Microsoft General Counsel & Executive Vice President, Legal & Corporate Affairs, Brad Smith has posted the following via The Official Microsoft Blog:
Today, Microsoft is joining other Northwest employers Concur, Group Health, Nike, RealNetworks and Vulcan Inc. in support of Washington State legislation recognizing marriage equality for same-sex couples. We believe that passing this bill would be good for our business and good for the state’s economy. I wanted to take a few moments to explain why.
At Microsoft, we pride ourselves on our products and services, our brand, and our global reach. But unquestionably, our employees are our greatest asset.
To be successful, it’s critical that we have a workforce that is as diverse as our customers. Every day, the national and global economies are becoming more diverse. The lifeblood of a business is its ability to understand and connect with its customers. We’re no exception. Now more than ever, the most effective workforce is a diverse workforce.
While some of our employees literally grew up around the corner, others have come from every state and almost 150 countries around the world. They reflect virtually every background in the country and on the planet. They bring their creativity to work, and they put it to good use in developing new products and serving our customers. There simply is no substitute for their diverse backgrounds, perspectives, skills and experiences.
Inclusiveness is therefore a fundamental part of our values, and is integral to the company’s business success.
This means it’s important to go beyond simply forbidding discrimination; we strive to actively promote diversity, equality and inclusion in our workplace. In 1993, Microsoft became the first Fortune 500 company to provide same-sex domestic partnership benefits. For almost two decades, we’ve benefited from this support and the resulting contributions of our LGBT employees.
In addition to corporate policies supporting diversity and equality, we strive to engage in a thoughtful manner in public discussions on issues that have a significant impact on our employees and our business. For example, Microsoft supported legislation in Washington State prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, as well as legislation expanding domestic partnership rights.
Our support today for Senate Bill 6239 and HB 2516, Washington’s marriage equality legislation, builds upon our previous work in this area.
As other states recognize marriage equality, Washington’s employers are at a disadvantage if we cannot offer a similar, inclusive environment to our talented employees, our top recruits and their families. Employers in the technology sector face an unprecedented national and global competition for top talent. Despite progress made in recent years with domestic partnership rights, same-sex couples in Washington still hold a different status from their neighbors. Marriage equality in Washington would put employers here on an equal footing with employers in the six other states that already recognize the committed relationships of same-sex couples – Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont. This in turn will help us continue to compete for talent.
While Microsoft’s support for marriage equality is motivated by respect for our employees, we also respect the views of those who may not agree with our position. For example, we have many highly valued and highly successful employees who hold a wide range of views on this and many other issues. We’re not asking anyone to change their views to conform to the company’s position.
We also recognize that marriage has meaning as both a civil and a religious institution. Like the marriage equality bill passed last year in New York State with bipartisan and business support, this bill preserves religious freedom in Washington’s churches while ending discrimination in Washington law.
Like the New York bill, we believe Washington’s legislation should be passed into law. It will make our state and our economy stronger.
– Brad Smith, Microsoft General Counsel & Executive Vice President, Legal & Corporate Affairs
Source: The Official Microsoft Blog
MacDailyNews Take: Microsoft prides themselves on their products and services? Since when?
As for the main topic, we’re a little faklempt… Talk amongst yourselves… We’ll give you a topic: In the last U.S. presidential election, neither Biden nor McCain nor Obama nor Palin supported “same-sex marriage.” Discuss.
Related articles:
National Organization for Marriage to Steve Jobs: You’ve become Big Brother (with video) – December 17, 2010
Christian Group asks Apple to reinstate pulled ‘Manhattan Declaration’ iPhone app – November 30, 2010
California’s ‘No on 8’ same-sex marriage campaign models ads on Apple’s ‘Get a Mac’ commercials – November 01, 2008
Apple donates $100,000 to fight same-sex marriage ban in California (Proposition 8) – October 24, 2008
Not that i’ll ever have to be personally concerned by that “right”, i think that leaving the freedom of choice to people is essential.
It’s, also, a very good signal towards the clique of brainless creationists and all those fundamentalists creeping around on this planet! Gosh! Beside the unbelievable speeches they preach, nothing can be good enough to wash their lies away!
Your ignorance is astounding!
Brainless Creationists – If you have a learned mind & did some research you would see they have more facts to back up their claims than evolutionists.
I have. And no… they don’t. They have a stories, a book, and faith. That’s it.
yep a book that can be tested, stories that can be verified and faith in something real & tangible. We all put faith in something – I choose to put mine in something very carefully. through reason, research and logic. And then He showed me just how real He is. And changed my life & continues to do so (thankfully).
I hope you read the other post about the Bible. It may surprise you.
I so happy “he” changed your life. Hopefully at some point “he” can help change whatever it is in your mind that causes you to disparage your fellow man and look upon them as less deserving than yourself simply because they are different.
And if you would please share your verification process if you wouldn’t mind. I’m intrigued.
Oh, and don’t forget to include which versions (any or all) of the Bible you will be verifying.
Oh, and your process that disproves all the other scripture what is in conflict with the “versions” of the Bible you will be verifying. You know stuff like the Koran and what not.
Did you read my other post on scripture? A number of ways are described there.
Regarding versions I am unaware of any version that disagrees on any main doctrinal points at all. Most so called differences are because the English language has changed – not because of the text being wrong.
There are a few exceptions – the NWT (the JW ‘bible) which changes the text to suit it’s own doctrines and the Message which (funnily enough) negates verses on homosexuality and waters down a few other things.
Your point here is a common mis-perception sprouted by people who hear about the Bible but have never thoroughly researched it. These opinions you have are being controlled & you aren’t even aware of it!
The Qur’an & other religious texts fail under any quick scrutiny let alone the thorough analysis I am talking about. One thing I find argues very quickly with the Qur’an is it’s idea of the very nature of God & man. God is singular & humans are created in his likeness. So solitary confinement would be the the ideal day for everybody…but in reality is is one of the worst depravations you can put on a human. Also as it has been added to by so many fifth cousins etc it is riddled with human desires & revenge. it, unlike the Bible, does clearly contradict itself continually.
Ploth your verification process is not only flawed, but completely without merit whatsoever. Verifying text from the text itself in not a valid method in any way shape or form. If I write in a book that the sky is made of cheese I cannot go around claiming it’s the case and it’s verified just because it was written down and I read it. No normal person on the planet would agree with that.
I think it’s great you have faith and all that stuff. Go you! But seriously, you need stop using it as an excuse for your amoral behavior. You don’t see me walking over to the local McDonalds on Sunday and stabbing the clerk to death because he’s working on the Sabbath do you? No, because I have a correct moral compass.
King James Bible – Exodus 35:2 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day it shall be to you a holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever does work on it shall be put to death.
And you are mostly correct about the “versions” this passage says pretty much the same thing in the other 15 “versions.” But I’m certain with all those versions floating around there is certainly no room for mis interpretation or what not. Remember the bible is never cryptic and is as easy to read as Clifford the Big red dog. No room for misinterpretation or subjective analysis at all. Of course we all know that…
Except for those snake handler folk..
Oh and the Pentecostals…
Or was it the New apostolic…
Maybe it was the Christian Science??…
Well I guess those people , unlike you, don’t know how to read the bible. Cuddos to you again for being superior not only to gays, but everyone else who doesn’t agree with you. But hey, you have a book that tells you how super you are every day.
Congrats superman. We lesser folk bow down to your awesomeness.
wow – you obviously don’t know what textual criticism is, nor any of the verification processes I have described.
You obviously don’t believe in any ancient history or texts eh?
It seems I was right about you & you haven’t searched the Bible even a little for truth. But not many who are as vocal & opinionated about as you have.
And you give a classic example of mis-interpreting the Bible. (kill those who don’t keep the sabbath). Just like your flawed comments about shelfish – written to the Israelites (specifically the priests remember Levite -ecus)!
Here’s one for you – the Bible says there is no God.
Yes it does, just the start of the same verse say “only a fool says in his heart”. This is what you are trying to do – take one verse & use it for your own means. This is what cults do. This is mis-interpreting the Bible.
There is plenty of room for misinterpretation in anything anyone says or writes so I don’t think you have a valid point.
I don’t think I am better than anyone here – another indication you are not reading what I actually write. I just disagree with homosexual marriage based on what the Bible says about morals and the effect I have seen it have on people.
I also think murder & theft is wrong & should be illegal. Don’t you? Do I think I am better than the people that commit those things? Do you?
Funny story – about 10 minutes after I wrote that reply to you my 7 year old son insisted he share a Bible verse with us.
His words ‘I have to read the whole chapter otherwise you won’t know what it means’. I have never taught him that – but he is displaying a thorough and safe approach to finding truth.
What may be even more amazing is the verses he read to me. In fact God spoke to him last night about it & he spent the time looking it up & reading it to his younger brothers & sisters before they got out of bed. The verses are copied below but may be more for me than you at this point. I will take them on board. God was also speaking to me about this last night.
You would do well to take on my sons approach to reading truth.
Don’t try to use one specific verse out of context. Look at the author, the whole Bible then see what God has to say. We are living in the times described by the New Testament. We don’t have to put to death people who don’t keep the sabbath – in fact Christ even fulfilled the requirements of the sabbath itself! We are not bound by a law to not eat shellfish in order to be right in God’s eyes. Scripture is very clear on this yet somehow you still think this is what the Bible says.
1 Corinthians 2:8-14
8 But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. 9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
for those who love him.”
10 But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.
14 But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.
Well, ploth, as a person who knows exactly what textual criticism is, I can state categorically that YOU don’t.
Oh, and textual criticism has established such interesting info as the fact that Genesis was written by at least 2 different people who had 2 different versions of the creation story.
Finding truth in the Bible is a fool’s errand. And you have made that abundantly clear.
please do share – your opinions are great but just because your opinion states one thing doesn’t mean much here.
Two authors to Genesis – yes and you point is? Two tellings of Creation – that compliment each other (not contradict) again great – so the point is?
One one hand you claim to have done it (but drawn false assumptions) on the other you say it is a fools errand. So are you a fool or have you not done it?
BTW – I find it another amazing fact of the Bible that so many different authors in so many different demographics and eras could all write part of the Bible and the words the speak across generations all tie together perfectly.
Actually, they don’t.
Amazing how proud you are of publicly displaying your ignorance and delusional beliefs. I pity your son, being raised in such an atmosphere.
Thanks imppaul, but he doesn’t need your pity. My son is more than capable of discerning fact from fiction. If he disagrees he gives well thought out reasons why & facts to back up his thoughts / conclusions. Unlike you.
Its fine that you disagree but why? Give us all some facts / reasons. Prove me to be the things you claim. I am being open & have requested answers but get nothing but opinions & attacks.
Ploth, I actually thought you were some young kid actually. But you have a 7 year old son? Wow. I really hope you don’t try and teach him to argue like this for the debate team.
What I really don’t understand about you Ploth is that you seem to feel the need to continually make shit up to try and prove your point. And yoga re arguing the merits of the bible with the text from the bible and calling that verification. You can;t verify the bible you dolt. That’s why it’s called FAITH.
Why can’t you just be truthful for once and admit what the real issue is. Here, I’ll get you started.
“I put my faith in god and the scriptures of the Bible because I am afraid that if this is all there is, my life will feel meaningless.”
and
“I don’t like gay people and accept them as equils because they scare me and make me feel uncomfortable because I fear they will try to have sex with my children, turn them gay with their voodoo magic, or turn me gay. In addition I have an acute inability to see them as as actual people and instead can only focus on what they do in the bedroom.”
I have given you a couple of different ways to test the Bible to verify it externally. External evidence exists everywhere. But to say you can’t use the text you are trying to verify is absurd. Does it hold up under the hardest scrutiny? Yes it does. Does anything prove it is true at a quick glance with an alternative agenda such as yours? No.
I’m not making anything up. Learned minds far above ours would agree that the Bible has far to it than you have tried to state here. It is clear you have never tested it thoroughly which is fine – but to then try to sprout your claims that ‘this is what the Bible says’ is wrong. It’s promoting ignorance.
Again I hope you actually look into it one day.
I have no fear of homosexuals – this is something you have been programmed into by the same in media. If anyone disagree it MUST be fear. I’m not in fear of homosexuals, nor thieves,nor murderers – but I don’t agree with what they do. I seem them as people and see many reasons why they do what they do. I realize at least some of the things they face and I feel for them. that does not mean I have to agree that it should be legal.
Regarding a meaningless life – well coming from someone who has ‘been there done that’ I can say that I can I say never wanted a God to exist. In fact I was astounded when i discovered He does. I am not the mindless product of religion you think I am. I have come to faith in Jesus through reason, searching and experience.
So thanks for your (wrong) opinions again – if you have some facts to throw on to the table I’m happy to digest them.
“We also recognize that marriage has meaning as both a civil and a religious institution. Like the marriage equality bill passed last year in New York State with bipartisan and business support, this bill preserves religious freedom in Washington’s churches while ending discrimination in Washington law.”
It doesn’t get more clear than that. Religious people do not ‘own’ marriage. You do not have to be religious in order to get married, and you don’t have to go to a church to get married. You also don’t have to procreate in order to get married. So the only argument that is left is, “I hate gay people, and I don’t want them to have the same civil rights that I have.” — Sorry, but that’s not a rational basis to discriminate against gay citizens.
Was this before the case where government tried to force a church to perform a homosexual marriage despite it being contrary to their belief?
Did marriage start of as God’s or government’s? If it was God’s He should have the definition.
Someone here suggested changing the name to Holy Matrimony – I wonder how long before homosexuals started lobbying to insist to be allowed to be included?
BTW I don’t hate gay people.
Civil rights. hmm I’m not being argumentative here I am asking to gain perspective and perhaps change my own.
Should criminals (murderers, rapists, pedophiles etc) have civil rights? If no why not? If yes why?
And who gets to decide? Is this the constitution? State law? Government? Maybe (actually maybe it’s likely) I have the wrong idea of the US constitution.
Ploth, did someone take a shit in your frontal lobe?
Murderers, rapists and pedophiles DO have civil rights. We use a thing called due process to strip them of certain civil rights under the law.
PLEASE get with the argument.
Above it was claimed that to say homosexual marriage should not be made legal is taking away the civil rights of people who practice homosexuality. If that is true, then the rights of murders, rapists etc’ rights have been taken as well BECAUSE it is not legal to do those things.
So maybe read again & see if you can actually answer the question. Why is one wrong & not the other? And WHO gets to decide. Many here think homosexuality should be legal. I know many people who think drugs & dealing should be. Other groups think child sex, others incest. Who gets to decide? And why?
You know when people start dropping argumentation for personal insults and they try to justify such an approach, they really don’t have a counter argument to make.
Or they’re just fucking with you. Either way.
surely you wouldn’t do that Chrissy? 🙂
Of course I would. And I take full responsibility, rather than running to bible quotes for my justifications.
You take full responsibility for being so rude? Good on you.
I have a lot of reasons why I disagree with making homosexual marriage legal. The Bible is but one – but yes it is a big one! the God who made everything says it’s wrong I think that’s a pretty big deal. But I am entitled to that opinion right? Some would say I should be able to have that opinion without someone attacking & making accusations about that belief.
And if I am to live in a world of what you *say* you want – I should be able to say so. You might reply “I disagree because x,y, z” And we can treat each other as equals, civilly and maybe come to a greater understanding of each other, our views, reasoning etc. But is this how you are acting / reacting?
You say I don’t DESERVE your respect – because I disagree with your point. You feel justified in attacking, being rude etc. because I am different to you. And you claim full responsibility.
You only add to my reasons for not wanting homosexual marriage legal
‘in God we trust’ – if we did we would follow what He says
‘God Bless America’ – if we did #1 He would
How about ‘let’s make a god up to be what we think he should be, do what we like and blame the true God for all the bad in the world’
“How about ‘let’s make a god up to be what we think he should be…”
You already did.