Jeff Bezos, who hopes to go to space, and return.
(Picture: Getty Images)Thousands of people have signed a Change.org petition to deny Jeff Bezos re-entry to Earth after he leaves it for Mars.
Started by Ric G. in a subsection of Change.org called the The Proletariat, the petition has a goal of 10,000 signees. So far, it has more than 8,000.
“Billionaire’s should not exist...on earth, or in space,” the petition reads, “but should they decide the latter they should stay there.”
“If they can send a billionaire to Mars why can’t they send them all there?” asked one signee on the petition’s “reason for signing” section.”
“Bezos is the scum of the earth,” wrote another. “So why not make him the scum of space instead and then we don’t have to deal with him anymore.”
“Let him find another planet to plunder,” someone else commented.
Bezos announced earlier this month that he planned to fly to Mars on the New Shepard, the ship built by his company, Blue Origin.
“Ever since I was five years old, I’ve dreamed of traveling to space,” he wrote in an Instagram post making the announcement. “On July 20th, I will take that journey with my brother. The greatest adventure, with my best friend.”
Bezos is one of three billionaires racing towards space. Richard Branson, with Virgin Galactic, and Elon Musk, with the Boring company, are also trying to launch themselves away from earth. Calls to keep them off of it have sprung up repeatedly for at least Musk and Bezos, whereas Branson, somewhat forgotten in general, has escaped scrutiny.
For many people, including those signing the petition, such wealth spent on something that feels frivolous, while so many on earth suffer, is incomprehensible. As one commenter wrote, “It would cost $20bn to end homelessness in the United States. Jeff Bezos alone could end homelessness in the United States almost TEN TIMES by himself.”
“His wealth would do more good for the planet if it were not attached to his greedy demon piglet hands,” the comment concluded.
