Friends:
There is currently a bill pending in the Kentucky (State, USA) legislature
to exempt primary caretakers of children under 6 and elderly/disabled adults
from serving on Jury duty.
Although you and I may find them preposterous, here are the arguments given
to *block* such an exemption. However, it is best to be able to walk in
another's shoes/moccasins/mind to find common ground (another anthropologist
speaks):
-- will decrease the available jury pool
-- moms/dads leave their babies all the time to go to work 8-10 hours a day
-- they'll NEVER have to serve
-- they'll never GET to serve (eg., forcible, permanent exclusion)
-- maybe we're discriminating against parents of young children; we'd be
losing their perspective if they didn't serve.
-- a child shouldn't be more important than civic duty
-- other special interest groups will want THEIR OWN exemptions, too! Then
there won't be anyone to serve on a Jury, and our whole judicial/ court
system will be crippled.
(BTW, I haven't heard any of these arguments being substantially used
referring to adults who are primary caretakers of elderly/disabled household
members).
I think that this whole issue harks back to a shift in cultural
consciousness in the US (and perhaps elsewhere?) that babies/young children
DON'T BELONG WITH A PARENT DURING THE DAY. That is, I wonder if now the
prevailing cultural opinion is that young children *should* be in
childcare/other care, and not necessarily with the parent(s). Of course,
they should be with them at night, but not during "standard" working hours.
I don't necessarily think this is an appropriate paradigm for the child, but
I wonder if this what is becoming a de facto reality (??).
It may also reflect an underlying conflict about long-term/toddler nursing.
So, while you're firing off those letters to Boise, I'd be happy if you'd
like to write one to the Chair of the KY House Judiciary Committee, Hon.
Gross Lindsay. You can email it to me, and I can forward to him.
Thanks!
Doraine Bailey, MA
Lexington, KY USA
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