Feb 12, 2012 -- 1:08AM, rabello wrote:

Maybe you should consider moving this thread to the US Politics board, world citizen....just link it to American politics, which you have already started, by comparing the lack of response during the crushed Iranian uprising with the so-called "Arab Spring" and also the war drums being sounded in America, particularly the presidential candidates, for attacking Iran....you might get more people there willing to sign the petition and, I think, will generate less hostile responses.  

(I apologize if I am overstepping with this suggestion)

Thanks for the suggestion, rabello, but this doesn't really have anything to do with US politics, other than peripherally.  It's a human rights issue and Beliefnet members come from around the globe.  If it's to be moved, I have no problem with that, but it would be a different moderator who would make that decision.  Deprivation of basic human rights should be everyone's concern.

Feb 12, 2012 -- 11:06AM, mountain_man wrote:

Feb 12, 2012 -- 10:53AM, world citizen wrote:

Thanks for the suggestion, rabello, but this doesn't really have anything to do with US politics, other than peripherally.  It's a human rights issue and Beliefnet members come from around the globe.  If it's to be moved, I have no problem with that, but it would be a different moderator who would make that decision.  Deprivation of basic human rights should be everyone's concern.

It is everyone's concern, and I an concerned. What I am not concerned about is an online petition that will have no effect what so ever on it's intended recipient. You mentioned something about Iran being "watched" by people around the world. The Iranian government does not care what anyone else thinks of them. And a petition from the West, especially the USA, will just get laughed at. This petition is only a method used to drive visitors to a website so they can get more money for advertising. I seriously doubt that it will ever get sent to Iran.

Two points seem adrift...

This is a global internet action.  I'm familiar with a number who have signed the petition letter who live on other continents.  It is NOT being sent by/from the "U.S." - even those who put together the documentary and the website are diverse, and it is co-sponsored by Amnesty International.  Second (and it could just be me), I have found not one piece of advertising at the entire site, which is why it's been a word-of-mouth undertaking.

If you "seriously doubt that it will ever get sent to Iran," perhaps you could theorize why Amnesty International and the talented, experienced documentary team have been wasting their time and efforts this way.

Do you really believe that even if the petition gets to Iran that anyone there would even read it or take it seriously? I can't.

I already addressed that in my post 8.

Don't fool yourself; they're making money in donations.

I returned to the website...  nope, not one request anywhere for donations.  Are you always this cynical?     Odd, since you self-describe as "motivated by a desire to do good for its own sake..."

Any organization affiliated with Amnesty International that might get my e-mail address for something re human rights is welcome to it.  Legitimate organizations usually carry a link to "unsubscribe" if I don't want mail from them and, if not, they're consigned to the spam folder.