How can I get out of it?!
That’s a common first reaction when someone opens a notice to appear for jury duty. After all, we figure, aren’t we told “Judge not, lest you be judged”? Does that mean, though, that we should leave a person’s future in the hands of those who actually resent being there or feel they have nothing better to do? Would we want them to pass judgment on us or on our loved one accused of a crime? We’ve been given intelligence and compassion, which we should use to fight inequality, manipulation, discrimination, and exploitation—all of which often appear in our good, yet flawed, justice system.
It takes only one individual to lead the rest of the jurors to the truth of “guilty” or “not guilty.” If you aren’t there, who will stand up for the American principle of a truly fair and just trial?