TELL MICROSOFT TO SUPPORT WORKPLACE FAIRNESS LEGISLATION

[Ian David]

TELL MICROSOFT TO SUPPORT WORKPLACE FAIRNESS LEGISLATION
There is no "balance" to be struck between fairness and
discrimination

We need you to tell Microsoft Corporation to reinstate their
support for workplace fairness legislation in Washington State!
Earlier this month, Microsoft withdrew support for Washington
House Bill 1515, a non-discrimination bill that would have
protected GLBT Washingtonians from discrimination in the
workplace, housing, and insurance.

Shortly after Microsoft's decision, HB 1515 failed in the state
senate by one vote. HRC joins our entire community in urging you
to voice your disappointment with Microsoft's decision. Send
your message to Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer - or simply hit
"reply" to this action alert and your message will be sent
automatically.


Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer commented in the New York Times on
April 24, 2005: ''We are thinking hard about what is the right
balance to strike -- when should a public company take a
position on a broader social issue, and when should it not?'' he
wrote. ''What message does the company taking a position send to
its employees who have strongly held beliefs on the opposite
side of the issue?''

This statement is simply unacceptable. There is no "balance" to
be struck between workplace fairness and discrimination. Not
only is protecting employees from discrimination the right thing
to do, it's good business. That a majority of Fortune 500
companies have non-discrimination policies is clear evidence. As
one corporate leader who supports the bill put it - "It's about
one word - competitiveness." Microsoft has clearly thought so in
the past - they supported this non-discrimination bill for over
a decade.

So tell Microsoft that you are disappointed with their decision
to withdraw support for HB 1515, and urge them to reinstate and
publically announce their support when this legislation is
introduced in the 2006 legislative session - visit this URL to
send your message:



Then, tell ten friends to do the same.

Thank you for your quick action and for helping us spread the
word.

Sincerely,

Joe Solmonese
President
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Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.

http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/join-forward.html?domain=actioncenter&r=V7a2vOE1RRM-

If you received this message from a friend, you can sign up for
Human Rights Campaign at:

http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/actioncenter/join.html?r=V7a2vOE1RRM-E

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[david_vincent]

1. Microsoft

doesn't give a flying fuck about fairness to anyone or anything but its bank account. Sorry to break the news... but take a look at what those scumsucking apes have done in the past.

[Paul Dlugokencky]

2. Get a Mac!

http://www.cafepress.com/kickindemocrats

[Ian David]

3. My letter to Microsoft

Subject: I'm using Mozilla- Ask me why! Support workplace fairness!

Microsoft paying Religious Right leader Ralph Reed $20,000 a month retainer
http://americablog.blogspot.com/2005/04/microsoft-paying-religious-right.html

Gay-rights bill falls 1 vote short of becoming state law
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2002249302_gayvote22m.html

I don't know where YOU want to go today, but I just wanted to tell you where I think you should go!

I want to express my profound disappointment at Microsoft's withdrawal of support for House Bill 1515 in the 2005 legislative session. This important legislation would have protected gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans gender people from discrimination in employment, housing, and insurance.

I am troubled by CEO Steve Blamer's comments about "striking a balance" on a "social issue." Fairness in the workplace is not an issue over which reasonable people disagree - it's good business policy, as evidenced by the vast majority of Fortune 500 companies, including Microsoft, who have non-discrimination policies of their own. And it's also the right thing to do.

Where was this "neutrality" when Bill Gates was campaigning to raise the state income tax?

I urge Microsoft to reinstate their support for this important non-discrimination legislation and to publicly announce this support as soon as possible.

I look forward to hearing back from you.