Microsoft Caves on Gay Rights, Pressured by Evangelical Minister, Microsoft Withdraws Support for Civil Rights Bill, by Sandeep Kaushik (04/21/05)

"The Stranger has learned that last month the $37-billion Redmond-based software behemoth quietly withdrew its support for House bill 1515, the anti-gay-discrimination bill currently under consideration by the Washington State legislature, after being pressured by the Evangelical Christian pastor of a suburban megachurch. The pastor, Ken Hutcherson of Antioch Bible Church in Redmond, met with a senior Microsoft executive in February and threatened to organize a national boycott of the company's products if it did not change its stance on the legislation, according to gay rights activists and a Microsoft employee who attended a subsequent April 4 meeting where Bradford L. Smith, Microsoft's senior vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary, told a group of gay staffers about Hutcherson's threat. Hutcherson also unsuccessfully demanded that the company fire two employees who had testified in favor of the bill." (full article at the link)

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Ah, nothing like a little Christian peer pressure to knuckle a corporation under. Antioch Bible Church accepts all races.

Maybe Antioch Bible Church needs a new unifying motto. Here's a few to choose from:

"Antioch Bible Church: Jesus saves today, but not if you're gay."
"Antioch Bible Church: Only straights through the Pearly Gates."
"Antioch Bible Church: Gays to the back of the bus, please."

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