<p>…take a shot at it</p>
<p>A pox on both your houses.</p>
<p>DUNCAN v. LOUISIANA, Sup Ct, 391 U.S. 145
(May 20, 1968, Decided)</p>
<p>Justice Harlan in his dissent: “I should think it equally obvious that the rule, imposed long ago in the federal courts, that “jury” means “jury of exactly twelve,” is not fundamental to anything: there is no significance except to mystics in the number 12.”</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/duncan.html[/url]”>http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/duncan.html</a></p>
<p>Originating sources probably:</p>
<p>The 12 Apostles referred to in the BIBLE</p>
<p>… and since “The dozen may be one of the earliest primitive groupings, perhaps because there are approximately a dozen cycles of the moon in a cycle of the sun.” ( Wikipedia) </p>
<p>one could relate to the other, either one cause and the other effect, or the inverse, and either one or both…are likely the origin of the 12 person jury</p>
<p>The 12 Apostles was my guess, too.</p>
<p>However, there are good reasons for a number around 12 that aren’t merely religious/mystical in nature. Too few people and you’re unlikely to get a diversity of opinion. Too many and you get into issues of collective action and agency breakdown.</p>
<p>In a metric world, we’d have 10 jurors, though. Might be interesting.</p>
<p>Yup, that was the answer, the 12 Apostles. So America does derive some things from religion, eh.</p>
<p>We do derive a lot from religion. We have people swear on the Bible when taking an oath, whether it be in court or before taking a public office. We have “In God We Trust” printed on all of our money. There is even a prayer in Congress everytime it convenes. So much for Separation of Church and State.</p>
<p>In God We Trust was added during the Civil War.</p>
<p>Just because Americans have long been Christians (although the founding fathers were primarily deists) does not change anything about the nature of the separation of Church and State.</p>
<p>Although I admire religion, I like it separated. I enjoy the idea of Civic Religion that America, or at least used to, have.</p>
<p>Constituion is the Bible
Judges are Priests
Mount Rushmore is the Church
the National Anthem is prayer</p>
<p>“We do derive a lot from religion. We have people swear on the Bible when taking an oath, whether it be in court or before taking a public office. We have “In God We Trust” printed on all of our money. There is even a prayer in Congress everytime it convenes. So much for Separation of Church and State.”</p>
<p>The Separation of Church and State in America was about freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. The whole idea of it was (and is) that Americans will never be persecuted by the government for their religious beliefs; unlike in countries like England, citizens here were free to believe whatever they wanted. IN NO WAY did the Separation of Church and State mean that government would divorce itself from religious faith or expression.</p>
<p>This is basic American history, yet most people today seem to totally misunderstand it.</p>
<p>Yes, but if American legislation endorses one particular religion it essentially discriminates against all others. Ultimately, the law is not blind and some individuals are more equal than others.</p>
<p>What about atheists, whom would like to provide testimony?</p>
<p>I’ll swear on an ice cream sandwich.
but only if I get to eat it after I testify.</p>
<p>…:). I’ll swear on A Brief History of Time, as long as all the jurors read it before their deliberation.</p>
<p>I’d swear on the president’s life.</p>
<p>and then lie.</p>
<p>I don’t know about his life, but definitely his presidency/lack thereof.</p>
<p>two more years. two more years. two more years.</p>
<p>just keep saying it. deep breaths. It kind of makes me feel better :/</p>
<p>(or just picture Dick Cheney deep in the woods in hunting camo…that always makes me laugh)</p>
<p>McCain 08! </p>
<p>How many on the jury in Survivor?</p>