Proud To Be An American?

I asked that question to myself the other day after spending a day in the jury selection process. My first thoughts when I got my summons were, "why me" and "what a waste of time!" After leaving the courthouse on Tuesday, those thoughts made me ashamed of myself. I feel that I am a much better person for the experience, even though I wasn't chosen for the jury.

I worked as a paralegal, and then later I supervised paralegals for a number of years. And I believed that I had a fairly good understanding of the law and the legal system. I knew what was 'on paper' and I understood 'procedures' but what I didn't fully understand was how necessary the Jury System really is to us as Americans, to our Democratic society, to our past and to our future.

And it's not until attorneys start asking you questions about your opinions, feelings and bias regarding a particular crime that someone really comes to terms with how they feel. To face the truth about what they cannot tolerate or even to find they are more tolerant than they thought they could be.

Most importantly, it's whether or not you can apply the law separate from your personal feelings, beliefs, and preconceived notions. That's far more difficult that you might imagine.

I was also left with a sort of disturbing feeling in realizing that I had become like so many Americans. Spoiled, detached, self-absorbed, and expecting 'someone else' to do the work. I don't know if this awareness will fade in time or if it's something that I will always be conscience of. What I do know is that for the first time in a long time I realize that I am PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!