Microsoft Withdraws Gay Rights Support

[Queersetti]

"Microsoft Corporation pulled its support for a gay rights bill in Washington state last month after complaints from a single radical right anti-gay leader, according to an article just published in the Seattle paper, The Stranger (the article is on the news stands already, online Thursday). "


Please check out the whole article.

http://americablog.blogspot.com/2005/04/take-action-microsoft-abandons-gays.html

 

[silverwhisper]

if anybody's interested, the blogger is responding to this article.

ed

 

[Queersetti]

Thanks for adding that link.

 

[silverwhisper]

i'm always happy to help a story get more attention, esp on a subject about which i'm passionate. :>

so it's illegal to discriminate against blacks, latinos and other groups, but hey, go ahead and discriminate against gays? is that really the message that M$ wants out there?

ed

 

[WyldSpirit]

Ok, seriously, it isn't even possible to boycott Microsoft if you own a PC, unless of course your computer was designed to run Linux, oh wait, that would be like none of the home computers that I know of. I'm amazed and furious that MS would respond to this idiot's totally idle threats. I mean hello! MS knows that his threats were idle, how many millions of dollars did MS end up paying out due to that lawsuit because they have a total monopoly going?? But I'm sure that one minister from a suburb in WA state that has less that 50,000 people can convince a significant amount of Microsoft's business to boycott, which means buying a new computer, spending 3 to 4 times and much (depending on how expensive of a PC you own) because it means buying a Mac, and hey, having to learn to use it all over again because Mac's differences, though relatively minor in the grand scheme, when it comes to daily use and operation, are actually pretty significant. And well, as much as the religious right loves to jump on the band wagon of the week, they love their savings and every penny that is in their pocket books more! Hello! Throwing out a perfectly good computer and buying one that's way more expensive to boycott (something that only those "damn liberals" do anyway) yeah, that's gonna happen.

Sorry about the rant guys, I'm just a little pissed.

 

[silverwhisper]

sorry about the rant guys, i'm just a little pissed.

don't worry about it: as far as i'm concerned, you should be. i am and i'm straight! :>

ed

 

[Brinnie]

http://hackvan.com/pub/stig/pix/subversive/win95-true-colors.jpg

 

[deezire1900]

I wish that we didn't need a Microsoft or a Walmart to back us.

 

[Queersetti]

Washington Gay Rights Bill Defeated
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

Posted: April 21, 2005 7:30 pm ET

(Olympia, Washington) A bill to protect LGBT civil rights that was all but dead and then given new life was defeated Thursday in the Washington legislature.

The legislation, which gays had fought for for 30 years would have prohibited discrimination in jobs, housing and insurance.

The measure was defeated in the Senate by a single vote - 25 to 24.

Sen. Jim Hargrove, a Democrat, said he opposed the measure for religious reasons.

"I believe adultery is wrong; I believe sex outside marriage is wrong; I believe homosexuality is wrong," he said. "I cannot give government protection to this behavior."

Earlier this month Republicans, aided by two conservative Democrats, derailed the bill, using a procedural vote to send it to the Senate Judiciary Committee where it was destined to die.

Thursday morning, Senate Democrats, using another procedural maneuver, pulled it out of committee and scheduled it for a debate by the full Senate.

Republicans then attempted to get a bill on a proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage out of committee and onto the floor for a vote but were blocked by Democrats.

The state already has a Defense of Marriage Act that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman. That law is being challenged in the state Supreme Court.

The House approved the gay rights legislation last month, and supporters of the bill say they will reintroduce it in the next session.

Similar bills have been introduced in the Legislature for nearly three decades years and died.

Gov. Christine Gregoire said she was disappointed the measure failed.

"I remain committed to ending discrimination and I urge all my fellow citizens to do all we can, individually and as a community, to make Washington a safe and welcoming place for all people to live and work," she said in a statement.

 

[Raimondin]

Somebody throw a rock and break a "Window!"

Jokes aside, I not surprised Microsoft would do this. Has there been any reaction from God, Bill Gates?

 

[silverwhisper]

uh...M$ was up until this generally considered gay-friendly.

ed

 

[Mary Hall]

If MS hadn`t bullied it`s way to the top and stopped rivals from making better products maybe the computer world wouldn`t be in the shit right now

 

[infoplsme0]

m$ Decision

No one said this was a free society...its only a democracy!

 

[Luna_Wolf72]

My grrl

is calling a ton of numbers...and collecting e-mail addy's. I am supposing that we will be writing and calling most of the night.

New info: We just spoke to someone in Washington DC who informed us that they are not commenting. We were directed to thier website...

The rapid response team can not answer because of the volume of calls....

More later

 

[Trinique_Fire]

Taken down for policy reasons...

 

[Trinique_Fire]

I'll leave my previous post up for the next ten minutes, and then it's coming down...

 

[bicuriousosaur]

I think it is all pretty much bullshit. Of course, this is what I suspected ever since Bush got elected.

 

[Teal]

Fuck Microsuck Nothing good ever came from them anyway...

 

[Never]

Um… I hate to stop an anti-Microsoft binge but does anyone have any evidence that they did this?

I mean, the Stranger has an anonymous source that provided them with a transcript of a meeting. Am I the only one who finds it odd that a while 'quietly' changing their stance they'd get all the gays in the office together and tell them what's happening?

Has Microsoft ever responded to the threat of a boycott before? Isn't it a bit odd that they'd suddenly do so? Isn't a bit odd that this employee didn't go to say… the Seattle Post?

 

[Queersetti]

Um… I hate to stop an anti-Microsoft binge but does anyone have any evidence that they did this?

I mean, the Stranger has an anonymous source that provided them with a transcript of a meeting. Am I the only one who finds it odd that a while 'quietly' changing their stance they'd get all the gays in the office together and tell them what's happening?

Has Microsoft ever responded to the threat of a boycott before? Isn't it a bit odd that they'd suddenly do so? Isn't a bit odd that this employee didn't go to say… the Seattle Post?

I'm not sure which part of the story you are questioning.

If you are asking if there is evidence that they changed their stance because of pressure from Rev. Hutcherson, his account of the meetings with Microsoft's general counsel is completely consistent with that told by the employees. In addition, State Rep. Ed Murray, the sponsor of the bill, has stated that the general counsel, Brad Smith, informed him that the change was in response to pressure from Hutcherson.

 

[John Doe]

Far be it from me to support Microsoft or any of its actions* (or lack thereof) or for that matter decline from opposing that corporation, but they ARE a corporation undoubtedly. Not an elected or appointed governmental body, not a non-profit, public grant funded research or philanthropic group, but a private organization and as such it is free to support or oppose (or decline to support) any other group or organization it wishes.

*except perhaps for many of thier computer games which IMO, and remarkably in contrast with thier OS, do not suck.

 

[Queersetti]

Far be it from me to support Microsoft or any of its actions* (or lack thereof) or for that matter decline from opposing that corporation, but they ARE a corporation undoubtedly. Not an elected or appointed governmental body, not a non-profit, public grant funded research or philanthropic group, but a private organization and as such it is free to support or oppose (or decline to support) any other group or organization it wishes.

*except perhaps for many of thier computer games which IMO, and remarkably in contrast with thier OS, do not suck.

And consumers who disagree with their policies are free to refrain from patronizing them, and to encourage others to do likewise.

 

[kbate]

And consumers who disagree with their policies are free to refrain from patronizing them, and to encourage others to do likewise.

Yet Microsoft remains one of the most Gay Friendly corporations in the world.

One does not have to support everything about us to make them our friend. I don't think you will see the Gays quitting their MS jobs because of this subject.

The You are either with us 100% or you are our enemy attitude will get us nowhere.

 

[Queersetti]

Yet Microsoft remains one of the most Gay Friendly corporations in the world.

One does not have to support everything about us to make them our friend. I don't think you will see the Gays quitting their MS jobs because of this subject.

The You are either with us 100% or you are our enemy attitude will get us nowhere.

In fact, Microsoft employees have been among the leading voices questioning the company's apparent shift in policy.

There is a middle ground between quiet acquiescence and treating everyone who doesn't support the gay community 100% as enemies.

Microsoft committed a grievance against the Gay community in this situation, and also, by hiring the viciously anti-gay Ralph Reed as a consultant. I don't believe the gay community is in the wrong to express their dissatisfaction both vocally and economically.

 

[Etoile]

uh...M$ was up until this generally considered gay-friendly.

Yes, exactly. The overwhelming negative response about this from the gay community is upsetting. Microsoft went from a supportive position to a neutral position, not a negative one. This is common and acceptable business practice - it's called not pissing off half your customer base. Apparently the gay community has forgotten that Microsoft's gay-positive policies are among the oldest in the corporate world. They've had a very high score on HRC's Corporate Equality Index for a long time. If I remember correctly, they have an entire sales division targeting queer consumers. Reversing a decision that was bad for busines does not negate all the good things they have done. Not by a long shot. And it's too bad the gay community is so willing to forget those good things.