At the end of last month I received a notice that from 27th February 2012, I would be on a stand-by list for jury service.
I told my employer and all was fine.
I also told a colleague. Well it was like a torrent of "You can't ..." hit me.
"Your blind and can't see the evidence." "Your blind and won't be able to tell when someone is lying." "You would give cause for a mis-trial claim." "Blind people can't sit on juries, passing judgement on sighted people!"
It was all nonsence of course. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, we blind cannot be refused on the sole grounds of blindness.
But I was amazed at my colleague for this behavior. If I had said an African-American couldn't sit on a jury, or a woman. Would that be ok? No their only opinion was a blind person is incapable.
With all the other stuff going on. I was not looking forward to being a juror anyway. I am still on stand-by.
But I can say I was very disappointed in my colleague. I had thought them more understanding than it appears they are.
I told my employer and all was fine.
I also told a colleague. Well it was like a torrent of "You can't ..." hit me.
"Your blind and can't see the evidence." "Your blind and won't be able to tell when someone is lying." "You would give cause for a mis-trial claim." "Blind people can't sit on juries, passing judgement on sighted people!"
It was all nonsence of course. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, we blind cannot be refused on the sole grounds of blindness.
But I was amazed at my colleague for this behavior. If I had said an African-American couldn't sit on a jury, or a woman. Would that be ok? No their only opinion was a blind person is incapable.
With all the other stuff going on. I was not looking forward to being a juror anyway. I am still on stand-by.
But I can say I was very disappointed in my colleague. I had thought them more understanding than it appears they are.
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