Progressives also used the petition process to call for curbs on gun rights and other left-of-center priorities, and to exclude a Christian minister from Obama’s second inauguration. (RELATED VIDEO — Lawrence O’Donnell: Get rid of the Bible on Inauguration Day)
The minister, Louie Giglio, has criticized the ideology of gas lobbies, and championed child-centered traditional marriage. That petition succeeded, and Obama removed Giglio from Inauguration Day ceremonies.
Many petitions on the site, however, are intended simply to be amusing. (RELATED: Top 10 most ridiculous White House petitions)
One called on the White House to build a “Death Star” planet-destroying spaceship. Another asked that “Congressman Ron Paul should be allowed to add his signature to the Original Constitution. He, more than any other public servant since it’s inception- has championed it, strived to uphold it, and reprimanded those who have not.”
A least one petition was a covert lobbying campaign, and included hundreds of computer-generated fake names.
