Cat In Court
Cat in Court
This week a cat was summoned to jury service in the American state of Boston. Court officials requested the attendance of Tabby Sal sparking a response from his owner Anna Esposito who explained:
“Sal is a member of the family so I listed him on the last census form under pets but there has clearly been a mix-up. When they ask him guilty or not guilty? What’s he supposed to say – miaow?”
Mrs Esposito informed the court officials that Sal was unable to speak and understand English but was told by a jury commissioner that Tabby Sal “must attend” on March 23. The cat’s owners were also reminded by the US judicial system that jurors were “not expected to speak perfect English”.
When thinking about the absurdity of the above court summons, one has to consider the everyday errors made my human beings. As the western world becomes more reliant on machines, common sense is often being left at the door. The gut reaction to question our surroundings seems to be less needed as computers send automated requests to members of the public; both human and feline.
Maybe 2012 is the year for asking new questions.
My thanks to CVM for this article and JoJoNeil for the wonderful image.
