TOW #2

A Jury of Whose Peers? by Bill Keller New York Times

     The top opinion piece on the New York Times website is one that discusses the idea of including non citizens in American juries. In California state legislatures have been passed last month opening jury duty to permanent legal residents and is awaiting a Governor's signature. It is a piece advocating the expansion of the juror pool in the court system in America. It is largely a jury-favored work wherein the author even calls himself a "cheerleader for jury duty". The author, Keller, also refers to the jury system as one of the features of American democracy that still works. A look at Keller's own experience in a jury pool the week before and an examination at the people included in this pool. Then Keller comments on how over the years juries have gradually become more inclusive and why it is necessary for that to continue. Bill Keller is the former executive editor from 2003 until 2011 when he decided to be a full time writer. He writes for the New York Times as a reporter but has worked as Bureau chief in many places worldwide. This two page article uses the freedom that writing an opinion piece allows the writer to have by including personal experiences and anecdotes. Through Keller's balance of factual information and personal experiences as a juror it allows for a 360 view of an American juror. I believe the intended audience is the American public in general. This an be perceived by the fact that almost all minorities are addressed within this article and how much each of their inclusion is vital to the American people. It is almost supposed to serve as a reminder of how important each American resident's voice is. The purpose of this work is to inform the greater American public of the current situation of those included in its justice system. The importance of jury duty is emphasized and why we need to continue to expand the variety of people included. I have found Keller's purpose of making the American people aware of the importance of equal representation in juries to have been acheived. This is supported by Keller's own experience in a jury pool only a week before publishing this piece and by the numerous facts of how the juror diversity has grown over the years.