Jury Duty

I sat down and read my 5-page Jury Duty Summons this morning.  I had briefly run my eyes over it when it arrived, and just took in the fact that I am summoned to appear on Friday, 7 November - tomorrow.  I sat down today and carefully read every part of it, and filled out the page of information required.  Then I re-read the other instructions and found that I must call a certain number, after 6 p.m. tonight, and listen to a recording, to see if, and when, I must actually report.  What?  I cleared my calendar of work for tomorrow when I got the notice.  Then there's the small note that says to expect to serve as a juror, if selected, for one full day, but that most trials run for three days - and occasionally longer.  After one has been kept serving on a jury for 3 days, then one will be recompensed $50 per day for the fourth and any additional day.  OK.   I served once as a jury member in a civil case that lasted for 13 hours - all in one day.  I also served on the Grand Jury for six months, and saw 6 cases.  But both of these happened while I lived in Gainesville, Florida.  This is my first call for Jury Duty in the 10 years I've been a registered voter in Boulder County, so I really can't complain.
   What has amazed me is how many people have told me ways to "get out of jury duty" and "ways to get excused."  I guess I am showing that I was raised in another era, or by parents who wanted to do a service for their community.  Mom and Dad were happy and proud to be on a jury.  I am, too, when I'm chosen.  Why should I want to escape from jury duty?  We are guaranteed a right to trial by a jury of our peers in either a civil or criminal case.  This was written into the Constitution of the United States, and that was a carry-over from the Magna Carta - which King John was forced to sign in 1215 (by his leading land-owners, who were tired of not getting any trial, just a royal decision).  Why don't most of today's voters want to serve on a jury?  To me, it's a service that I owe other people of my city, county, state, and nation, for the right to vote - and I'm happy to make the pay-back.