Prominent Gay Microsoft Employee Quits as More Evidence Emerges ...

[Newsjock]

http://www.thestranger.com/2005-05-05/city2.html

Prominent Gay Microsoft Employee Quits, as More Evidence Emerges That Microsoft Caved to Anti-Gay Minister
by Sandeep Kaushik

New evidence is emerging that appears to indicate that Microsoft is not being completely forthcoming about the timing of its decision to withdraw support for the Washington State anti-gay-discrimination bill.

Jeff Koertzen, an operations program manager and the secretary-treasurer of GLEAM, the gay and lesbian group at Microsoft that met on April 4 with Bradford L. Smith, the Microsoft senior vice-president and general counsel at the center of a furor over the company's decision, spoke to The Stranger after giving notice on Monday, May 2. The six-year Microsoft employee said he could no longer work at the company, given his belief that Smith and other company spokespeople are not being honest about what happened.

"I believe is lying based on statements he made to us," Koertzen said. "My principles do not allow me to work for a company that does that."

Koertzen is the second employee that attended the meeting with Smith, where the executive discussed the company's decision to take a neutral stance on the bill, to speak out, and the first to do so on the record. He said that Smith's comments at the meeting made it evident to him that the company shifted its position on the bill after meeting with Ken Hutcherson, the lead pastor of Antioch Bible Church in Redmond and a national figure in the Evangelical Christian battle against gay rights.

more

[woodsprite]

1. Doesn't Microsoft being the standard bearer

for fundies wreak of PNAC and the Bilderberger group, or is my tinfoil hat getting too small?

[Mabus]

3. You mean getting complete control of the "source code" for

the most widely used software and operating system? Nah. Look away! There was a run-away bride last week that deserves our attention.

:scared:

[Tux]

2. I have a weird feeling

That Gates drank the Kool-Aid.

[DBoon]

4. That or he fears more agressive anti-trust action

if he doesn't tow the Bush line on these issues

There may be more to this than a minister trying to organize a boycott

[zann725]

5. Amen!

n/t

[fortyfeetunder]

6. But why aren't folks applying the heat to the minister?

Don't this so called man of the cloth get away with his intolerance.

Who's next in Seattle to deal with Hutcherson's wrath? IIRC, I think Boeing offers bennies to domestic partners...

[icymist]

8. Pastor holds the line on gay unions (Seattle PI, Tues.)

They actually had to have the police there. I think they're afraid of all those gay people

Monday, May 2, 2005

Pastor holds the line on gay unions
Hutcherson under fire for his hand in Microsoft decision

By JOHN IWASAKI
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

KIRKLAND -- The man who claims to have changed Microsoft Corp.'s position on gay rights saw new faces at his church yesterday -- visitors who charged him with promoting hate.

Such confrontations are becoming routine for the Rev. Ken Hutcherson, who rocketed into the national spotlight last year as an organizer of mass rallies supporting traditional marriage and opposing same-sex unions.

Now his role in the recent Microsoft drama, in which the software giant stopped supporting a gay rights bill before it was narrowly defeated in the Legislature, is heightening attention -- and criticism.

Felicia Mueller, who organized a visit by gay rights activists to Antioch Bible Church yesterday, said, "We hope we will plant the seed, and maybe they'll start to question their pastor's message of hatred toward us."

(More)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/222495_hutcherson02.html

[satya]

9. Good point. I think I might start going to church again... nt

[megatherium]

18. Might be tough to apply pressure to Hutcherson.

His church has 2500 members, large enough to be called a megachurch, yet they do not own their own sanctuary. The church has its own offices, but the congregation worships in a large gymnasium that they rent. So I suspect they have no financial encumbances or constraints. A church that size is probably collecting $50 to $75 thousand in donations a week.

On the other hand: post #15 below.

On edit: added the previous sentence.

[Tux]

7. MS was a major supporter of Bush

It would hurt the Republicians to do anything against MS especially when Gates can increase the price of their software just for fun. I think they got to him.

[BrendaStarr]

14. Toon

[ninkasi]

10. I will never understand

how some people, such as the pastor in this article, can spend such enormous amounts of time, money, and effort in denying human rights to another group of people.

Such behavior is contrary to everything I ever learned about Jesus and his teachings. I remember the parts about loving your neighbor as yourself, and feeding the hungry, giving to the poor, and not judging other, but I seem to have skipped over the parts where Jesus tells us who to hate, and how to deny them human rights.

Whether a person believes in a Supreme Being called God, or Allah, or Yahweh, or no god at all, is simply a matter between that person and his conscience. My beliefs should not dictate your rights, just as yours shouldn't dictate mine.

For a company the size of Microsoft to give in to the hate mongers is a cowardly and shameful thing to do. I personally do not consider the issue to be gay rights, but human rights. If you are human, you should have the same rights as any other human, including having a relationship with the adult of your choice.

[Nothing Without Hope]

11. You'd THINK that Microsoft in general and Bill Gates in particular would

understand bullies better. I'm betting this was NOT about caving to "Hutch" and the anti-gay fundies, it was about buying some favors with the Bush administration. Microsoft is no longer in the monopolizing position it once was. If the company can trade its support for the anti-gay agenda of Bush's fundie enablers for secret administration promises of the inside track on privileges and who knows what else - contracts? immunity from prosecutions? - I think it would go for that. Bush's fundie extremist pals have been getting pretty irritated with the lack of progress on their goals, and Microsoft's anti-gay policies could be pointed to as evidence of "progress" on their pet issues.

Depend on it: this is about money and crooked politics. Good for the employees who choose to follow their conscience.

[Robeson]

12. Are you suggesting that money and favors play a part.....

...with decisions and politics in this great democracy of ours? Thats just too hard for me to accept....

:sarcasm:

[emulatorloo]

16. Dunno, do bullies have self-awareness?

I have never gotten the sense that Bill Gates understands what A HUGE BULLY he is. He only understands that he wants to BULLY.

[Nothing Without Hope]

20. Probably so - another reason why I think money and influence are

behind this rather than blacmailing with threats of attacking the business. Gates is so in-your-face about bullying, I can't see him caving to other more petty bullies like that vicious minister. But he loves to keep score with money and power, which the neocons surely understand.

[Neshanic]

13. Memo from Bill: Book burning on main lawn tonight. Potluck.

To all Microsofters:
The new visa intiation complex will be completed after we get our lid removed, so this book burning will have particular significance as a celebration of imported labor wage slaves limits being removed.

Praise the Lord.

Please bring books that include anything with references two people of the same sex in the same sentence. The "Texas Goody Girls" will be doing their latest wholesome cheer and the Reverend Hutchinson will preach on the evils of tight NFL football uniforms.

Remember...where do you want to go today? Hell? I think not, so bring those books and hot dogs.

[eridani]

15. If you live in Lake Washington School District

--or anywhere in the state of Washington for that matter, do this. Get that asshole out of public property.

http://mailtoblog.blogspot.com/2005/04/fanatical-preacher-who-wanted.html

Ken Hutcherson, pastor of Redmond Washington's Antioch Bible Churh, holds his worship services in a public high school. Hutcherson is the fanatic who insisted Microsoft fire its employees who testified in favor of Washington's Non-Discrimination Legislation. And then he threatened Microsoft with a 'christian' boycott in retaliation for supporting equal treatment under the law.

The Lake Washington School District Human Dignity Policy takes a stand against such anti-human rights activities.

"Recognizing and valuing that we are a diverse community, it is part of our mission to provide a positive, harmonious environment in which diversity is respected and encouraged. A major aim of education in the Lake Washington School District is the development of a commitment to the core values of a democratic society. In accordance with this aim, the district strongly emphasizes a core value of mutual human respect for each person regardless of individual differences and/or, characteristics including for example, but not necessarily limited to race, gender, age, disability, physical condition, sexual orientation, ethnic group or religion. We expect this value to be manifested in the daily behaviors of students, staff and volunteers."

Write to the Lake Washington School District board and to the administration of Lake Washington High School. Ask them to explain why they allow this organization to meet on their campus, apparently in violation of their own Human Dignity Policy. Ask them to explain to you how demanding that employees who support equal treatment under the law be fired from their jobs is 'respectful'. Ask them to explain what is respectful about threatening to organize a boycott of Microsoft in retalition for supporting equal treatment under the law for all residents of the state of Washington.

Click here to send an e-mail to the following individuals.
And please share you letters in the comments section.

[email protected],[email protected],[email protected],[email protected],[email protected],[email protected],[email protected],[email protected]

Ken Hutcherson, pastor of Redmond Washington's Antioch Bible Churh, holds his worship services at your public high school. Why do you allow him to do so? Anyone who would demand that employees who support equal treatment under the law be fired from their jobs is in violation of your Human Dignity Policy. I hope that you will stop this practice.

Thank you,


Lake Washington School District Board Members:
Nany Bernard 425-702-3257
Douglas Eglington 425-868-7218
Robert Hughes 425-822-2604
Jackie Pendergrass 425-821-1157
Ravi Shahani 425-702-3257

Lake Washington High School
Principal, Mark Robertson
425-828-3371 x376
425-828-3390 fax
Associate Principal, Brad Malloy
425-828-3371 Ext 369
Associate Prinicpal, Doug Wenk
425-828-3371 Ext 368

[sendero]

17. Oh yeah...

.. >> "My principles do not allow me to work for a company that does that."

That is a laugh riot. Microsoft as a company has lied their asses off since thier inception. Not to mention having the gall to fake demos as part of a court discovery proceeding, and get away with it.

Quit MS if you want, but don't act like you didn't know what kind of company you were working for, nobody is that stupid.

[megatherium]

19. it's ok to lie to the rubes

but he is angry because they lied to him.

[Jacobin]

21. Clue Phone Ringing!!

Does anyone NOT remember that Smirk's new guy at the AG's office did a sweetheart settlement of the anti-trust litigation against MS within months of Smirk being sElected?

Geeze,.......2plus2....

[Megahurtz]

22. I wouldn't want to work there

anymore either.

Because of this Administration these churches are becoming way too meddling.