On Petitions and Presumption.

I signed an online petition tonight against the deportation of American archaeologist Jennifer Wexler ordered by some clearly pea-brained bureaucrat in the Home Office. I signed it because I was enraged by the absurd reason given for the refusal to grant permanent residency, but then I was given another reason to be enraged. I got an email from the petition organiser which said:

In signing our petition you have joined our organisation. Here are lots more petitions we want you to sign (or words to that effect.)

Needless to say I took the necessary steps to unsubscribe, paying particular attention to my entry in the Tell us why you’re leaving (optional) box. If this is the sort of thing we’re supposed to accept in the modern online world, maybe it’s about time somebody organised a petition to rein back the unmitigated presumption of petition organisers.