Posted on 09/12/2010 3:54:39 PM PDT by Impala64ssa
GOSHEN — Starting Monday, everyone who shows up for jury duty in New York will be handed a questionnaire that asks for their race and ethnic background.
The intent — to make sure jury pools are a fair cross-section of their communities — is pure, but the execution comes across as a little "don't ask, don't tell." The requirement was created by Judiciary Law Section 528, newly minted on June 25 by Gov. David Paterson's signature.
In guidance sent out by the state Office of Court Administration, jury commissioners are instructed to hand out the information cards to jurors. They can say that the state requires them to collect the data, and the law is printed on the back of the card. They can advise jurors to use black or blue ink.
They are told not to say anything else about that card or why it's being distributed and not to offer any opinions on why the data is being collected or how to answer the questions (other than truthfully). They're told not to offer the jurors a chance to ask questions — and if they ask anyway, have them come to the front of the room to ask in private.
(Excerpt) Read more at recordonline.com ...
I hope I get a jury duty summons. I’d have so much fun with that.
What happens if you write in “human”?
I notice they don’t ask who is your daddy! ;-)
This is racial profiling.
I’ve been on 3 juries. And while I believe I was chosen for at least 2 because I am black I am convinced they were shocked to not get the liberal they had hoped for.
I am a sci-fi fan so I have a lot of options... :-)
People here need to livestream video from the courtroom so the judge can not have it impounded, and get it posted all over the internet.
I would very loudly be asking the judge if my multi racial background offended the court, and when did a eugenic purity program become part of jurisprudence in a free country.
Come to think of it, I played out scenes like this in the military when crap like this came up. Generally they shifted me to assignments away from stupidity.
I never did any brig time for confronting this sort of crap either. Of course, Reagan was president for 2/3 of my time in.
NOBODY is genetically pure, ESPECIALLY "black" people.
I’m sorry, I can’t answer those questions.
The government has never assigned me a race or ethnicity.
I’m a Native American.
How do “race” and “ethnicity” differ?
I’m serving this fall, for the first time in my life because I don’t have a baby right now, and I have been chosen to serve in COMPTON. I don’t think I will need to fill out that card as I will appear ghostly in the jury box.
They should also be required to reveal which caped crusader action figure they think they are.
I look for a day when questionnaires will be judged not by the colour of their ink, but by the content of their answers.
Keep up the good works my fellow American!
I was born here too.
I too am Native.
How about this as a solution to recism in America? Make it illegal for ANY entity to require disclosure of ethnicity or race for ANY REASON. Period.
Best candidate for the job based upon their individual qualifications - not based upon their race, sex, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. Isn’t that what EQUALITY means?
As soon as you put a label on anyone, you become a racist.
Oh I will and soon. I’ve been called for jury duty beginning October 4th. It’s always fun to see the attorneys focus on me because they automatically assume I am a liberal. All they have to do is ask the right questions during voir dire and they will know I am not. But they never do.
“I’m a Viking!”
“I’m a Creachadair!”
“I’m a Celt! And I have Mead!”
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