How to Start an Online Petition

The intention of a petition is to make an impact on society and to change the world. We all have a right to have freedom of speech, and one of the many ways we can use this right is with petitioning.

Is there something about society that you wish you could change? Is the government using your tax money on something you don't believe in? Is there something being done with your favorite television show that you, and many other fans, don't agree with? Do you wish you could do more to help abused children and animals? Well, start signing petitions! Start your own as well! Petitions are not only effective, but they're free. Millions of people are willing to sign petitions that they believe in. Are you one of those millions of people?

Some people don't believe that online petitions make an impact. There have been may success stories concerning online petitions, though. Online petitions are very popular because they work. People usually consider starting petitions to be the best and most peaceful way of getting their voices heard. There is a sense of professionalism brought to petitions. There is no reason to go all out on the streets for a protest or even a riot. Our voices can be heard just as effectively, if not more so, when we sign our name on a petition.

Why is it important for us to start petitions? Here are many reasons why:

• To bring notice of corruption in the government, military, etc. to other officials.

• To address wrongdoing. Whenever all other efforts to help an innocent person fails, a petition can bring awareness to many people who would be willing to help that person.

• For civil rights issues and social reasons. Where would we be today if petitioning wasn't around to help women and other minorities get equal standing in this country? And because of present day petitioning, hopefully women, gays, and minorities in other countries will get more rights, as well.

• To change laws that many people aren't happy with. Many laws unfortunately are outdates and even ridiculous. Thankfully, we all have the power to change them with petitions.

• Students can start petitions to fight for academic changes in their school or University. If an academic setting has harsh policies and rules that many student's don't agree with, they have every right to protest and start petitions.

• If political leaders are acting unfairly and hypocritically, the public has every right to petition against them. If the public voted a politician into office due to promises the politician made, and the politician then shows no interest in fulfilling those promises, the public can petition to let the government know they're not happy.

• The fan base of television shows that are being cancelled, or of movies that can't keep their promised release date, can start petitions to let the media know they're not happy. They can demand that changes be made. There is currently a petition for Harry Potter fans to protest against The Half Blood Prince's changed release date. It is one of the most popular online petitions at the moment, with nearly 50,000 signatures! There are also thousands of signatures on a petition to save Stargate Atlantis from being taken off of the air.

• The power of the Internet can obviously bring many people together for any specific cause. Obviously, the most important reason to start a petition, is to make sure voices are heard! We no long live in a barbaric society where we must keep our mouths shut. We have a right to speak and be heard.

I'm sure you have plenty of ideas about how this world can become a better place; we all do. So how can you start your own petition? The Internet makes it possible for people to start online petitions. There are sites such as Petition Spot that makes starting online petitions easy. Petitions are free, so it won't cost you a dime to start one. It won't cost anyone else any money to sign your petition, either.

You should read other petitions that are similar to the cause you're fighting for in order to get some ideas. Petition Spot also offers sample petitions and form letters for you to download and go by. Make sure you write your own petition with good spelling and grammar. Make it as professional as possible. Petitions, as I mentioned above, are a very professional way to protest. The more professional you make it, the more it will be taken seriously. You'll be surprised at the number of picky people out there. Not only should it have excellent grammar and spelling, but it should make sense as well. Keep it direct and to the point, yet at the same time, make sure it MAKES a point. Don't just ramble on and on; keep it simple.

Check with your government to make sure your petition follows proper guidelines. Find out how many signatures your petition may need in order to become effective. You'll need an idea of how much effort you should put into promoting it and how long it may take you to reach the quoted number of signatures.

Once you have an idea of how much effort you should be putting into your petition, you'll need to begin promoting it immediately. Email all of your friends, family, business partners, etc. You can promote it through online forums, chat rooms, and blogs. You can host it through a site like Petition Spot. They offer free tips and resources that will help you with your petition. You should take every advantage of any free resources you can find to help your petition. As long as your petition is well written and interesting, it should stand out. People will be more willing to sign their name to something that is professionally written.

Once you have plenty of signatures, then you can submit it and hope that it will make a difference. If you did everything you could to get signatures, and you truly feel passionate about the cause, then your petition should help make a change in the world.