Has an On-line Petition Ever Done Any Good?

I just ran across a post on Twitter asking if a any on-line petition has ever done any good (Hi Andy!):

Well, I should say so! Our petition to Save The Ramova began to circulate on September 21,2005. More than three years later, the Ramova is still standing. If any of you have driven down South Halsted you would agree that that is amazing! Seriously, parts of South Halsted, running through Bridgeport and Canaryville look like blighted like Detroit.

Secondly, Alderman Balcer thought it worked and here's why I know that for sure. The Alderman ran for re-election on the "Save the Ramova" platform! This was the one civic issue that he mentioned time and time again during his last re-election campaign. Alderman Balcer was quoted in both the Sun Times and Tribune about how the Ramova should be saved, plus other publications.

I don't believe the theater would have been mentioned at all if not for our presentation of our on-line petition. We really were not taken seriously until we went to see Alderman Balcer with a printed copy of the hundreds of petition signature and comments from the form pleading with him to save the theater.

Furthermore the petition was what got the owner (a city department) to admit us into the theater to inspect it.

Also, the petition was instrumental in convincing local architect Rob Vagnieres to draft the plans we created for the theater's renovation.

Need I go on? The short answer is: yes, online petitions can work and can change the status quo!

-Maureen