Live data from Hacker News

Gay Firefox developers boycott Mozilla to protest CEO hire

arstechnica.com

81–90 of 214 posts

Re: Gay Firefox developers boycott Mozilla to protest CEO hire

#81
post #65

I'd like to urge everyone to consider whether it's a good idea to comment on this story. If you voice an opinion in support of Eich, obviously that's going to be a liability in the future. But voicing an opinion against him is also a liability - there is no telling how the zeitgeist might change ten or twenty years from now. I think it's best to voice no opinion at all - and I hope this comment is not misconstrued as…

So your suggestion is - don't ask, don't tell? Sorry but I think it's important to discuss these issues out in the open.

If calling out homophobia is a liability, then I'm happy to be guilty as charged.

Re: Gay Firefox developers boycott Mozilla to protest CEO hire

#82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Welcome to Hacker News, bastion of intellectual freedom, where large number of people will now argue that you should be deprived of employment because you donated money to certain unpopular political campaigns. Next steps include: calling for the resignation of anyone who voted Republican in a recent election.

That is a fantastically creative straw man you just beat up there... Yes, because some people are boycotting a company because their founder voted to take away their civil rights, those people are bad. Nevermind the fact that the person they're criticizing not only voted for, but provided financial support for civil rights to be taken away. But yeah, this basically means people will call for all Republicans to quit t…

In a country run by the Republican party based on Christian laws.

The USA is based on Christian laws?

What?

No doubt there's a faction that is working on that goal, but that has never been the case in this country thus far.

Also, it's not like the Democrats (the party of the KKK) are much better in that regard.

Re: Gay Firefox developers boycott Mozilla to protest CEO hire

#83
post #65

I'd like to urge everyone to consider whether it's a good idea to comment on this story. If you voice an opinion in support of Eich, obviously that's going to be a liability in the future. But voicing an opinion against him is also a liability - there is no telling how the zeitgeist might change ten or twenty years from now. I think it's best to voice no opinion at all - and I hope this comment is not misconstrued as…

I don't think you meant anything bad by this but this statement makes it seem like you are overly concerned with being political or extremely worried about literally voicing your own view. It's not exactly like "When they came for X I did not care because was not X" but its sort of in the ballpark.

Sure, it is a charged issue. But if the zeitgeist changes in twenty years to march further toward theocracy then I think I will be voicing opposition against that. :)

Re: Gay Firefox developers boycott Mozilla to protest CEO hire

#84
post #65

I'd like to urge everyone to consider whether it's a good idea to comment on this story. If you voice an opinion in support of Eich, obviously that's going to be a liability in the future. But voicing an opinion against him is also a liability - there is no telling how the zeitgeist might change ten or twenty years from now. I think it's best to voice no opinion at all - and I hope this comment is not misconstrued as…

That's wrong. Simple as that.

Re: Gay Firefox developers boycott Mozilla to protest CEO hire

#85
post #11

If this were any other company I don't think this would turn any heads. However, much of Mozilla's ethos and community support is built on ethical rather than capitalistic foundations. It's hard to reconcile thoughts on a company that seems to so value freedom in some areas but not in others [1]. [1] Inferring what Mozilla values based on the opinions of its CEO is not particularly fair , but then again I'm not sure…

No, I think for any major or known company this would turn a lot of heads. Any CEO that has ties to homophobia or whatever you want to call it is going to get talked about. But, I will say given the kind of culture Mozilla seems to support, it is an odd choice.

Re: Gay Firefox developers boycott Mozilla to protest CEO hire

#86
post #65

I'd like to urge everyone to consider whether it's a good idea to comment on this story. If you voice an opinion in support of Eich, obviously that's going to be a liability in the future. But voicing an opinion against him is also a liability - there is no telling how the zeitgeist might change ten or twenty years from now. I think it's best to voice no opinion at all - and I hope this comment is not misconstrued as…

And I would argue that fighting against marriage rights (for LGBT) is our version of Jim Crow laws. History will show that people; all people deserve equal rights and protections under the law. Desegregation took decades, and arguably still isn't completely successful, given laws that disproportionately target black communities.

And this isn't about a church refusing to marry someone because of their sexuality. This is about governmental rights and legal rights conferred to married couples.

Or on a more dour note: What happens if a homosexual couple moves to a state that bans that practice, and they choose to divorce?

That's why this stuff is important.

Re: Gay Firefox developers boycott Mozilla to protest CEO hire

#87
post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I believe they're protesting not his opinions, but his efforts to have his opinions turned into laws. It's one thing to be against gay marriage. It's quite another to spend one's own money on outlawing it.

So let's play this through in an imaginary scenario. Next year I decide I like my neighbor, who's running for governor in the American Nazi party. I write him a check for $500. So now I can't work in the tech industry? Really? And this makes sense to folks? So you're saying thinking is okay, but acting is not. So is there some list of things I can and can't do and expect to have a job? Or is it just made up off-the-c…

Please come up with a different scenario, because you're never going to convince me that it's wrong to try to discourage you from putting me in a concentration camp, or taking any steps to put in power someone who would.

Re: Gay Firefox developers boycott Mozilla to protest CEO hire

#88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is a fantastically creative straw man you just beat up there... Yes, because some people are boycotting a company because their founder voted to take away their civil rights, those people are bad. Nevermind the fact that the person they're criticizing not only voted for, but provided financial support for civil rights to be taken away. But yeah, this basically means people will call for all Republicans to quit t…

In a country run by the Republican party based on Christian laws. The USA is based on Christian laws? What? No doubt there's a faction that is working on that goal, but that has never been the case in this country thus far. Also, it's not like the Democrats (the party of the KKK) are much better in that regard.

Do you think Prop 8 is anything but a Christian law?

Oh wait I just tried to rationalize with a guy who compared the Democratic party to the KKK. Nevermind, good luck with being nuts.

Re: Gay Firefox developers boycott Mozilla to protest CEO hire

#89
post #74
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1. There is a difference between voting for something and funding it. 2. There is a difference between being employed by a company and being its CEO. 3. These differences are significant.

I strongly disagree with #1.

You need a bit more to than simple disagreement when the initial statement is that a donation (of $1,000) and a vote are different.

Re: Gay Firefox developers boycott Mozilla to protest CEO hire

#90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Being gay isn't a belief.

If it's not a choice or a belief, is it genetic?

> is it genetic?

Like much in the field, this is something of an open question. You can fill literal libraries with material on this subject and still not get a clear cut, concise answer to this.

However if you honestly believe it is a choice, then I have to ask you when you decided what your sexuality would be. Because chosing your sexuality is an experiance I cannot relate to.

Post reply on HN