Imagining Jury Duty; California style

I'm looking forward to this excursion into the world of jurisprudence (or imprudence)

It's fairly certain it will be just like the picture above.
The eye patch is so I can get better parking and everyone will think I'm a badass.

***[no, I do not really use or possess any medical weed. Not ruling it out though]

The Demonization of Metaphor and Figure of Speech: dumb em down

***[or: fun with italics]****

In predictable authoritarian, and self proclaimed victim form, there are people in actual positions of power who now want to curb speech in order to make everyone safe. The truth is, they want to curb everyone's speech who doesn't fall in step with their designs.

If it gets to the point that you cannot speak of targeted, putting something in the cross-hairs, and can't use the word eliminate, defeat, squash, or who knows what, it is going to be tough to say anything. It gets to the point where use of the language becomes damned near impossible. Using allegory, illustration, all that kind of thing, is a way of expressing a thought in more robust form.

It is part of the dumbing down process. If someone says, "Hey that is one killer guitar player!!", do you think it will induce the deranged to commit murder?

There's one guy who wants it to be illegal to say or print anything that could be taken as violent symbols against public officials. If that is not pure elitism at its finest... It is kind of funny when these scum ask for special treatment. Elite paranoia, we call that in the trade.

Enough of that, I have my own scattered life to contend with. On the edge, ready to lock and load-or hoping to- to tackle and vanquish the demons that hold me in a grip of exhaustion, and inaction. OK. Does that sentence tend to make you want to go buy weapons and discharge them irresponsibly?

She was like a deer caught in the headlights---oops, don't do this at home--do not run over people.

Sadly, despite my sorry life and problems I ought to be attacking, the spirit and point of free speech is very much threatened. It is being eroded in increments--for our own good. But people like it that way. The charm of going along with things is that you can pretend to be intelligent and stable, even though deep down you know you are rather dimwitted.

**** all of the above italicized words and phrases should not be viewed by children or those who may be influenced to do odd things. All those words and phrases are possible candidates for future consideration as hate speech or incitement not to go along and support you local sheriff, overlord, lawmaker, politician, cop, or other tax paid twit who knows what's best for you, and is dead set on enforcing such things whether you ike it or not****

++++as a friend of the court, I must say all the above was purely hypothetical and in no way indicates how I feel. I would never use the word "killer" in the same phrase as "guitar player". And have no idea what cross-hairs are. I think it is some kind of hair dresser slang.
So, if any of this may fall in forbidden speech territory, now or in the future, I am just letting people know what not to say, think, or draw.

Friend of the Court

May it please the court, I have jury duty.

Maybe I'll be picked for a case involving El Cajon Highway patrol who have done some mischief and abuse upon innocent citizens. Of course, being fair minded and impartial, I would put aside my personal feelings and go strictly by law, being sure to acquit on a technicality even though they are guiltier than charged.

The big drawback is that they don't let you address the court yourself.

It would be interesting if I got picked at all, and then if it involved a case concerning some law I don't even think should be on the books. That's when all the wise slogans come in to play--"It's the law!" "No one is above the law" etc.

Chances are, if they get to the point of interviewing me at all, they will quickly send me home.
"So, Mr Ballistic, would you put aside your own feelings and common sense and convict even if the law is stupid, and an ass?"
"No."
"Go home you rebel!"

The courthouse I go to is in El Cajon. Nothing to do about that. I guess it is easier than going all the way to the coast, although I'd almost rather go there.

You can go in up to two weeks prior to the actual day listed on the summons. I think I will go early and get it over with. The biggest drawback is that I can't stand the vibe and atmosphere of anything having to do with the crime and punishment system. It seems so arbitrary and unyielding, and capricious. I have almost no faith in the system at this point. The concept and how it is supposed to work, I understand, but it hasn't worked that way for a very long time. Riffraff slides by while people who mind their own business and don't work for government are at greatest risk of harassment. Or so it seems.

People on their own turf, in a building they can lock down, who carry guns and disarm you at the door, are hard for me to trust. I suppose I am inordinately predisposed to some sort of phobia toward the type of authority you find in the garden variety courthouse. I'll need to be sure not to answer questions in a way that puts me on Homeland security's list of people who don't go along. Distrust and dislike of government are considered signs of mental illness, or they are trying to establish that view. Now, whether the distrust and paranoia are well founded is irrelevant. You do what you are told and you better like it, young man. And I don't mean perhaps.

So, I will try to behave. They may actually have accidentally rounded up some real criminals by mistake.