Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos and Wife Give $2.5 Million in Support of Same-Sex Marriage

[obamanut2012]

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife Mackenzie have made a $2.5 million donation to secure the freedom to marry for gays and lesbians in Washington State, Washington United for Marriage announced this morning:

WAWashington United for Marriage (WUM), the statewide coalition working to defend the state’s law protecting civil marriage for same-sex couples, today announced an historic, $2.5 million gift from Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos. It is believed to be the largest individual gift in the country to secure or protect the freedom to marry. With the Bezos’ gift, WUM has now raised over $5 million towards its broad, statewide campaign to approve Referendum 74 in November.

“I am thrilled by Jeff and MacKenzie’s staggeringly generous donation,” said Jennifer Cast, who serves as WUM’s volunteer finance co-chair and spent over seven years in various senior positions at Amazon.com. “Their support of our efforts to approve R74 comes at an important time and will have great impact. I am deeply grateful to both of them as this donation is going to help us make history.”

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Read more: http://www.towleroad.com/2012/07/amazon-founder-jeff-bezos-and-wife-give-25-million-in-support-of-same-sex-marriage.html


Good for them!





http://www.towleroad.com/2012/07/amazon-founder-jeff-bezos-and-wife-give-25-million-in-support-of-same-sex-marriage.html

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Excellent!

[bullwinkle428]

2. Man on the street interview with random fundy nutbag, mouthful of Chik-Fil-A...

"WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW?? I BUY EVERYTHING FROM AMAZON!!1!"

[obamanut2012]

3. lol

[Ezlivin]

4. Now he needs to turn his attention to the atrocious conditions his workers endure

Over the past two months, The Morning Call interviewed 20 current and former warehouse workers who showed pay stubs, tax forms or other proof of employment. They offered a behind-the-scenes glimpse of what it's like to work in the Amazon warehouse, where temperatures soar on hot summer days, production rates are difficult to achieve and the permanent jobs sought by many temporary workers hired by an outside agency are tough to get.

Only one of the employees interviewed described it as a good place to work.

Workers said they were forced to endure brutal heat inside the sprawling warehouse and were pushed to work at a pace many could not sustain. Employees were frequently reprimanded regarding their productivity and threatened with termination, workers said. The consequences of not meeting work expectations were regularly on display, as employees lost their jobs and got escorted out of the warehouse. Such sights encouraged some workers to conceal pain and push through injury lest they get fired as well, workers said.

During summer heat waves, Amazon arranged to have paramedics parked in ambulances outside, ready to treat any workers who dehydrated or suffered other forms of heat stress. Those who couldn't quickly cool off and return to work were sent home or taken out in stretchers and wheelchairs and transported to area hospitals. And new applicants were ready to begin work at any time.

The entire piece published by the Morning Call is online.

[ieoeja]

5. And stop trying to hold states hostage over sales taxes. n/t