In a blog post last week, veteran award-winning reporter and, until recently, MidWeek columnist, Bob Jones, blasted the online petition platform Change.org for “promoting” a petition titled “Open Hawaii Now,” which demands Gov. Ige immediately open up Hawaii’s economy despite the continuing deadly threat of COVID-19.
Change.org bills itself as a place where people can start public campaigns seeking policy changes by creating a petition, then mobilize supporters to work with decision makers to drive solutions.
Like Facebook and other social media, the Change.org platform can be used to broadcast messages with widely varied political content.
Jones’ post appears on his new blog, The Bob Jones Report. I recommend subscribing, despite occasional disagreements (like this one).
It struck me as odd that Jones seemed as offended by the availability of Change.org’s platform that was used to present “Open Hawaii Now,” as by some of the dubious arguments expressed by the creator of the petition.
Jones also took a poke at Pierre Omidyar, the billionaire founder of eBay turned philanthropist and entrepreneur, for making a $15 million investment in Change.org back in 2013.
It seems to me that Jones’s post missed the mark and gave far too much weight to the “Open Hawaii Now” petition, which as of this morning had drawn just 387 signatures, according results posted at Change.org.
For example, Jones might have mentioned that an earlier petition launched on Change.org two months ago called on Governor Ige to “Lockdown Hawaii Now.” It had drawn 1,173 signatures before Hawaii’s lockdown started and the petition became moot.
And, for some reason, Jones never even identified the originator of the petition, instead simply associating it with Change.org and Omidyar.
The petition was posted by Kit Carver, who lives and works in Kona. Although the petition was started by Carver, Jones doesn’t mention him by name or by reference.
Carver moved to Hawaii in 2008. He was previously the co-owner and operator of My Bar in Kailua Kona, and is now a licensed real estate salesperson, records show. His Facebook page reflects his involvement in real estate sales, and doesn’t express an ideological bent.
I took issue with Jones slant in a comment on his site.
Bob, to be fair, you should be clear. The petition is not by Change.org, which provides a platform to promote petitions on social and political issues by others, This means individuals and groups don’t have to design their own online presence. In that sense, it is like WordPress, which powers your website. You use WordPress to express yourself, and millions of others use it. When you don’t agree with their online comments, you don’t blame WordPress.
You should be explaining to people that they have to evaluate the source of each petition. In this case, the petition was launched by Kit Carver, a small business owner in Kona. Evaluate this sponsor’s qualifications for giving advice counter to that of all public health experts.
In any case, despite occasional disagreements, I highly recommend The Bob Jones Report. You can easily subscribe by providing your email in a form at the bottom of each page.
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Certainly not the first Hawaii heckler to wander out of his depth…
I’ve signed change.org petitions before for causes that were not really liberal but ones that I believed in. In turn they request your contact info and they sell your info to third parties and they themselves will relentlessly bombard you with emails texts and phone calls promoting their usually super liberal causes assuming that since you signed a petition. That you are in boats with everything they promote. I’ve requested being removed from their lists and I still get their calls etc. This is their tactic.early in their stated approach to success they said they would use any all means to promote their agenda. Which they admitted would include using false information. I know Ian won’t agree with my views on this but this has been my experience. I differ with Ian on politics but I really like his blog and the differing viewpoint is healthy. Thanks for that.
Did Bob Jones disclose that his wife, Denby, works for Omidyars Civil Beat? I sign some of the Changes petitions.I let all phone calls go to as.to delete. I don’t give my cell #. Thanks for petition info.
While Change.org petitions are usually for noble causes I remember one petition (in 2016) by a young second wife complaining about the divorce settlement her rich older husband had to pay his first wife and how she wanted the ruling change. Needless to say, she got few signers including myself! Since this is an election year might I suggest you do a blog post on those lofty sounding super pacs and who’s really behind them and where the money goes to. AARP had a breakfast meeting with seniors a few years back and I questioned them on super pacs they essentially gave me a non answer.