first-round pick baby!! Juror Number 8.. outta 329!! That's like first-team all American right there man!
So I was trying to be optimistic about being there and all, trying to look forward to my chance to serve and be apart of our Nation's Justice System, especially after we were finally in the court room and they started introducing people. Wish I could share with you some of my other thoughts and observations of the day's proceedings but unfortunately I'm sworn to secrecy!
But. I will tell you about the lamest piece of human I think I've ever met. We were stuck trying to get one last Juror that both plaintiff and defense were okay with.. had been stuck one just trying to fill this one seat for about an hour when this kid comes up. He's got to be in his early 20's. The Judge said good afternoon and this kid said 'sup'. Seriously? That's just the beginning. So he answers the basic intro questions, I'm pretty sure he's not in college, prob just HS grad, started his own business: a batting cage. So he gets past the plaintiff side, they were okay with him.. which apparently wasn't what this kid was looking for. It was apparent he wanted to leave. Swiveling in his chair while talking with the attorneys etc. But then the defense attorney asked him essentially if there were anything that would dissuade him from being able to make a good sound decision in the case and even stand up for it with the rest of the jurors. The kids said honestly he wouldn't, that he would side with everyone else just to get it over with. ?!?!
The Defense Attorney was a little flustered, not quite sure what to do.. ended up chatting with the judge, after again asking the kid to try and focus on the facts and evidence that would be presented and the kid essentially said he wouldn't put forth much of an effort to do so. Well, he was released and some other person had to fill his spot.
I was so disgusted! This kid was sitting right next to me and I was more than just tempted, I was extremely close to either slugging him or bluntly telling him to stinkin' suck it up and be a man! Did he really not think that any of us were just dying to be there?? We all had places we'd rather be, things we gotta get done.. BUT the rest of us understood that it is our duty, our privilege even, to serve as Jurors. This is how our nation's justice system works! WE THE PEOPLE judge ourselves! If we expect the system to work when we are in need on the other side, be it criminal or civil court, we'd better be willing to work the other side of the system too.
What it boils down to tho is selfishness. This kid couldn't get past himself to realize what it was all about. His flaking out caused someone else to have to pick up his duty. Feel like instead of being allowed to leave he shoulda had some sentence passed, floggin, or so many hours of community service. That's exactly what he needs. Get over himself and help someone else. That's one of the reasons service is so important. Helps us keep a good perspective on life and keeps us humble while someone else who is in need benefits thereby. We're all winners when we serve.
But just in general selfishness causes soooo much grief in the world. I think it's one of the main causes of traffic accidents.. you get people who either try and race recklessly ahead of everyone else or won't let anyone else in etc. tons of examples like that but in so many cases it just ends up making people mad and even causing accidents. I think the main cause of divorce is selfishness. When one starts to put themselves before the other you begin to have problems. Marriage can't last when selfishness prevails.
Anyways, I'm just not sure I've really ever seen anything quite like it before. Really bothered me. And what's bad is I know he's not the only one. What worries me is how many more like him are there? Is it a generational change? If so, how do you fix it? And what would his mother say if she'd been there to witness that act?!?!
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