that an online petition has ever changed anything?

I strongly suspect not ... :D

M.

If it generates publicity it might - thinking particularly of the Ashtead Nimbys! ;)

I was thinking of petitions that aim at the government...?

the Ashtead Nimby's is more a "protest register" than a petition IMO?

It's just another very good example of 'spin' IMO :) :) :)

Daisy

Most petitions are a protest against something that is happening or something that's not happening.

Yes, I agree...but is there any evidence that an online petition has ever changed the governments mind on anything?

Another problem is that a lot of the things on the petition site are not directly in the government's jurisdiction :( BUT it looks good - the people having 'direct access' to the government - doesn't it ? :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Daisy

I don't think there's evidence that any petition, whether online or paper, has changed a Government's mind if they're set on some course of action. :( It makes people feel they've registered a protest though.

I suspect they are now becoming victims of their own non-success - in that there are SO many petitions now that they are losing their importance.

Shame really - but I suspect individual letters of protest have more impact?

I would imagine the best course of action is to contact your local MP at one of his/her surgeries and put your point, and ask him to put it forward to the relevent Minister or even to the House as a whole. The personal touch works better than any amount of faceless signatures.

Yes, the change is the Government now has the email addresses, at least, of all their trouble makers :)

And postal addresses.

Bit lost as to why someone who feels strongly enough about something to protest is labeled a trouble maker? Or have I read it wrong? if not for the suffragets (SP) we would not, as ladies, have had the vote or be respected as people, not a mans chattel. I do agree with JG though, whilst online petitions are good, the personal touch of actually sending a letter, and talking to your MP, may have more clout. But do the goven (whichever one it is in power) actually listen to us once they are elected :rolleyes:

>Or have I read it wrong?

You have :)

Yes, the change is the Government now has the email addresses, at least, of all their trouble makers

So what does this comment mean?

It certainly isn't a comment on whether their troublemakers are justified or not, so no need to tell me about the injustice of the Suffragette movement :) 
All it says is, if the Government considers signees troublemakers they have their details that is all.  Do with that thought as you please :)

So you are suggesting that anyone who disagrees with the goven, or anything else then they are troublemakers. Oh well..........:rolleyes:

Trying reading the first section of the first sentence again :)