After meeting with a single right-wing preacher, and being threatend with an "evangelical boycott", Microsoft has withdrawn its support of Washington state's gay rights bill. At the moment, it's perfectly legal to fire someone for being gay in most of the state. People in Washington believe this may kill the bill.
Go to AMERICAblog for actions to take.
From The Stranger
The Stranger has learned that last month the $37-billion Redmond-based software behemoth quietly withdrew its support for House bill 1515, the anti-gay-discrimination bill currently under consideration by the Washington State legislature, after being pressured by the Evangelical Christian pastor of a suburban megachurch. The pastor, Ken Hutcherson of Antioch Bible Church in Redmond, met with a senior Microsoft executive in February and threatened to organize a national boycott of the company's products if it did not change its stance on the legislation, according to gay rights activists and a Microsoft employee who attended a subsequent April 4 meeting where Bradford L. Smith, Microsoft's senior vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary, told a group of gay staffers about Hutcherson's threat. Hutcherson also unsuccessfully demanded that the company fire two employees who had testified in favor of the bill....
The list of high-profile companies that endorsed the bill this year reads like a who's who of the Pacific Northwest corporate world. It includes the Boeing Company, Nike, Coors Brewing, Qwest Communications, Washington Mutual, Hewlett-Packard, Corbis, Battelle Memorial Institute, Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen's Vulcan Inc., and others. And as late as February 1, Microsoft, which issued a letter in support of the bill last year, appeared poised to do so again.
I used PCs for most of my computing life, but once OS X came out, and once I was hit one too many times with a virus despite daily anti-virus updates, I switched. I'm thrilled to be using a computer that "just works," and whose design is much more attractive, from the hardware to the software.
Go check out the Apple store. The Mac Mini is a good bargain for desktop users. While you're at it, if you're still using Internet Explorer for that exciting "is it going to let a web site install something nasty" browsing experience, switch to FireFox.
[Story via AMERICAblog and Jay Blotcher]
I think I will go get myself a Mac now! Microsoft can go F@#$ themselves!!!
I just now sent Microsoft customer service the following:
I'm so sick of Microsoft's refusal to provide a secure OS, and now Microsoft is supporting discrimination against gays? I'm going to buy a Mac! Then I will never again have to buy any substandard, overpriced Microsoft software, except Virtual PC! Macs really are much better; secure OS, no viruses or spy-ware, no crashes, drives never die, true plug and play and, let's face it, a far superior GUI. Viva Linux!
Mr Gaijin
Redmond WA
Actually I own a Mac, but I know many PC owners, some of whom work at Microsoft, and I know my remarks about Windows are largely accurate. I just want to put the fear of God into them, i.e. the almighty buck!
I actually met Bill Gates years ago at the 15th anniversary party. Bill hired his favorite band, Chicago, and I saw him coming out of the can during a break. I walked up to him and shook his hand and "I'm glad to finally meet you" and he said "very nice to meet you." Just normal and nice. I like Bill Gates and am happy for his and Microsoft's success, and I'm happy Microsoft is part of our local economy. But they can be encouraged to reconsider in this (anti-gay) case where they have unwisely refused to stand up to the "born again" minority. What does Microsoft have to worry about, they have a monopoly! I'm pretty sure the far right don't use Macs!
follow up to previous:
I am not gay, but I refuse to believe that Jesus was a bigot. Jesus is not responsible for the hatred and malice these so called Evangelical Christians display.
Ironically, I went to the 15th anniversary party with my brother's friend, Pete Gay. He is now a retired millionaire living on a golf course in Arizona. He is also not gay...
I like the flat screen I Mac with all the guts enclosed in the screen. The "super drive" records DVDs too! If my G4 ever dies, I'll get one of those.
When are companies like Microsoft gonna stop letting Hate Mongers rule their business and social decisions.
Can't Bill Gates just pick up the phone and call George Bush himself if he has problems, questions or ideas? What does he need with Ralph Reed?
Kudos to Ken Hutcherson!
How interesting that the threat of boycott--
is being given to homosexual groups
with a dose of its own medicine.
May Miscrosoft experience a minor blow!