AP NewsBreak: Pastor calls for boycott of Microsoft, HP for backing gay rights bill

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - A pastor on Monday called for a national boycott of Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard and other companies that support a gay civil rights bill, saying the corporations have underestimated the power of religious consumers.

The Rev. Ken Hutcherson, pastor of Antioch Bible Church in the Seattle suburb of Redmond, said he would formally issue the boycott Thursday on the conservative radio show Focus on the Family.

"We're tired of sitting around thinking that morals can be ignored in our country," he said. "This is not a threat, this is a promise. Check out the past presidential election. We made the moral issue the No. 1 issue."

Last week, several companies, including Palo Alto, Calif.-based Hewlett Packard Co., Microsoft Corp., Boeing Co., and Nike Inc. signed a letter urging passage of the measure, which would add "sexual orientation" to a Washington state law that already bans discrimination in housing, employment and insurance based on race, gender, age, disability, religion, marital status and other factors.

Microsoft is restoring its support for the proposal a year after the company was denounced for quietly dropping its endorsement.

Hutcherson, who has organized anti-gay-marriage rallies in Seattle and Washington, D.C., says he pressured Microsoft into dropping its support for the bill last year by threatening a boycott.

The company, which was criticized by gay activists across the country, insisted it took a neutral stance to focus on other issues but later said it would support the measure in the future.

Asked about the boycott Monday, Microsoft spokesman Lou Gellos said the company would not change its position. He declined to comment further.

Boeing spokesman Peter Conte said the company had no plans to withdraw its support for the legislation.

"The position that we have taken is one that we do feel strongly about," he said. "It is entirely consistent with our own internal practices and policies."

The bill has been introduced - and rejected - annually for nearly 30 years in the Legislature.

The state House last year passed the bill 61-37. But it lost by one vote in the Senate. The measure is believed to have a better chance of passage this year because a Republican senator has announced he would switch his vote to yes.

The Rev. Ken Hutcherson
seeks a boycott of businesses
supporting gay civil rights.

Legislature 2006
Boycott sought over bill backing gay rights

By RACHEL LA CORTE
The Associated Press

OLYMPIA — A pastor has called for a national boycott of Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard and other businesses that have come out in support of a gay civil-rights bill, saying Monday that the companies have underestimated the power of religious consumers.

The Rev. Ken Hutcherson, pastor of Antioch Bible Church of Redmond — also home to Microsoft — said he would officially make the call for the boycott Thursday on a national conservative talk-radio show, "Focus on the Family."

Last week, several companies, including Microsoft, Boeing, Hewlett Packard and Nike signed a letter urging passage of the measure, which would add "sexual orientation" to a state law that already bans discrimination in housing, employment and insurance based on race, gender, age, disability, religion, marital status and other factors.

Microsoft's support comes a year after it was denounced for quietly dropping support for it.

Hutcherson, who has organized anti-gay-marriage rallies in Seattle and Washington, D.C., was at the middle of the Microsoft controversy last year on the gay-rights issue. He says he pressured Microsoft into dropping its support of the measure last year by threatening a boycott.

The company, which took heat from gay activists across the country, insisted it decided to take a neutral stance to focus on other issues but later came out saying it would support the measure in future years.

Asked about Hutcherson's threat Monday, Microsoft spokesman Lou Gellos said, "Our position is well known, as we said in our letter last week, and we stick by it."

Boeing spokesman Peter Conte said the company had no plans to withdraw its support.

"The position that we have taken is one that we do feel strongly about," he said. "It is entirely consistent with our own internal practices and policies."

Rep. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, who has sponsored the measure for more than a decade, said he was not concerned that Hutcherson's move would have any impact on the companies' bottom line.

"The American people and citizens of Washington state aren't going to buy into his line of bigotry," he said.

Hutcherson said he has the support of several national organizations, including the Family Research Council, Southern Baptist Convention and Focus on the Family. Several of those organizations' offices could not be reached after hours Monday.

The Rev. Joseph Fuiten, a Bothell pastor who is chairman of Faith & Freedom Network, an organization that opposes the bill, said the boycott is a signal "that we're out here, too."

"These companies should stick to their business, make their widgets," he said. "Why are they trying to engineer social policy for America?"

Hutcherson said he's not telling companies to change their own internal policies on gay rights. He just doesn't want them influencing lawmakers with their support.

The bill has been introduced — and rejected — annually for nearly 30 years in the Legislature.

The state House last year passed the bill 61-37, with six Republicans joining 55 Democrats in favor. But it lost by one vote in the Senate, where two Democrats joined 23 Republicans in defeating the bill.

The measure is thought to have a better chance of passage this year because Sen. Bill Finkbeiner, R-Kirkland, announced last week that he would switch his vote to yes.

A House committee planned a public hearing on the bill today.

There will be a hearing on Tuesday January 17th at 10:00 AM in the O'Brien Building, in Olympia (Hearing Room D) on HB 2661, the bill that replaces last session's bill HB 1515 that failed to pass the Senate by one vote.
The new bill is essentially the same as last year's with a slight "improvement", defining "gender expression or identity". HB 2661 would codify into state law special protections for the following expressions of gender expression or identity:
(15) "'Sexual orientation' means heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, and gender expression or identity. As used in this definition, 'gender expression or identity' means having or being perceived as having a gender identity, self-image, appearance, behavior, or expression, whether or not that gender identity, or expression is different from that traditionally associated with the sex assigned to that person at birth;..."
Here is a link to HB 2661: http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2005-06/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/2661.pdf
This bill essentially protects all perversion as normal behavior - a true "celebration of diversity" - and there is nothing any employer, church, or school will be able to do about it.

The pastor should be applauded for his courage and leadership in taking a stand for (real) marriage. Those who really understand what is at stake should not stand back and just watch. Rather, this is the time to rally behind this and similar movements to defend traditional marriage and traditional families from such reckless social experimentation.

In Europe, "gay marriage" is a proven failure. Simply put, it's not living up to all the "good" it was intended to do. And such "good" deserves no place in our nation, which is supposed to uphold a high moral standard. In, Canada one could be jailed for speaking particular verses from the bible that take homosexual behavior to task. Let's not be so naive that a similar law could not be destined for America. It could...and would also squash free speech here in America.

BTW - The American Family Association (AFA) has been threatening to boycott Ford for their corporate policies of support for gay marriage. I solidly stand behind AFA...and even though I prefer Ford products I will NOT buy a new Ford if Ford refuses to cave in on supporting gay "civil rights". Here is the latest: http://media.afa.net/newdesign/ReleaseDetail.asp?id=3364

True, MS has a monopoly on software, which leaves consumers with few if any choices. However, there is a clear choice of buying say a Dodge versus a Ford. Regardless, we have to take a stand on this issue of incredible magnitude or we fail to stand for anything.

Believers should be praying for Pastor Hutcherson. He is fighting a tough battle, but it is a "good fight". He is, I believe, the founder of Mayday For Marriage, which held rallies all accross America in 2005. For more details, here is the Mayday For Marriage website: http://www.maydayformarriage.com/

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