Hadiya Pendleton’s funeral petition
The tragic death of a Chicago teen is drawing more attention now that petitioners are demanding that the president attend her funeral. As previously reported, Hadiya Pendleton, 15, was gunned down in Chicago’s Harsh Park on Tuesday, Jan. 29 in a senseless act of violence. Just days before, Pendleton and her high school bandmates performed at the president’s inauguration.
Since her deat,h people have expressed outrage over the city’s growing gun violence. So far in 2013, 42 people have been killed by bullets. Now in an effort to highlight the issue, a petition has been placed on the White House website insisting that President Obama attend Pendleton’s funeral. In colorful language, the petition’s writer, C.R. of Brooklyn, N.Y., brings up the tragedy at Sandy Hook and urges the commander in chief to focus on gun control.
“As Newtown swirls down the memory hole and passion to implement sane gun control gets sidetracked by whatever the latest Congressional bulls— circus will be, President Obama should stand up and take advantage of a tragic opportunity to keep the anti-gun violence movement engaged,” the petition reads.
The petitioner then notes that the teen went from the National Mall in D.C. to a Chicago mortuary in just eight days.
The petition has a goal of 100,000 signatures; so far it has reached only a little over 900.
To sign it, click here. –danielle canada
