Live data from Hacker News

Gay Developers Boycott As Mozilla Appoints Allegedly Anti-Gay CEO

instinctmagazine.com

21–30 of 35 posts

Re: Gay Developers Boycott As Mozilla Appoints Allegedly Anti-Gay CEO

#21
post #18

The biggest impact this could possibly have is in producing legislation that lets large donations conceal their source because of fear of hateful retaliation. Ironic I know. If we don't want to have those laws we need to be a little less witch-hunty about what we discover in the records.

I personally don't think there's anything "witch-hunty" about this boycott. This information about Eich's donation has been available for some 6 years, and only became a recent issue when he was promoted to the head of an organization based on community values and community contributions. I can guarantee you that the same thing would happen if someone who donated to Prop. 8 were appointed to the head of Wikimedia Fou…

He probably didn't want his donation to be public information and now he, and all of us, know exactly why large donators sometimes do everything they can to conceal themselves. Events like this, whether 6 years late or not, give good reason to not have to reveal yourself when donating. I mean it's quite literally still haunting him. Whether he still feels the same way or not.

Also it's one thing to cease doing business with an organization yourself. It's another thing entirely to try to incite other people to do the same using your notoriety as a tool for coercion.

Times change, people change, records do not. It's hard to explain what you were thinking and what was happening 6 years ago. It's easy to point a finger now and say, "look at what that asshole did."

Re: Gay Developers Boycott As Mozilla Appoints Allegedly Anti-Gay CEO

#22
post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I personally don't think there's anything "witch-hunty" about this boycott. This information about Eich's donation has been available for some 6 years, and only became a recent issue when he was promoted to the head of an organization based on community values and community contributions. I can guarantee you that the same thing would happen if someone who donated to Prop. 8 were appointed to the head of Wikimedia Fou…

He probably didn't want his donation to be public information and now he, and all of us, know exactly why large donators sometimes do everything they can to conceal themselves. Events like this, whether 6 years late or not, give good reason to not have to reveal yourself when donating. I mean it's quite literally still haunting him. Whether he still feels the same way or not. Also it's one thing to cease doing busine…

Who is using their "notoriety as a tool for coercion"?

And if Eich no longer feels the same way, I suspect he could put an end to this by simply writing a blog post stating this. But I suspect that's not the case.

I've done things in the past that I'm not proud of, but I'm quick to disavow them when they come up. Are you implying that we shouldn't be held responsible for our past actions?

Re: Gay Developers Boycott As Mozilla Appoints Allegedly Anti-Gay CEO

#23

IMO, Mozilla's work for the public good is more important than this. Times are changing quickly, but remember that Obama was on the same side as Eich, and prop 8 passed with a majority of voters. I don't think it is very helpful to be shaming everyone who did not support gay marriage in a vote 6 years ago.

> Times are changing quickly, but remember that Obama was on the same side as Eich

Really? Can you cite any statement or action of Obama advocating for or directed toward advancing the cause of removing the right of same sex couples to marry any place that it had been established?

Re: Gay Developers Boycott As Mozilla Appoints Allegedly Anti-Gay CEO

#24
Personally, I'm so sick of everyone being so damn sensitive about everything nowadays. Guess what? Business is business and 99.99% of the time CEO's are appointed on their business acumen and not their personal beliefs. If Eich is a professional he'll keep the two separate.

Re: Gay Developers Boycott As Mozilla Appoints Allegedly Anti-Gay CEO

#25
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He probably didn't want his donation to be public information and now he, and all of us, know exactly why large donators sometimes do everything they can to conceal themselves. Events like this, whether 6 years late or not, give good reason to not have to reveal yourself when donating. I mean it's quite literally still haunting him. Whether he still feels the same way or not. Also it's one thing to cease doing busine…

Who is using their "notoriety as a tool for coercion"? And if Eich no longer feels the same way, I suspect he could put an end to this by simply writing a blog post stating this. But I suspect that's not the case. I've done things in the past that I'm not proud of, but I'm quick to disavow them when they come up. Are you implying that we shouldn't be held responsible for our past actions?

Are you implying that because someone does or does not write a blog post that somehow we know their true feelings?

Re: Gay Developers Boycott As Mozilla Appoints Allegedly Anti-Gay CEO

#26
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Who is using their "notoriety as a tool for coercion"? And if Eich no longer feels the same way, I suspect he could put an end to this by simply writing a blog post stating this. But I suspect that's not the case. I've done things in the past that I'm not proud of, but I'm quick to disavow them when they come up. Are you implying that we shouldn't be held responsible for our past actions?

Are you implying that because someone does or does not write a blog post that somehow we know their true feelings?

Of course not, but at some point we have to take most people at their word, otherwise life becomes difficult.

You didn't answer my question. I'm genuinely interested in who you're talking about who's using their notoriety to "coerce" people.

Re: Gay Developers Boycott As Mozilla Appoints Allegedly Anti-Gay CEO

#27

The biggest impact this could possibly have is in producing legislation that lets large donations conceal their source because of fear of hateful retaliation. Ironic I know. If we don't want to have those laws we need to be a little less witch-hunty about what we discover in the records.

Do we though? I think we need to fight to keep speech in the open. There's no constitutional right to free speech that can't be traced back to you.

If we're going to equate money and speech then we have to equate the fact that speech is audible. Money masquerading as speech needs to be as well.

If you're not willing to stand up for what you believe then you have no business saying it.

Re: Gay Developers Boycott As Mozilla Appoints Allegedly Anti-Gay CEO

#28

IMO, Mozilla's work for the public good is more important than this. Times are changing quickly, but remember that Obama was on the same side as Eich, and prop 8 passed with a majority of voters. I don't think it is very helpful to be shaming everyone who did not support gay marriage in a vote 6 years ago.

> Times are changing quickly, but remember that Obama was on the same side as Eich Really? Can you cite any statement or action of Obama advocating for or directed toward advancing the cause of removing the right of same sex couples to marry any place that it had been established?

In 2008, when Prop 8 was on the ballot, Obama was for civil unions but professed to believe that marriage is a sacred union between a man and a woman. "I'm not somebody who promotes same-sex marriage, but I do believe in civil unions."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6K9dS9wl7U

Re: Gay Developers Boycott As Mozilla Appoints Allegedly Anti-Gay CEO

#29
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He probably didn't want his donation to be public information and now he, and all of us, know exactly why large donators sometimes do everything they can to conceal themselves. Events like this, whether 6 years late or not, give good reason to not have to reveal yourself when donating. I mean it's quite literally still haunting him. Whether he still feels the same way or not. Also it's one thing to cease doing busine…

Who is using their "notoriety as a tool for coercion"? And if Eich no longer feels the same way, I suspect he could put an end to this by simply writing a blog post stating this. But I suspect that's not the case. I've done things in the past that I'm not proud of, but I'm quick to disavow them when they come up. Are you implying that we shouldn't be held responsible for our past actions?

Here is a link to something he just posted to his blog: https://brendaneich.com/2014/03/inclusiveness-at-mozilla/

Re: Gay Developers Boycott As Mozilla Appoints Allegedly Anti-Gay CEO

#30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Times are changing quickly, but remember that Obama was on the same side as Eich Really? Can you cite any statement or action of Obama advocating for or directed toward advancing the cause of removing the right of same sex couples to marry any place that it had been established?

In 2008, when Prop 8 was on the ballot, Obama was for civil unions but professed to believe that marriage is a sacred union between a man and a woman. "I'm not somebody who promotes same-sex marriage, but I do believe in civil unions." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6K9dS9wl7U

Not promoting same sex marriage is not the same thing as promoting withdrawing it where it has been established. So, that's not an example of what was asked.
Post reply on HN