Went through jury duty selection in Phoenix. Something unbelievable happened.

[AzNick]

So I was dismissed and walked away after spending one day at the AZ Superior Court in Phoenix.

During selection, the defense attorney asked which of us believed that some or all drugs should be legalized.

I raised my number, as I believe that marijuana should be legalized, his cultivation controlled and its sales taxed.

I thought I'd be one of the 3 or 4 out of the fortysome that were left at that point to raise my number.

I mean, this is a red state, after all. Hannity, Rush and Beck are on the flipping FM, for Pete's sake, not the AM, the FM!

Well, low and behold, more than half of us raised their numbers. I could not believe it... People of all classes, all education and ages. As for race, whites for the most part.

When asked what their position was, the first in line all gave the same opinion, which is exactly mine. Legalize marijuana, leave the other drugs illegal. People mentioning sales tax, medical marijuana, etc... To the point that the attorney asked if all of us who raised their numbers had the same identical opinion and it turned out that yes they did. Except one, who thought that all drugs should be legal.

The judge is one of the "old guys" as he calls himself and he had a look that said "man, the times they are a-changin'"

I knew that Tucson was more liberal, but it seems that Phoenix is turning liberal faster that I thought it would.

[misanthrope]

1. It's not "liberal" so much as "practical."**nm

**

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Thanks for reporting this!

The times they are a-changing, indeed!

*high five*

[aquamarina]

40. "High" five indeed!

[ClassWarrior]

3. Remember... Thom Hartman calls Libertarians...

...Rape-Publicans who want to legalize pot.

:rofl:

NGU.

[alcibiades_mystery]

4. By this point

I have to believe that a majority has at least smoked marijuana a few times in their life, and know it's not some dastardly devil weed. The propaganda wears thin when it consistently grinds against your own experience and good sense. I'll bet three quarters of the ones who didn't raise their numbers have smoked pot, maybe even a lot. There's a fast expiring time stamp on cannabis criminalization.

[AzNick]

5. Yeah I could tell they were likely to have smoked

As have I.

I am not a big fan of the weed, I stay away from potheads but I don't consider them as badly "damaged" as I do alcoholics.

True, some may be libertarians.

[kurtzapril4]

46. I resemble that remark.

As a former pot-head, and current alcoholic.

Damaged my ass. I'll happily talk to you about music, art, food, wine, etc. I haven't hurt anybody, except for myself. Let's see...I go to school full time and work part time. I've been on the honor roll at school since Fall of 2008. I'm a certified burn crew member. I have a certificate in Natural Areas Management. I have a family and friends. I'm not sh*tting myself in an alley, or begging for spare change. I do watercolours and sell a few paintings a year. I have gone from 250 lbs. to 175 lbs. in the last year. Diet and excercise! I am active in local politics, and here on DU. I am a PROUD member of the Democratic wing of the Democratic party. Early next year, I'll have an associates degree in Natural Areas Management. I volunteer monthly at two state parks, and a few times a month at county parks. Restoring the environment you probably ignore. How's that for judgement?

Spare me your freakin' judgement.

[ClassWarrior]

6. This makes me think of the Rape-Publican chorus about socialism.

"The propaganda wears thin when it consistently grinds against your own experience and good sense." After the past campaign cycle and the McPain/Failin talking points, plenty of people have to be saying, "If Obama's socialist, sign me up."

NGU.

[Lance_Boyle]

25. The ones who didn't raise their numbers

were too stoned to understand the question.

[bbgrunt]

7. it has its basis in libertarianism--Barry Goldwater supported legalization.

[intheflow]

8. My cousin lives in Phoenix.

She's pretty hip. :smoke:

[DesertFlower]

15. i live in phoenix and i'm pretty hip too.

:toast:

[intheflow]

21. Of course, for all I know, you *are* my cousin.

:hi:

Although probably not. Hip she is; political she is not. She'd never hang here much less have an avatar of Ted Kennedy!

[DesertFlower]

30. lol.

:toast:

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Times are changing

[CreekDog]

10. If I lived in Phoenix, I'd need weed

:shrug:

[WheelWalker]

17. +1

[Romulox]

11. Not a left/right issue. A commonsense/stupidity issue!

Legalize it all.

[MilesColtrane]

12. While this is heartening, have you considered...?

Maybe they were all just trying to get out of jury duty?

[AzNick]

13. No, a lot of them were picked....

And they were all sincere about it.

The obvious one who wanted out of it is the one who said all drugs should be legal, as well as the one who said that lawers defending drug dealers were part of the problem.

[JoeyT]

18. Even those two were probably serious.

Lawyers defending drug dealers are the problem was probably the die-hard Republican of the bunch. They say that a lot. For people that claim to respect the constitution so much, they certainly don't like any amendment other than the 2nd. Especially anything involving due process.

The other guy might have been a libertarian or a liberal with a slightly different way of thinking about it. I'm in favor of decriminalizing all drugs and flat out legalizing pot. In my opinion the drug war has done more damage than the drugs ever could. That might have been where that guy was coming from. Though I probably wouldn't have admitted it if it was a drug case so I could be around for jury nullification if it was necessary.

[AzNick]

22. She also said black folks commit more crimes

Which may be true, based on statistics only. After all being born in a poor single-parental family with no positive father figure and with no perspective of climbing the social ladder makes you more likely to commit crimes.

But she is one of the two who raised her number to say it and she was vehement in her comment.

I had no doubt she'd be kicked out.

[Hoopla Phil]

14. The government is often slow to respond to the desire of the people. It

will happen though.

[Dank Nugs]

16. Next time that happens, don't raise your hand and give any appearance of bias.

Why? Jury nullification. Give them nothing, and take from them.. everything.

[enough]

19. Whenever a marijuana bust (usually for growing) is reported in our local paper's website,

the comments are almost unanimous in disgust at the waste of taxpayer money on law-enforcement for these "crimes." Most of the posters are rabid right-wingers on every other issue. This is the one issue where all sides of the spectrum seem to agree, and agree very loudly.

(Suburban-rural area in SE PA west of Philly)

[uberllama42]

48. philly.com can be worse than 4chan

and as bad as FR on a bad day.

[ellie]

20. My 80-year-old mother

thinks pot should be legal. It was surprising to hear her say it.

[Zoigal]

38. Agree totally with your mother. And i'm a bit older.....z

[Dank Nugs]

23. Governments that govern least, govern best. n/t

[Canuckistanian]

24. The anti-pot propaganda isn't working

A majority of people have tried it and they realize it's not at all harmful.

And a lot of people against decriminalization can't give a good reason WHY it should remain illegal.

[Greyhound]

26. All of the 'conservatives' I know here (and all I know here are 'conservatives')

Feel the same way. It's not a liberal thing, it's a sanity thing.
:kick: & R

[SoCalDem]

27. or it could be that a lot of people wanted to be excused and get to go home

:rofl:

[OmahaBlueDog]

43. I pick that answer!

If they'd asked "How many feel we should execute red-light runners", you might have gotten the same response, under the circumstances.

[MarkInSavannah]

28. Hell, why stop there..........

The quickest way to end the violence on our southwest border and in many of our inner-cities would be to decriminalize ALL drug use. The appeal of drug trafficking would die a quick and sudden death when these violent drug lords understand that there is no profit in a business when their product can be purchases with pharmaceutical quality and at a quarter of the price at the local pharmacy. Wouldn't that be a hoot!

[SargeUNN]

29. Phoenix and this Valley were turning purple but

thanks to the division and exclusive nature of the Democratic leadership here, the right is stronger than ever. Once it was moving forward but thanks to dividing over stuff that really should have been let resolved on it's own, the community is not only divided but hostile to each other. No the progressive movement is hurting here and the progressives did it to themselves. We do have some good things going on but sadly they have little or no outlet and the so called progressive station here is run by an egomaniac that refused to heal the wound and just made sure it got deeper. To this day he still hasn't put his ego aside for the good of the Progressive community and the community is suffering because of this stupidity. The Democratic Party leadership is clannish and will not include anyone that doesn't fit into the class they want.

[slackmaster]

31. Don't forget that AZ was one of the first states to legalize "medical" cannabis

I think you would benefit from a thoughtful reassessment of your assumptions about your fellow Zonies.

[SargeUNN]

33. Hey Slackmaster

Your interest and knowledge of Arizona is interesting. Where in Arizona do you live or did you live? Something tells me the answer to both is you don't live here nor ever lived here, but maybe you have. Maybe before you tell me about where I live you should live there to or at least have a reasonable history before you try to tell me what to think of my own state.

[slackmaster]

35. Are you having trouble keeping track of your sock puppets?

:rofl:

[femrap]

32. People realize

that the $$$ spent of the War Against Drugs is a total waste. Look what alcohol does to society and it's legal.

Look at the $$$ spent on police forces to combat drugs while violent criminals walk away.

Legalize it all. No more Drug Wars...and no more innocent people caught in the crossfire.

[B Calm]

34. It's 2010, why in hell is marijuana still illegal? I really thought when the Baby Boomers

came to old age, we would throw out some of these old drug laws. . .

[Renew Deal]

36. Reminds me of the last time I went for jury duty.

They asked if anyone had trouble understanding english. A lot of people raised their hands. They talked to each person one by one. They looked at the paperwork for one asian lady and said "You work at the Post Office? Sit down!" I thought that was hilarious. Sounds a lot like what you witnessed.

[abq e streeter]

37. Here in NM, it has not been a right vs left issue at all.

Although Bill Richardson did support and sign a medical marijuana law, it is right wing/libertarian former Gov Gary Johnson who has been on a one man crusade for legalization, and much of the Democratic establishment including our current Lt. Governor Denish (she is our Democratic candidate for Governor now) , fell all over themselves to denounce Johnson for this. In addition,then state Repub party chairman John Dendahl , a far right nutcase, supported legalization too. Here is what another of our "brave" Democratic leaders had to say about that: "... they installed a venomous and divisive radical who supports policies, such as legalizing drugs, which are outside of the mainstream," blasted New Mexico Democratic Chair John Wertheim....
Sadly, gutless, craven political opportunists of our party ,at least here in NM, had no problem imprisoning people whose only crime is enjoying a joint in the privacy of their own home. Hypocrites, sellouts, whatever you want to call them, are all over the political spectrum on this issue. Pathetic...

[Gamey]

39. There's a member on this blog that truly believes...

...anyone involved in any kind of drugs at all should be summarily executed. He's a complete nutcase who also believes W was the 3rd best president.

http://moneyandmore.lefora.com/forum/category/moneyandmore-forum-topics/

[Bennyboy]

41. Scew the politicians and take the issue directly to the people..

and they will pass legalization.

[spanone]

42. it's time for the reefer madness to stop. people being jailed for simple possession.

it IS madness.

[robinlynne]

44. Did any of those people get selected for jury duty? or were they looking for a jury

who does not want MJ legalized?

[rury]

45. Purely anecdotal

but still encouraging.
here's hoping that Hayworth and McCain eat each other alive and a divided Repukkke party hands the Democrats a senate seat in November!
:dem:

[Odin2005]

47. K&R

[bertman]

49. Cool! thanks for posting this, AzNick. Rec.

[emsimon33]

50. Marijuana=OK; Mexicans=illegal

That's some state there!

[AzNick]

51. Arizona is turning blue... nobody on DU wants to believe me

You just wait.