Microsoft and the Gay-Rights Bill

At last a calm and reasonable viewpoint on the issue.

The whole "Microsoft withdraws support for gay rights" issue came out of left field for me. I'm as strong a supporter for gay rights as they come, but the recent issue threw me for a loop. On the one hand, what is Microsoft doing? On the other, huh? Internally, Microsoft is probably the most pro-gay rights as they come. Ten years ago when I was hired, Microsoft had the same great internal stance that they do now.

But when the actual facts come out via Steve Balmer's email, I understood, but it still left me with a bit of a queasy feeling.

Scoble's response was kind of similar to mine.

But Vic nails it. Thank you for expressing what a lot of people are thinking.

Personally, it now looks like another religious fruit-loop trying to gain stature by posturing.

From the Seattle Times' article:

Hutcherson, though, said yesterday he met with Microsoft officials earlier this year, telling them he would organize a national boycott of the company's products if it did not withdraw its support of the bill.

Hutcherson also said he told the company's officials that two Microsoft employees who had testified in support of the bill should be fired because they misrepresented themselves as representatives of the company. Begasse said the two employees were testifying as individuals, not company representatives.

The pastor said he didn't care what the company's policies were regarding gay employees as long as they kept it within their business. "What I was upset about was when they tried to step outside their four walls and make their policy my policy. That gave me the right to step out of my world into theirs."