Take Action: Tell Microsoft to Reinstate Their Support for Workplace Fairness Legislation
The funny thing is, I was at a meeting on the Microsoft campus today when I recevied the above call to action from the HRC. Talk about coincidence!
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer commented in the New York Times on April 24, 2005:
"We are thinking hard about what is the right balance to strike -- when should a public company take a position on a broader social issue, and when should it not?
"What message does the company taking a position send to its employees who have strongly held beliefs on the opposite side of the issue?"
As the HRC points out, there is no "balance" to be struck between workplace fairness and discrimination. Public reports indicated that Microsoft made this about-turn in response to pressure from right-wing religious and political groups. We need to send Microsoft the message that it must reaffirm its support for this bill in the next legislative session.
Diversity is not about beliefs, it's about people's lives. The people on the other side of this 'debate' are not seeking 'balance'. Standing up for gay employees, partners and customers is not about respecting 'feelings', it's about taking a moral stand against forces of ignorance, hate and murder. Anyone who needs a reminder of this might like to review Bruce Garrett's nice synopsis of 'opposing viewpoints'.
Microsoft says it's "investing for the long term to achieve the mission of helping people and businesses realize their full potential", and establishing "a comprehensive plan to promote and integrate diversity at every level within our organization and in everything we do".
If Microsoft is unable to maintain these principles in the face of pro-discrimination forces, what corporation will?
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