Petition Helps Turn Hate into Inspiration

Sometimes a few images are enough to spark an individual to try to create change in the world. Cause leader Joanna Crinks found images on a Facebook page titled “I Hate Dogs” so horrific that she created a petition to force Facebook to ban the page and all of its contents. With the support of over 1,600 members and 1,800 signatures, Joanna’s cause community led the charge to successfully have the page removed. Joanna was kind enough to email us responses to questions we asked about her cause.

A trained veterinary nurse who loves to keep pets healthy, Joanna was able to find a tool through Causes.com that enabled real world impact. For Joanna, the need to promote greater good in the world was something that came naturally. “I’ve always been someone who stands up for what I believe in. I am extremely passionate about animals; I am a Veterinary Nurse and see abuse and neglect on a daily basis. I know I will not change the world but if I can change one person’s way of thinking or save one animal’s life, then I have succeeded.”

Joanna joined Causes in February and was appalled with what she was seeing on the Facebook “I Hate Dogs” page. “This was a site with very graphic and very violent photos that I will never forget. It was alleged that Facebook had recieved over 3000 reports about this page and had done nothing. I thought it was time to up the pressure.”

After sending numerous messages to Facebook through their standard reporting terms of service violations protocol, Joanna realized she could do even more. She created her petition on Causes, began sharing it, and soon hundreds of people were signing. “I didn’t really have a figure in mind, but hoped for hundreds [of signatures.] As it turned out, 1,770 people cared enough to sign my petition.” With support from friends and strangers, Joanna posted an update on June 13, 2012 telling the petition signers that the page had been removed. “The comments and support I got from like-minded strangers. There are a lot of good people out there.”

Joanna hopes to create more actions on Causes in the future, but her real reward comes in the form of inspiration from the community she built and the impact they achieved together. “It proves that the tiny voices can be heard and gives me a glimmer of hope for the future. Unfortunately these awful things are happening all over the world, but if someone as insignificant as me can make a change, then so can others.”