Are You Serious? 10 Strange Petitions In Recent History
The U.S. of A. is known as the land of the free, and our First Amendment (though sometimes contested) allows us the freedom of speech. Enter: petitions, a tool used to rally mass support behind a cause. Case in point: The Game recently crafted a petition calling for a reunion of his ex-squad, G-Unit, and guess what, he's already earned considerable support.
Alas, some petitions don't always support worthy causes. Peep these 10 unique online petitions and blame the Internet.
Photo Credit: RapGenius
Alas, some petitions don't always support worthy causes. Peep these 10 unique online petitions and blame the Internet.
Photo Credit: RapGenius
1) Plea for Alicia Keys to not sing the National Anthem
Once news of A. Keys being recruited to sing the National Anthem on Super Bowl Sunday was announced, she set the Internet on fire, as 266 people signed a plea for her to keep her mouth shut and not sing. This venture didn’t shape up how the petitioners wanted it to -- Alicia is still scheduled for the event. The “Brand New Me” singer could jazz up the song, even make history by being the first person to play an instrument during the segment.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Once news of A. Keys being recruited to sing the National Anthem on Super Bowl Sunday was announced, she set the Internet on fire, as 266 people signed a plea for her to keep her mouth shut and not sing. This venture didn’t shape up how the petitioners wanted it to -- Alicia is still scheduled for the event. The “Brand New Me” singer could jazz up the song, even make history by being the first person to play an instrument during the segment.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
2) 10,000 Signees for Jeremy Lin's return to the Garden
News of Jeremy Lin’s trade to the Houston Rockets came as disheartenin
Photo Credit: Bob Levey/Getty Images
News of Jeremy Lin’s trade to the Houston Rockets came as disheartenin
Photo Credit: Bob Levey/Getty Images
3) 50 Cent calls for Diddy to stop using the Notorious B.I.G.’s name
Enough is enough served as the theme for an apparently frustrated 50 Cent’s petition for Diddy to stop using Biggie Smalls' “name for profit.” With over 700 signatures, Fiddy said, “Let Diddy know to let B.I.G Rest In Peace. When was the last time Diddy really was ‘biggin’ up his brother,’ not bigging up his bank account.” This request didn’t come through, but 50 should’ve known that because when does Diddy take orders from people who aren’t Diddy?
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Enough is enough served as the theme for an apparently frustrated 50 Cent’s petition for Diddy to stop using Biggie Smalls' “name for profit.” With over 700 signatures, Fiddy said, “Let Diddy know to let B.I.G Rest In Peace. When was the last time Diddy really was ‘biggin’ up his brother,’ not bigging up his bank account.” This request didn’t come through, but 50 should’ve known that because when does Diddy take orders from people who aren’t Diddy?
Photo Credit: Getty Images
4) Ernie and Bert to join in holy matrimony
Rumors have always swirled on Sesame Street about whether or not Bert and Ernie should marry and make their apparent union official. As a result, petitioners saw this as an opportunity to educate young viewers on acceptance and respect and created a petition for the show to write this into the script. However, the two puppets didn’t exchange vows on television and remain just BFFs.
Photo Credit: Matthew Simmons/Gett
Rumors have always swirled on Sesame Street about whether or not Bert and Ernie should marry and make their apparent union official. As a result, petitioners saw this as an opportunity to educate young viewers on acceptance and respect and created a petition for the show to write this into the script. However, the two puppets didn’t exchange vows on television and remain just BFFs.
Photo Credit: Matthew Simmons/Gett
7) Petition to boycott Shawty Lo’s baby-mama reality TV show
When a snippet of the ATL rapper’s show All My Babies’ Mamas circulated the net, people couldn’t figure out if it was a serious show or just a lost tape somewhere in reality TV boardrooms. Before a statement from the possible show’s network Oxygen was released, a petition started by Sabrina Lamb called for the show to not be aired because it “demeans black children, women and stereotypes black men!” The petition worked -- the show will not see the reality television light of day.
Photo Credit: VIBE
When a snippet of the ATL rapper’s show All My Babies’ Mamas circulated the net, people couldn’t figure out if it was a serious show or just a lost tape somewhere in reality TV boardrooms. Before a statement from the possible show’s network Oxygen was released, a petition started by Sabrina Lamb called for the show to not be aired because it “demeans black children, women and stereotypes black men!” The petition worked -- the show will not see the reality television light of day.
Photo Credit: VIBE
5) President Obama to remove Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones
Once your team endures mishaps every game day, you can’t only blame the players and the coach, but the whole franchise, right? Cowboys fan Steven M. did just that and took his petition to remove owner Jerry Jones straight to White House’s website. America’s football team received more than 4,000 signatures to remove Jerry Jones, but was later taken down from the site. He still remains in his position, so look out for him next season, Steven M.
Photo Credit: Martinez/Get
Once your team endures mishaps every game day, you can’t only blame the players and the coach, but the whole franchise, right? Cowboys fan Steven M. did just that and took his petition to remove owner Jerry Jones straight to White House’s website. America’s football team received more than 4,000 signatures to remove Jerry Jones, but was later taken down from the site. He still remains in his position, so look out for him next season, Steven M.
Photo Credit: Martinez/Get
6) Piers Morgan must be deported
Hailing from England, the CNN anchor struck a few sour lines with viewers who wanted “off with his head!” Maybe not to that extreme, but it is a stretch to call for his deportation, especially since the petition found its way to the White House. After the anchor spoke in favor of stricter gun control laws, 109,000 people called for his leave not only from the network, but from the country. No need to fret, the White House took down the petition and you can still watch Piers Morgan every night at 9 p.m., so deportation leaders, “bug off.”
Photo Credit: Lamparski/Ge
Hailing from England, the CNN anchor struck a few sour lines with viewers who wanted “off with his head!” Maybe not to that extreme, but it is a stretch to call for his deportation, especially since the petition found its way to the White House. After the anchor spoke in favor of stricter gun control laws, 109,000 people called for his leave not only from the network, but from the country. No need to fret, the White House took down the petition and you can still watch Piers Morgan every night at 9 p.m., so deportation leaders, “bug off.”
Photo Credit: Lamparski/Ge
8) Zoe Saldana shouldn't play Nina Simone?
Maybe the Colombiana actress doesn’t physically look like the great Nina Simone, but that doesn’t mean her acting skills will fall sub-par. Still, this request called for another actress to assume the role, dimming Saldana's abilities. As of now, she's still attached to the biopic.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Maybe the Colombiana actress doesn’t physically look like the great Nina Simone, but that doesn’t mean her acting skills will fall sub-par. Still, this request called for another actress to assume the role, dimming Saldana's abilities. As of now, she's still attached to the biopic.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
9) Dwight Howard to ditch his L.A. Lakers headband
This petition called for Howard to stop wearing his headband on game days because, and this isn’t a joke, “it looks ridiculous.” The briefly detailed petition failed to reach its point, as Howard didn’t adhere to this fan’s requirement. He should be happy the 6’11 center doesn’t wear that itty-bitty Superman cape on game days.
Photo Credit: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images
This petition called for Howard to stop wearing his headband on game days because, and this isn’t a joke, “it looks ridiculous.” The briefly detailed petition failed to reach its point, as Howard didn’t adhere to this fan’s requirement. He should be happy the 6’11 center doesn’t wear that itty-bitty Superman cape on game days.
Photo Credit: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images
10) All of the “We The People” petitions
So who is down for unicorns and lollipops, a possible nuclear war and the legalization of crystal weed to ease the stress of a World War III? A few people thought these petitions on the White House’s site “We The People” were bright ideas, you know, to make our country better. President Obama and staff have some sense, so these requests didn’t work, although you can smoke weed (illegally), lollipops are still at a respectable price, you can catch unicorns in cartoon shows, but a nuclear war is still realistic (North Korea, stop testing).
Photo Credit: TheWhiteHous
So who is down for unicorns and lollipops, a possible nuclear war and the legalization of crystal weed to ease the stress of a World War III? A few people thought these petitions on the White House’s site “We The People” were bright ideas, you know, to make our country better. President Obama and staff have some sense, so these requests didn’t work, although you can smoke weed (illegally), lollipops are still at a respectable price, you can catch unicorns in cartoon shows, but a nuclear war is still realistic (North Korea, stop testing).
Photo Credit: TheWhiteHous
