Jury Duty

Son, registered to vote in the election just last past.  No sooner had he left the voting booth than the Jury Duty notice  arrived in the Mail.

Love that poetic justice.

So as it works it fell right square in the middle of his being laid off from work after Christmas and just in between semesters of College.   So when he asked How do I get out of this ?  I was only glad to provide the best advice I could.  I told him.

YOU CAN'T GET OUT OF IT., I ADDED THE BUWAHHAHAs for my own edification.  The little end zone victory dance I added was admitedly over the top.

So a young man who thought he was going to have a few weeks respite from working nearly full time and going to school full time actually  was further shocked by my waking him up at quarter past dark this morning  and telling him to get ready to go.

I can't wait to hear how it went.  Chances are he won't get picked, because most cases settle before trial  and most cases are criminal drug cases where the defendant gets his last offer just before the trial starts  and takes it.  Most cases are drug sales or possessions and really only showcase the need for our society to treat drug cases differently .  But at least my son will have performed an obligation of citizenship.

He may get to see the underside of life in our little area and perhaps it will open his eyes to what goes on around  us . 

I like to think that he can avoid some of this by going to school and working  and I hope that is the case.  But I don't know the answer.  He hangs out with the sports fans and they are all something of the gym rat type, so there is hope.  Parents hope that they can steer around the shoals of drug abuses.
But what he is likely to see on Jury Duty is minority children of the same age, with no skills, education or employment facing years in prison .  It is a daunting process.

I hope it has an impact.