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[weathered]

I once signed an online petition for a valid cause. Then, I started getting regular emails to sign more petitions for different causes. They are of course all valid causes--labor injustice, sexual abuse, child abuse, prisoner abuse, etc etc. But at one point, I wonder how effective they are. What do you think about petitions? I always see a lot of them, but very few actually have much effect on changing social injustice. Perhaps I should just keep signing? Or just give up--petitions are the only way to increase your web presence? What do you think about petitions?

[wet_blanket]

My opinion is completely uninformed, but I think petitions will (have?) become less valuable as they('ve) move(d) online.  X-thousand electronic signatures aren't as impressive as X-thousand signatures that have been physically collected, and I suspect the average strength of feeling on the issue wouldn't be as strong for signatories of an electronic petition.

[notaprof]

I think petitions are just a way to gather e-mailing lists to be sold to marketers.  Some only pass them on to other like-minded groups perhaps but my husband signed one or two MoveOn.org petitions on line and his email box now receives 10-15 related email messages per day.  I find that annoying.  

I rarely sign petitions because I really don't think they accomplish much more than making me feel like I have done something, when I haven't really.  They may even prevent people from acting because they think they have already contributed something by stating they are for or against something. Action speaks louder than a signature.

[oldfullprof]

Google "moral entrepreneurs."  Many nowadays ignore the moral part and emphasize the entrepreneur part.  Some of these people manufacture social problem: for example, the nursery school molestation craze, which followed satanic ritual abuse/multiple personalities.  I'm very suspicious of "doing well by doing good."

I have Move On blocked.  They're obnoxious and libelous as well.