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Brendan Eich of Mozilla gave $1000 to support gay marriage ban

projects.latimes.com

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Re: Brendan Eich of Mozilla gave $1000 to support gay marriage ban

#3

Post by mmastrac »

daeken wrote: post #2

As a Mozilla employee that strongly supports the right of all persons to marry, let me be the first to say: who the hell cares? At the end of the day, what he believes doesn't matter to me or anyone else.

I think something like this should be relevant. Social pressure is a good way to encourage someone to discard outdated beliefs like this.

If he had donated $1000 to a fund opposing inter-racial marriage, or to a fund opposing voting rights for a class of citizens, would you still feel the same way?

Re: Brendan Eich of Mozilla gave $1000 to support gay marriage ban

#4

Post by petercooper »

daeken wrote: post #2

As a Mozilla employee that strongly supports the right of all persons to marry, let me be the first to say: who the hell cares? At the end of the day, what he believes doesn't matter to me or anyone else.

Recall the volley of stories about sexism in tech and the ensuing discussions on HN over the last couple of weeks. A lot of people on HN seemed to care about those and what those people believed.

This is not to promote a particular viewpoint, other than.. well, it seems people do care about what other people's beliefs are, even on HN.

Re: Brendan Eich of Mozilla gave $1000 to support gay marriage ban

#5

Post by hcatlin »

As a programmer living in California whose foreign-same-sex-marriage is not recognized by the state... I'm halfway to setting up a Mozilla boycott. It's not Mozilla itself that gave the money, of course... its just their most visible (and well paid) employee.

Re: Brendan Eich of Mozilla gave $1000 to support gay marriage ban

#6

Post by jjdsampson »

daeken wrote: post #2

As a Mozilla employee that strongly supports the right of all persons to marry, let me be the first to say: who the hell cares? At the end of the day, what he believes doesn't matter to me or anyone else.

I sincerely don't see the problem. I think those opposed to Prop 8 should demonstrate a bit more tolerance to everybody who may not agree with them.

Now if the $1,000 went towards Westboro Baptist Church, so that they could lash out and call people "faggots", then I would be a bit upset.

Re: Brendan Eich of Mozilla gave $1000 to support gay marriage ban

#7

Post by jsavimbi »

daeken wrote: post #2

As a Mozilla employee that strongly supports the right of all persons to marry, let me be the first to say: who the hell cares? At the end of the day, what he believes doesn't matter to me or anyone else.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander. I have no interest in what another party believes, but when they actively contribute money and resources to legitimize discrimination and persecution against a group of people, I'll make it my business to work against them in the form of public shaming, boycott or financial contributions of my own to make it stop.

Re: Brendan Eich of Mozilla gave $1000 to support gay marriage ban

#8

Post by hcatlin »

jjdsampson wrote: post #6
daeken wrote: post #2

As a Mozilla employee that strongly supports the right of all persons to marry, let me be the first to say: who the hell cares? At the end of the day, what he believes doesn't matter to me or anyone else.

I sincerely don't see the problem. I think those opposed to Prop 8 should demonstrate a bit more tolerance to everybody who may not agree with them. Now if the $1,000 went towards Westboro Baptist Church, so that they could lash out and call people "faggots", then I would be a bit upset.

You and I might disagree on tax policy... that's fine! We might disagree on flavors of ice cream too! We're still fine. But, when you say that I have no right to call my husband my husband. And the very idea that I have a loving relationship with him that the government might recognize and treat equally with a same-sex couple. That very idea prompts you to go google for "nom", then find the donation page, you then have to go get your wallet, you then have to fill out the form on the site, then you type in the credit card number (check it twice!), you then click donate. All of that action was precipitated by the very thought of me and my husband being married. Remember, Prop 8 happened after gay marriage was legal in California. I'm far less offended by Westboro, because they have no concept of what they are doing. They function in a crazy world that is separate from ours. To know that a fellow language inventor has such feeling about me... that is hard to describe... and is different than a normal political disagreeance.

Re: Brendan Eich of Mozilla gave $1000 to support gay marriage ban

#9

Post by ahoyhere »

mmastrac wrote: post #3
daeken wrote: post #2

As a Mozilla employee that strongly supports the right of all persons to marry, let me be the first to say: who the hell cares? At the end of the day, what he believes doesn't matter to me or anyone else.

I think something like this should be relevant. Social pressure is a good way to encourage someone to discard outdated beliefs like this. If he had donated $1000 to a fund opposing inter-racial marriage, or to a fund opposing voting rights for a class of citizens, would you still feel the same way?

If he had donated $1000 to a fund opposing inter-racial marriage…

Bravo. This is exactly the argument we should make. If he had donated to pass an anti-miscegenation law, we would all know it was wrong.

You're free to believe whatever you want. You're free to believe men and women marrying men and women is wrong. You're free to believe that whites marrying blacks is wrong. It IS supposed to be a free country.

But when you donate to pass a law about it, it changes from belief to infringement on rights.

Re: Brendan Eich of Mozilla gave $1000 to support gay marriage ban

#10

Post by petercooper »

hcatlin wrote: post #8
jjdsampson wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I sincerely don't see the problem. I think those opposed to Prop 8 should demonstrate a bit more tolerance to everybody who may not agree with them. Now if the $1,000 went towards Westboro Baptist Church, so that they could lash out and call people "faggots", then I would be a bit upset.

You and I might disagree on tax policy... that's fine! We might disagree on flavors of ice cream too! We're still fine. But, when you say that I have no right to call my husband my husband. And the very idea that I have a loving relationship with him that the government might recognize and treat equally with a same-sex couple. That very idea prompts you to go google for "nom", then find the donation page, you then ha…

Maybe this is being overprecise and I share your viewpoint here, but singling out Brendan is perhaps best left until he shares his side of the story. This could be a mistake/error in accounting. I don't know how the US donation system works and if that's likely at all, but..

Of course, if it isn't a mistake, I totally agree. I just find something published by the LA Times to be.. well.. not a real guarantee of authenticity.

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