Online Petition Calling for Ban on Straight Drivers Gets Nearly 10,000 Signatures in 3 Days
A petition posted on a White House website calling for straight men to be banned from driving is nearing the 10,000 signature mark after only three days of being posted.
Created by an individual known as "S.B." of Normal, Ill., on Sunday, the petition apparently argues that the issue is about public safety.
"Many busy highways have billboards that use sexually suggestive imagery of women's bodies. Women also often go about their everyday lives near roadways wearing tanktops and short shorts," reads the petition in part.
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"If straight men (and men of other sexual orientations who are attracted to women) can be distracted by the mere sight of a woman's thigh, then it is a public safety hazard to allow them to operate vehicles that weigh thousands of pounds at up to 75mph past these inevitable distractions."
The petition appears to be a light-humored jab at the dress code policies of many high schools in the United States regarding women's attire.
Nevertheless, it has garnered signatures from individuals across the country in the thousands and at its present rate of accruing support will likely reach the 100,000 mark by its June 25 deadline.
The proposal of banning straight males from driving was posted on the "We the People: Your Voice in Our Government" website, which was established by Obama administration to create more direct communication between Americans and the White House.
"The idea of petitioning the White House or the government isn't new, but this online platform is," reads the "How & Why" section of the site.
"We the People provides a new way to petition the Obama Administration to take action on a range of important issues facing our country. We created We the People because we want to hear from you. If a petition gets enough support, White House staff will review it, ensure it's sent to the appropriate policy experts, and issue an official response."
Other recently posted petitions on the site include requests for the government to "Exercise clemency for crack sentences imposed under old guidelines," "Pardon Kate Hunt," "Invite Medea Benjamin to the White House for a beer," and "Support HR 411 Ft McClellan Health Registry Act To Help Veterans."
The petitions website has been frequently criticized by some who claim it has become a site where jokesters post ridiculous petitions.
For a time the White House promised an official response to any petition that got 25,000 signatures. However, after petitions like one demanding the White House build a Death Star weapon gained popularity, the site changed its rules so that official responses would be promised only for petitions that got at least 100,000 signatures within 30 days.
