It’s really hard to be a whistleblower, or to complain about discrimination. Most of us just hope that we can live our lives and people will be fair. It’s hard to rock the boat. I’ve written a lot about the courageous clients I represent. Going forth with a lawsuit is hard and it takes a lot of fortitude to persist through a lawsuit. I have represented many people who have much more courage than I. They withstand insults and lies and interrogations that would make normal people break.
But, I really want to talk about courage of a different group of people, who, when they treat their responsibilities seriously, which they most often do, display great courage and fortitude. Those people are the jurors. Many people dread receiving that little card through the mail summoning them for their civic duty. Yet, most people take their task very seriously once selected to stand in judgment of their fellow citizens.
There is something about being chosen for jury duty that transforms the reluctant bystander into a vehicle for justice. Serving on a jury oftentimes brings out the best in someone. A typical juror listens attentively to the evidence with an open mind. They form opinions from the evidence, yet are open-minded enough to give the other jurors their due. A responsible juror speaks up and confronts others with their convictions, and doesn’t worry about missing television programs or PTA meetings. The juror understands the importance of our justice system and their vital role in the preservation of our democracy. Jurors don’t ask to serve. In fact, most people wouldn’t volunteer for a week or so interruption from their normal activities. Yet, once summoned to serve, it is uncanny how Americans rise to the occasion, and most often get it right.
When our forefathers instilled in our Bill of Rights the right to a jury of one’s peers in both criminal and civil cases, they understood the best about human nature. They understood the basis of courage, decency and fairness in our citizens. They also understood that, in order to serve justice, people need to be judged by a jury of their peers, not just by judges from privileged backgrounds. Our nation has the best justice system on earth, in large part due to the courage of its citizens. Long live the jury system.
