Microsoft under fire for reversal on gay rights bill
The Microsoft Corporation, at the forefront of corporate gay rights for decades, is coming under fire from gay rights groups, politicians and its own employees for withdrawing its support for a state bill that would have barred discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
Many of the critics accused the company of bowing to pressure from a prominent evangelical church in Redmond, Wash., located a few blocks from Microsoft’s sprawling headquarters.
The bill, or similar versions of it, has been introduced repeatedly over three decades; it failed by one vote Thursday in the State Senate. Gay rights advocates denounced Microsoft, which had supported the bill for the last two years, for abandoning their cause. (source)
So today I’m sitting at my desk at work. My phone rings. I answer it. It’s a representative from Microsoft wanting to sell me a new “add on” product to a Microsoft package my company already owns. I’m the IT Manager for the company I work for.
I reply, “Why?” He starts to tell me about the product and what it will do... I interrupt with, “No. I want to know why!” He said, “I don’t understand.” I said, “Washington State has been trying to pass a gay rights bill for the last three decades. Yesterday, it lost by one vote. This after Microsoft withdrew it’s support for the bill. So, my question to you is, why. Why did Microsoft pull it’s support for the gay civil rights bill in Washington State and why should I, as a gay man, give you, a representative of Microsoft, time of day?”
He said, “Well, I don’t know what to say.” I said, “When you figure it out, you can call me back.” I hung up the phone.
Two hours later I get another phone call from Microsoft. They are having a web seminar that they felt I would be interested in participating in. I said, “Why?” You get the idea.
It’s a small world. I don’t live in Washington State. This bill would have added job protections for gay workers, and I do know something about that. I know what it feels like to be fired for being gay. At the time it happened, I felt degraded, useless, humiliated, and powerless.
Today, I got my power back!
Microsoft can go to hell.
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Maybe bill gates needs another pie in his face to wake him up,and while they are at it give the bible thumpers one too.
That's OK... Microsoft has been good for my career and I never EVER paid for a single piece of software. I'll stop here as to not incriminate myself :)
Dan
LOS ANGELES, April 22 /U.S Newswire/ -- In response to Microsoft's withdrawal of support for legislation that would have outlawed discrimination against gay and lesbian people in Washington, the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, which presented Microsoft with its Corporate Vision Award in 2001, is asking the company to return the award.
Right On! They need to know that turning their backs on civil rights will cost them. I checked on Linux 2 years ago, and felt it was not ready for prime time. I am going to look again.