Posted on 01/16/2006 7:26:24 PM PST by NormsRevenge
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."
Other companies did not return phone calls on Monday.
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 hard truth of the matter is that on culture war issues the multinational corporation is the enemy.
Something for the free market at all costs types on this board to consider.
I think you have to pick and choose your battles wisely. I don't think this is a very good choice, although I appreciate the Pastor's point of view.
Agreed. This is a heckuva David vs. Goliath match-up.
The problem is, people can't do without computers. Is Microsoft to the left of Apple? Is Hewlett Packard worse than its competitors?
LOL!!
I don't know what you'll use for a computer. I don't know of any major computer companies that aren't seriously left-wing. Apple, M$, H-P, you name it. There isn't anyone out there that makes computers that wouldn't back this bill.
They obviously fear the gay lobby more than the religious lobby...
As soon as that is reversed, I'm sure they'll reverse their position as well, or at least be neutral.
"The problem is, people can't do without computers. Is Microsoft to the left of Apple?"
Actually, Apple leans to the left. But there is an alternative as in post #2, Linux. No one controls Linux and anyone can start up a distribution. There once was a Christian version of Red Hat, if I remember right.
I use Ubuntu Linux. I paid them nothing, it's free. And it works. If the Ubuntu people came out with a pro-left statement, all Christians would have to do is fork Ubuntu.
Seems crazy, but big companies don't exactly support laizzes faire - corporatism suits them better!!
Who is the Republican Senator backstabber? Way to go Hutch, Rush Limbaugh's friend.
All we can do is not buy products by these companies and tell your friends as well
"Hope he knows Linux..."
Hutcherson sound about as nutty as Fred Phelps or Louis Sheldon.
The Pastor's efforts would be felt more strongly against the politicians who support the bill IMO.
However, most people don't have the computer smarts to use a free system like Linux, so I'll stick with everyone else and use MS Windows.
The fringe element is getting nuttier every day. I hope they enjoy living like the Amish.
You don't really need much smarts any more. If you just want a desktop, there are many distributions that you can just install and start using.
Got Root?
I assemble my own computers and I am way right of M$. I can setup a computer that runs linux and have it do anything windows can do for free. Sad though, I really can't make a living doing that. Just about everyone wants to use Windows.
There is little reason now why someone can't do without Microsoft, if they really want to. Obviously, if you work for someone, and that's what they use, you can't help that. But at home, you can switch.
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