Wayne Besen - Author, Activist, Columnist, Public Speaker

Friday, April 22, 2005

(Is this Apple I-Pod the New Gay Pride Symbol?)

Under pressure from a right wing church, Microsoft pulled its support from a Washington state bill that would have prohibited discrimination in employment.
On Thursday, the bill failed by one vote in the State Senate.

Dr. Ken Hutcherson, pastor of the Antioch Bible Church, had harrassed Microsoft and threatened a boycott if they supported the gay rights measure.

"I told them I was going to give them something to be afraid of Christians about," Hutcherson told the New York Times.

Microsoft officials blatantly lied in a poor attempt to cover their ass and said that recent meetings they had with the right wing minister didn't spook them. However,
state Representative Ed Murray, an openly gay Democrat, told the Times that in a meeting with Microsoft's senior vice president Bradford L. Smith, it was made clear that the company was was buckling because of the reverend's threats. He also said that he was concerned about the reaction to company support of the bill among its Christian employees.

According to the Times, Murray said Microsoft's spin that the decision not to support the bill had nothing to do with the church was "an absolute lie."

I can understand possibly succumbing to this type of pressure if Microsoft were a fledgling company. But it is the 100,000 pound gorilla in the computer world. And where would the fundies turn during a boycott; to the even more gay friendly Apple?

The truth is, Bill Gates has no balls. King Bill already has more money than God, so he, more than anyone in the world, should be able to brush aside these threats. Furthermore, the fundamentalist boycott of Disney didn't do much good, except rid the park of obnoxious, preachy busybodies.

My solution? Switch to Apple. Not only does Apple produce superior products, they are moral and don't kow tow to some backward ass hillbilly preacher.

11 Comments:

Fuck Microsoft. Get an I-POD today!!

Arnold
posted by Anonymous, at 4/22/2005 9:24 AM

You liberals are losing more every day. Bush's election was your doom. You homosexuals better get used to it. There are dark days ahead for sinners, as the new Pope and Bush spread God's word.

Mel G. - Kentucky
posted by Anonymous, at 4/22/2005 9:26 AM

Mel G. - The 'New Pope and Bush' sounds like a British pub.

Now tell me about sinners. Homosexuals are sinners? OK. What about you? You a sinner? Oh, come now. Surely you've sinned and fallen short in God's eyes? Are there "dark days" ahead for you too? What about me? I thought we were all sinners. I thought God loved us all equally.

I think you're afraid, Mel G. I think you're afraid that someone is going to notice your deep dark secret. Too late, Mel. We know all about you.

Best,

Wiggy
posted by Wigwam Jones, at 4/22/2005 1:47 PM

Mel G, actually this country is finally beginning to wake up to you christo-fascist anti-american hate mongers who wouldnt recognize the true teachings of Jesus if they were tatooed on your redneck asses. Bush's ratings are FALLING in every poll and I can guarantee you, that after the 2006 midterm elections, the nazi republikkkans will no longer be drunk with absolute power, because they wont have it anymore!
By the way, if you're reading a gay blog you must be a big closet case anyway!
NJ Yankee
posted by Anonymous, at 4/23/2005 9:53 AM

Actually Mel G, the new Pope and Bush do not spread God's word as they wouldn't know God if he was standing next to them. And read your bible, he who is without sin casts the first stone. By the way, homosexuals are human beings, not sinners. The only dark days ahead are for the prejudiced hate mongers like yourself, so get used to it!
posted by Anonymous, at 4/26/2005 8:23 AM

Here's an easy way to fight back against Microsoft and its homophobia. Stop using Internet Explorer. (Besides, IE is substandard software anyway.)

IE's market dominance has been used by Microsoft in order to try to trap people with its Windows operating system. Helping to break the IE monopoly is a great punishment for Microsoft.

One excellent alternative is Mozilla's Firefox, which has tabbed browsing and pop-up blocking. You can learn more at:

http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/

It's free too.
posted by Tom, at 4/29/2005 9:16 PM