Microsoft
Most days it seems like the only organizations not caving to the demands of social conservatives are corporate America. Granted, corporations are hardly a bastion of liberalism, but they are concerned with the bottom line and know that anti-gay policies are bad for business. Corporations have a financial interest in keeping the best and the brightest, even if those folks happen to be gay.
So it's particularly alarming that Microsoft, a corporation that's been relatively ahead of the game in treating LGBT employees equally, seems to have worked behind the scenes to defeat an anti-discrimination bill in Washington State (see full story on p. ?). Instead of using its corporate clout for fairness it decided to "go neutral," effectively killing the bill. Microsoft decided to go this route after the company had expressed support for the bill in previous years and after conservative Christians threatened to boycott the company. As if right-wingers were all of a sudden going to start using Linux or switch to Macs.
According to the New York Times on April 23, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said that although he and Bill Gates personally supported the bill, they were afraid of making waves with the right. According to the Times, he sent an email to employees explaining the reversal that said, in part, "As long as I am CEO, Microsoft is going to be a company that is hard-core about diversity, a company that is absolutely rigorous about having a nondiscriminatory environment, and a company that treats every employee fairly."
Uh, I guess that means as long as you're actually in the Microsoft building. As for LGBT folks living in the world outside of Microsoft's insular universe, well, forget you. The non-discrimination bill also covered housing in addition to employment, which means Microsoft's LGBT employees are safe from discrimination so long as they actually live in their offices.
Frankly, this stinks worse than a "NakedPictures.exe" file attachment from an unknown sender.
Let Microsoft know what's on your mind by calling The Glover Park Group, the company that handles Microsoft's Public Policy and Governmental Affairs in Washington, at 202-337-0808. You can also contact public relations rep Jim Desler by calling 425-703-6061 or emailing [email protected]. Write to CEO Steven A. Ballmer at 1 Microsoft Way; Redmond, WA 98052-6399.
