New York Actor Dodges Jury duty

because America classes him as "second-class"

 

Yes,  in what at first glance seems to be a frightening damnation of gay people in America, turns out to be a stand against the inequalities gay people have to face in the land of the free.

Jonathan D. Lovitz, an openly-gay musical theatre actor and model, said that discrimination against gays made him a second-class citizen, and that he would therefore be unable to judge a defendant impartially.

On his Facebook page, Lovitz wrote: “Had an intense day at jury duty. During voir dire we were asked who would not be impartial.

“I raised my hand and said ‘since I can’t get married or adopt a child in the state of New York, I can’t possibly be an impartial judge of a citizen when I am considered a second class one in the eyes of this justice system.  You wouldn’t believe how people in the room reacted. Was I wrong for saying that?”

As a result, Lovitz was excused from the courtroom, and will no longer be required to undertake jury service.

In an interview with MSNBC, Lovitz said: “I never intended to be an activist […] I’m just a young gay man who saw some inequality in the state, in the country.”