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Tim Cook Speaks Up

businessweek.com

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Re: Tim Cook Speaks Up

#101

Post by paulojreis »

ghshephard wrote: post #42
paulojreis wrote: post #27

"(...) and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me". I can only imagine the reactions if the same was said by a heterosexual person, about heterosexual orientation... :)

That's the entire point being made here though - being straight isn't a particularly large challenge in today's society. What Tim is saying here, is that much of his empathy, and ability to appreciate minorities, and the oppressed, derives directly from being a member of a heretofore marginalized group. And, his ability to appreciate the importance of diversity, and to truly understand Dr. King and his message, is a…

I understand that point. The impact of something such as this on your shaping is incommensurable; I can only imagine how much being part of a minority (particularly, one which is prejudiced, mocked and even attacked) shaped his way of understanding and appreciating difference.

However, I can't agree with putting it in "that" way ("among the greatest gifts God has given me"). Even taking into account how much such a thing will shape a person, it seems exaggerated (to me). It sounds like he is who (and where) he is because of his sexual orientation. He was, however, born in a developed (and rich country); he had food, parents and housing; he also education (and a good one, in great schools) and the privilege of working at IBM and Apple.

Re: Tim Cook Speaks Up

#102

Post by DanBC »

praptak wrote: post #96

I found this one very striking: "Still, there are laws on the books in a majority of states that allow employers to fire people based solely on their sexual orientation." Could anyone provide details? I wonder whether it is an explicit "Being gay is grounds for firing" or rather just plain lack of protection from firing for being gay?

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employment_discrimination_law...

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employment_discrimination_law...

Re: Tim Cook Speaks Up

#104

Post by [deleted] »

super_mario wrote: post #65
paullth wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh, that Bible that god wrote. Right.

Isn't that what we have been told through the centuries that every word in the bible is inspired by god himself, and even (if you buy into the bullshit) god himself (i.e. Jesus) saying how every word of the law must be fulfilled.

[deleted]

Re: Tim Cook Speaks Up

#105

Post by untothebreach »

dhimes wrote: post #46
untothebreach wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And me!

Me three. Mostly because I just don't give a fuck about people's personal lives. Even celebrities. I see people in commercials that everybody seems to know and I have no clue. I guess I live under a rock. Good thing I get HN under here.

Yea, I can tell I am getting old by how few people I recognize on the covers of the magazines in the grocery store checkout line.

(I think that is a not-so-funny version of a joke a comedian told, but I can't for the life of me remember which one...)

Re: Tim Cook Speaks Up

#106

Post by praptak »

Jedd wrote: post #20

I wonder how carefully crafted this line was: ... I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me. It seems a particularly odd thing to slip in, on so many levels.

To me it came across as purely figurative. IMHO the usual phrases like "thank God it's not raining" are pretty much detached from the religious context.

Is it different in US?

Re: Tim Cook Speaks Up

#107

Post by GI_Josh »

praptak wrote: post #96

I found this one very striking: "Still, there are laws on the books in a majority of states that allow employers to fire people based solely on their sexual orientation." Could anyone provide details? I wonder whether it is an explicit "Being gay is grounds for firing" or rather just plain lack of protection from firing for being gay?

I'm no expert, but I suspect this is just referring to work "at will" states, where you can be fired without being given a reason. Thus, it could actually be for anything: Your orientation, your work performance, that ugly shirt you wore yesterday. Doesn't matter.

Re: Tim Cook Speaks Up

#108

Post by praptak »

DanBC wrote: post #102
praptak wrote: post #96

I found this one very striking: "Still, there are laws on the books in a majority of states that allow employers to fire people based solely on their sexual orientation." Could anyone provide details? I wonder whether it is an explicit "Being gay is grounds for firing" or rather just plain lack of protection from firing for being gay?

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employment_discrimination_law... http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employment_discrimination_law...

Thanks. It seems it is the latter. In some states the list of things forbidden to discriminate on misses sexual orientation. The wording used in the article was closer to the former.

Re: Tim Cook Speaks Up

#109

Post by nailer »

downandout wrote: post #67
broodbucket wrote: post #4

Being in such a progressive community (i.e. young nerdy people), it's easy to forget that this is an enormous deal for some people. A friend of mine recently came out as transgender and the general response was "oh, cool, good for you". It's hard to fathom what it's like for people who aren't in such a supportive environment. There are undoubtedly many people who will no longer purchase Apple products because of this…

>There are undoubtedly many people who will no longer purchase Apple products because of this I disagree. First, I think it was widely assumed that he was gay, and if it wasn't, he was accidentally outed during a live TV broadcast a few months ago by a CNBC reporter [1]. Second, the people that think this way probably already avoid Apple products, as both Tim Cook and Apple have been vocal on gay rights for quite som…

Wow. That doesn't sound like an accident - you don't say someone "is fairly open about being gay" unless you're damn sure they are. What an unpleasant person.

Re: Tim Cook Speaks Up

#110

Post by matthewmacleod »

coldtea wrote: post #91
Gigablah wrote: post #49

I'd like a world where announcements like this are considered utterly mundane.

We'll first have to pass from the stage were announcement like this are not that courageous (sure might annoy some BS far right minority who nobody cares about), and are actually the in vogue thing to say for kudos and hi-fives. Which I think is were we are now. The people who really had the guts, "came out" when it really mattered and made a difference, back in the seventies and eighties.

That's a pretty offensive accusation.

Like Cook points out, the US is still country in which gay people are subject to life-altering discrimination all the time. Most other countries are even worse.

I suspect you're overestimating how accepted homosexuality is outside of your bubble.

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