Why do people hate Jury Duty?

I had something happen to me the other day that really got me thinking. Why do people, including myself hate the idea of being called for Jury Duty? I would almost bet if you took 10 people off the street and asked them, nine out of ten of them would tell you that if they were called, they would try to find a way out of it. In fact the number would probably be higher.

Everybody you talk to has an excuse or a ‘reason’ that they wouldn’t want to serve, but I wonder how many of them really know the reason? I think they do in their subconscious mind, but I really doubt if they ever really thought it out and know the real reason. I know I didn’t until just recently.

I guess it started back a couple of months ago. I live out in the desert. It is about 20 miles to the highway and most of that is on very bad roads. Once you get to the highway, its another 65 miles to the County Seat. We I got a summons for Jury duty. Now it was in the middle of our rainy season. Out here in the desert the rainy season can be treacherous. Our road become canals and sometimes can have ravines created in them. There are some people who can’t get out for weeks. Well I called the court house and told them my situation. The Clerk called me back and told me that the Judge said he didn’t care and that if I didn’t show up, there would be a warrant issued on me.

Needless to say, I was just a little p**sed! It is a good thing that I have a big truck with 4 wheel drive. The water was over two feet in some places. Anyway I arrived on time. I got the chance to talk to the Judge and told him about a medical problem that I have (I really do) and he excused me.

The next thing I know my daughter gets a summons and she doesn’t have a car. She called up and told them and the Judge told her that he didn’t care. If she had to walk to the courthouse she better be there or go to jail! Now I am really mad! After all, who does this JERK think he is?

I stayed up all night fussing and fuming over this thing until it finally hit me! It wasn’t the fact that we run a ranch out here and have chores that HAVE to be done! It wasn’t any of the reasons that I had worked through that made me so mad. It all had to do with FREEDOM!

Being called to Jury Duty is the one biggest offense that that the Government has place upon the Citizens of this Country that screams the fact that we are not free!

Here in America everybody ‘prides’ themselves on being free! Well we were years ago, but those days have long since passed away! But at least we can ‘pretend’ that we are free.... until we get that summons calling us to Jury Duty! Then there is no way around it. We can’t pretend any longer. It hits us full in the face! We are not free!

Stay tuned for part two. Why we should want to be a juror.

Rick Davis