More distractions - civic duties
I disagree with the "duties" part and think that "civic opportunities" is a better description. Serving on a jury and voting are opportunities to be helpful, and say what you think, but so many people view things such as these as a pain in the ass.
Yesterday I had jury duty and for the first time was picked to be on a jury! It was all very interesting, even though there was a lot of sitting around and waiting. But about an hour into the actual trial a witness said something they were not supposed to and a mistrial was declared. So disappointing! I really wanted to see how it turned out.
Today was filled with meetings (seriously, I only had 65 minutes where I was NOT in a meeting) and by the time I was able to get some lunch the little cafe in the building had closed. For a while there I thought about skipping voting after work but then didn't want to miss out on this opportunity, so after a long day at work, without anything to eat, I went to vote. It feels good, even though the preliminary results on the bottom of the TV screen show that some of my people are not winning.
What about you? Think it's an opportunity or duty?
6 comments:
I think it qualifies as both. It is an opportunity because it's a chance to truly influence our government but it is also a duty...a way to insure our freedoms and rights continue.
I'd say both. But I'd also say that if I'm not going to use my opportunity and right to vote then I don't deserve to complain about our government. SO I vote - then I feel I have a right to complain because I did my duty and didn't get what I want ;)
Both. I lean towards opportunity for voting and duty for jury duty, but it's a spectrum. Both have a sense of obligation in my mind, and also a sense of being a chance to learn and be involved. Jury duty just seems more onerous to me because I'm not allowed to decline to participate. I thing there is more freedom of choice with voting and that's what makes it feel more like an opportunity to me. I don't have to vote, but I can. With jury duty, I have to serve if I'm called up.
Ack, both. You can choose to do it or not, but if we wish to preserve the system our "forefathers" fought for, then it is a duty...
Both. Voting is an opportunity and jury duty is, um, a duty.
I love to vote. I find it very exciting to go to the polls and listen to reports come in about results. I totally wear my "I voted" sticker with pride.
Jury duty sucks though and I see it as a necessary evil. L just got called for jury duty after Thanksgiving and I feel badly for him. It is a pretty boring process and if you happen to get a case that isn't boring then it usually means that it is going to be a major time suck.
Hope you are still doing well and that the forgetfulness hasn't become a big problem like you were worried it would.
I have never served on a jury. I have never even had to go in to report. Maybe this means my time is coming...
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