The jury system in the US (as in many other countries)is a farce. I'm hardly surprised that a juror behaved in this manner - it happens all the time. And still many Indians on this forum think that the US justice system is great, and that it is only in India we have a justice system which is flawed. The difference is that in India we at least realize how bad things are. In the West people are indoctrinated to believe in the infallibility of their institutions.
Re: Farcical legal system
by JGN on Sep 19, 2009 02:24 PM
Judiciary in India is second most corrupt institution after police. This is the result of survey done by Transparancy International.
Re: Re: Farcical legal system
by Rivka Mishra on Sep 19, 2009 03:27 PM
I don't doubt that there is widespread corruption in India, even in the judiciary. But I would take Transparency International's surveys with a pinch of salt.
The trouble with agencies like TI is that they have a narrow definition of corruption. In the West, there are powerful lobby groups (which include unions) which use covert methods to influence legislation and judicial practice. On the surface everything looks legal, so it is not defined as corruption. In India, you will find arbitrary, under-the-table corruption. We know it exists, we don't deny it. So TI isn't telling us anything we don't already know.
On the other hand, about the pathetic state of the judiciary in many Western countries, TI says nothing.
Re: Re: Re: Farcical legal system
by piri on Sep 19, 2009 04:55 PM
And, if one were to go solely by the yardstick of how corruption in high office adversely affects the qulaity of life of the commoner, then India reveals itself to be monstrously corrupt as compared to the crystalline nature of public life in the west in general !!!
Re: Re: Re: Re: Farcical legal system
by Rivka Mishra on Sep 19, 2009 07:48 PM
The "crystalline nature" of public life is exactly what is most deceiving. Can you really say that the Bush family with all its connections, and dubious past is deserving of its status in a democracy?
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Farcical legal system
by Rivka Mishra on Sep 20, 2009 04:10 AM
Piri, I don't doubt your accounts of corruption in India. All I'm saying is that we know that corruption is widespread in India.
About the American commoner not noticing the effects of lobbying, I think you are wrong. Take a look at the US health system, and Obama's attempt to reform it. Many Americans die because they can't afford to pay their medical bills. In most developed countries health care is practically free, but not in the US.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Farcical legal system
by piri on Sep 19, 2009 11:16 PM
I was talking about how corruption affects the Indian commoner. While lobbying and interest groups are everyday realities in the US, the US commoner is not affected one bit from such acts that may be termed as corrupt in the strictest sense.
Contrast that with India where, to quote just one among hundreds of examples, PDS shops meant for the poor not only do not dispense the entire quota of mandated quantities of rice, wheat, kerosene, sugar etc. to BPL families but often remain shut for weeks together in much of rural India (diversion of allocations to the black market with the blessing of political bigwigs unwittingly elected and re-elected by the suffering commoners themselves) !! The US commoner does not encounter anything remotely resembling that !!
Anand John has been reckless. But I can understand him in the context of the showtown culture of California and what women do there to break into lucrative show business. If you don't believe this, just look at the behavior of juror. He is not supposed to contact anyone from victim's family. But he conveniently forgot that law. He was trying to date the victim's sister. He should be put behind the bars.
Re: so much for hogging limelight
by secret on Sep 19, 2009 11:49 AM
She knows the caliber of women in California. She is merely protecting her brother.
In India they discriminate on the basis colour, religion, sex, caste, sub-caste, subsub-caste, SC, ST, even on the basis of dietary preferences, social status, region, your bank balance just about anything and everything. Why India has even institutionalised discriminatory laws under their so called 'personal laws' that have divided INdian society into 'equal Indians' 'more equal Indians' and 'most equal Indians'. India is the mother of all racist socities. US, Oz etc should tell Indians to first address their own racist attitudes.
Re: Re: Americans should take lessons in racism from Indians
by Vivek Dev on Sep 19, 2009 01:03 PM
@JGN Why are u posting irrelevant replies. Indians themselves have elected a white woman as their defacto ruler. So what are u talking about? They have themselves accepted that a white lady is more competent than other Indians in managing their affairs.
I dont like Anand Jon ( upstart Indians who think that even some success in the Land of the Whiteman makes them Gods ) . But having said that one must not use this dislike to justify warped logic employeed to punish them dispropotionate to their crime. The ethics and morals that guide America permit all that Anand Jon practiced. It is a subtle form of racialism to over react based on color of a criminals skin . Admit it if you have brains - with or without a Green Card / H1B Visa Alvin Dymally who as a "Holy" Juror tries to use his stature s_e_d_u_c_e a defendants sister and gets away with 120 days of comminity service . If that is the yardstick why did Jon not be put in 1000 days of community service ?
Re: All b'coz Karma!
by Uaskedforit on Sep 19, 2009 10:35 AM
Tell this to the farmer ... who is killing himself because he could not reap what he sowed !
