TAKE ACTION: Give it back, Microsoft!

The Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center has demanded that Microsoft give back the Corporate Vision Award it received from the center in 2001.

It's time we helped them get it back.

The award was for Microsoft's leadership in promoting the civil rights of gays and lesbians, including its work on statewide legislation. As Microsoft has now announced that it is abandoning gay civil rights legislation out of fear of its own religious right employees and shareholders, the LA Center quite courageously asked for its award back.

Microsoft has refused to even take the Center's calls, or give the award back. Worse yet, Microsoft still brags on its Web site about having received the award, even though the award has now been recalled (they list it here too). Interestingly, Microsoft was able to update its Web site immediately when its HR director abruptly exited last Friday (and we know the reason why, we're just not telling, yet), but they can't update the Web site to reflect this?

It's time we helped the LA Gay and Lesbian Center get its award back, and at the same time get our dignity back.

Contact Microsoft now and until they give the award back and delete any references to it from their Web site. It's bad enough they're knifing us, but now they're still trying to take credit for being our friends? Please.

********** TAKE ACTION **********

MESSAGE: Demand that Microsoft give back the Corporate Vision Award from the LA Gay and Lesbian Center, and that they remove any reference to the award from Microsoft's Web site.

1. Call Microsoft's General Counsel Brad Smith, (425) 706-3025. He is reportedly responsible for much of this mess.

2. Call Microsoft spokesman Jim Desler:
(425) 443-0458 and
(425) 703-6061
jdesler@microsoft.com

3. Call director of Government Relations, Jack Krumholtz, at tel. 202-263-5900

4. Contact these other contacts for Microsoft and its public relations reps and tell them the same thing:

- 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

Finally, share this post far and wide, by email, on other blogs, etc. Feel free to reproduce it and claim it as your own, just get it out there. Thanks, JOHN