Change.Org is a place where people can go to start online petitions, for pretty much anything they can dream up. Nearly 25,000 people declared that they wanted Weird Al Yankovic to play the 2014 Super Bowl. Nearly 5,000 people so far are lobbying Fox Sports to keep Troy Aikman from commentating any games involving the Green Bay Packers. There are multiple petitions to deport Justin Bieber, one of which asserts that "he is a Canadian born "Entertainer" who is using The United States of America as his own personal amusement park and hookah lounge."
But now, there's one of note for Arsenal fans that involves Gedion Zelalem. As most of you already know, Zelalem could declare to represent either the United States or Germany in international soccer, based on FIFA's creatively-drawn rules for what makes you eligible to represent a specific country. Though much of the smart money's been on Germany to win out in the GZ Sweepstakes -- in part, because declaring as an American citizen might gum up the new work permit he'd need to continue on at Arsenal -- there's reason to believe he'd get more action with the Yanks, given the talent on each team.
So, there's this petition, with some 44 patriotic Americans asking President Obama to do whatever he can to get Zelalem to commit to the USMNT. It concludes boldly: "Let's break every rule and fully embrace as much governmental corruption as it takes to get Gedion Zelalem to the US National Team. The children are our future."
For American Arsenal fans who want an American player to root for, Zelalem represents the best chance for that, and perhaps the petition will get a little more traction. It may not be the best arena for Arsenal fans, though -- when Spurs fans lobbied the team to stop its "strategic partnership" with a little under 5,000 signatures, less than 400 Arsenal fans came forward to sign the petition to stop Spurs' petition.