UPDATE: The full newspaper story explaining what Microsoft did is now online here.
Folks, as I'd told you last night, Microsoft has withdrawn its support for a sweeping gay rights bill in Washington state after a single religious right anti-gay activist complained. The bill has one day - ONE DAY - left for possible passage, then it's dead. The vote is close, very close - and Microsoft's decision, I'm told by folks in the state, could be the death knell of this bill.
I've explained much more in my post below.
PLEASE contact Microsoft today and let them know you're made as hell. They have 24 hours to save this legislation or they are toast. And remember, this isn't just about this bill. Microsoft has supported gay rights for over ten years now, they've gotten senior management who are openly gay, and now, all of a sudden, they've decided to rethink just how pro-gay they should be (read my post below, it's chilling what Microsoft had to say about all of this). If we lose Microsoft, we could lose lots and lots and lots of other major corporations that follow their lead.
I for one have had it with the backlash. It's not longer PC to be pro-gay in America, and enough is enough. It's time to take back our country. Tell Microsoft it has 24 hours to use its massive influence to save that bill, or Microsoft had better buy a lot of advertising in the Baptist Press, because those are the only customers they're going to have left.
Here's the Take Action info from my other post, but do read the other post if you want all the background:
********** TAKE ACTION **********
1. Call Microsoft's director of Government Relations, Jack Krumholtz, at tel. 202-263-5900 and tell him:
- You know about Microsoft secretly pulling its support for the Washington state gay rights bill, and you're not happy about Microsoft kissing up to anti-gay bigots.
- You demand that Microsoft IMMEDIATELY and PUBLICLY endorse the gay rights bill in Washington state, and demand that Microsoft publicly repudiate its new policy of backing-off of support for the civil rights of gays and lesbians and other Americans.
- Tell him that if the Washington state gay rights bill dies on Friday, Microsoft's reputation goes down with it.
2. Contact these other contacts for Microsoft and its public relations reps and tell them the same thing:
- Jim Desler,
Microsoft US
425-703-6061
jdesler@microsoft.com
- Dirk Delmartino,
Microsoft Europe
+32 (0)2 550 06 21
dirkdelm@microsoft.com
- The firm handling public policy for Microsoft in DC:
The Glover Park Group
Washington, DC
202-337-0808
- The firm handling Microsoft's "rapid response" to questions:
Waggener Edstrom Rapid Response Team
rrt@wagged.com
503-443-7070
- Media Relations for Microsoft
Global Communications & Television
(212) 339-9920
mediarelations@gctv.com
- Microsoft Investor Relations
Curt Anderson
(425) 706-3703
- Walt McGraw, Edelman, (206) 223-1606, walt.mcgraw@edelman.com
- Shon Damron, Edelman, (323) 857-9100, shon.damron@edelman.com
- Carlos de Leon,tel. 425-703-3824, or carlosde@microsoft.com
- Katie Goldberg, tel. 206-268-2244, or katie.goldberg@edelman.com
2. Demand that Microsoft return the award it received from the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center. We don't give corporate bigots awards, and we don't expect them to keep such awards under false pretenses. If Microsoft has now rethunk its position on defending civil rights, then give back the damn award:
Per Microsoft's own Web site:
Microsoft has been honored for its pioneering work on behalf of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community with the annual Corporate Vision Award of the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center.Yeah, I don't think so.
