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THE GUERRILLA FIJA FIGHTER
A few more ideas you can use to spread the word and help us
get this job done:
1. Attend candidate forums and ask the candidates what they
think of FIJA.
2. If a group that you belong to sends questionnaires out
to political candidates, try to get a question about FIJA
included, to the effect that you want to know whether he or she
would, if elected, support or sponsor a FIJA amendment.
3. If you have access to a booth or table at a fair, swap
meet, gun show, or any other public event or gathering, pass out
FIJA literature (and talk to and recruit activists).
FIJA volunteers staffing a table can have a supply of
writing paper and envelopes, sample letters to editors and sample
requests for legislative action, accompanied by lists of
legislators and their districts, and extra chairs. Then when an
enthusiast is identified, hand that person a pen!
4. A tactic which has been used by constitutionalists for
years is to show up at the local courthouse with pamphlets on
jury rights (lately, with FIJA brochures). It's easier, more
educational and less dangerous to give the literature to
everyone, not just jurors. That makes it harder to accuse you of
"jury tampering", as happened to Chuck Bower of California.
(Want to help him out with court expenses? His mailing address
is P.O. Box 457, Pine Grove, CA 95665).
5. Similarly, if you can get a copy of the current district
jury pool (it's part of the public record), mail FIJA literature
to prospective jurors. Notice that this does nothing to interfere
with or influence any particular jury trial, which is what must
be proven if you are to be convicted of jury tampering.
IF YOU'RE CALLED FOR JURY DUTY...
Show up, of course. If this happens before FIJA becomes
law, just remember that it is always your right to decide on the
justice of any law you're being asked to apply to the accused.
So if the judge insists that you must consent to follow and apply
the law as he or she describes it, do not be intimidated: you may
in fact safely follow your conscience.
You can't be punished for voting your conscience, but may be
harassed (interrogated before or after serving, reprimanded, or
possibly even disempaneled if you urge other jurors to do
likewise; unbelievably, it has happened). But jurors are not
bound to do anything against their wills, nor bound by oaths
given under duress, nor required to return a unanimous verdict.
You shouldn't look at jury duty as an onerous task which is
to be avoided if possible. For one thing, it's your chance to do
some real good for yourself and the community. In many cases,
this may mean voting to convict someone whose behavior is truly
dangerous to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.
In other cases, it may mean acquitting someone because the
evidence to convict is not convincing, or because the law or its
application to the accused person appears wrong. Defense of the
rights of the citizens of your community is the whole point of a
jury system, and those include the rights of the accused and of
the jurors themselves. Justice therefore demands that common law
jurors insist on their right to consider both the facts of the
case and the merits of the law.
For these reasons, we urge you to regard jury service as an
opportunity, a right worth defending, or a personal duty, despite
whatever obstacles may be thrown in your path. Since most states
select jurors from voter registration lists, consider the chance
to serve on a jury as another reason to register to vote!