Our
View: Bush excused from jury duty,
too busy
Jury duty is one of the many civic responsibilities entrusted to the citizens
of the United States. It is designed to promote equal and fair judgment for those
accused of a crime.
But what if the jurors lack the decision-making skills our justice system has
presupposed necessary in order for them to vote? Nearly everyone over 18 can
register to vote and the process used to choose possible jurors is a random selection
of registered voters in the area where the trial will be held.
Recently our commander in chief, President George W. Bush, was selected as a
candidate to serve on a jury near his ranch in McLennan County, Texas. It is
fortunate for the accused the president has said he cannot serve because he is
too busy. Busy doing what, we may never know all the juicy details.
However, we do know the repercussions of the Texan juror’s many bad decisions
lately. His decision-making track record has been tarnished by scandal and misguided
political ventures.
The war in Iraq was the first of many serious political slip-ups that have led
many Americans to believe our president lacks the necessary intellect, and even
morality, in making sound decisions. The incorrect intelligence supporting the
presence of WMDs in Iraq, the disrespect and humiliation towards many prisoners
in Abu Ghraib, the use of torturous chemical agents against Iraqi insurgents
and the bribing of Iraqi press to release favorable editorials supporting the
U.S. mission of spreading democracy are just a few of a plethora of problems
the president is held responsible for.
The true nail in the coffin for most Americans is the president’s inability
to provide aid for those suffering from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.
The first crucial mistake Bush made began before the infamous hurricane ever
struck land.
Faced with a lack of enlistment to fight the war abroad, many members of the
Louisiana National Guard were sent to serve in Iraq, leaving residents in Louisiana
without essential aid and leadership those serving in the National Guard would
have provided had they remained in their state posts.
Also, the delayed response from FEMA resulted in many unnecessary deaths and
the eruption of chaos among the dehydrated, hungry Louisiana residents. Because
Bush appointed a fellow buffoon, Michael Brown, to head one of the nation’s
most crucial governmental services, thousands of families have been given inadequate
support.
Many families suffering from the effects of the hurricane lost loved ones, homes,
jobs and many of their possessions.
Most people living in areas affected by Katrina were already suffering from extreme
poverty, where a savings account is a foreign, distant concept reserved mainly
for those not living paycheck to paycheck. It is ridiculous for FEMA to assume
people can find lodging, jobs and cope with the emotional havoc the disaster
wrought upon their lives in a short three months. Many continue to blame Bush
with the inadequacies of FEMA.
Luckily, Bush has been spared the burden of making yet another tough decision
and has been eliminated from the pool of potential jurors.
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