It was kind of a big deal when Mozilla, maker of Firefox, named Brendan Eich its new CEO this week.
Eich may have the technical chops for the job — he did invent JavaScript and help form Mozilla after all — but being a CEO means more than just being an expert in your field.
CEOs have a responsibility to their employees to lead by example and exemplify company values, and that $1,000 check Eich cut to support California’s Prop 8 back in 2008 doesn’t bode well.
And it looks even worse that his support of the anti-gay proposition is old news — the LA Times reported it in 2012. But that didn’t stop the Mozilla Foundation from appointing Eich as their leader.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Now the new top exec has put out a statement on his blog about corporate inclusiveness, professing his commitment to things like:
“Working with LGBT communities and allies, to listen and learn what does and doesn’t make Mozilla supportive and welcoming.”
Right now that’s you, Brendan.
And:
“…ensuring that Mozilla is, and will remain, a place that includes and supports everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, age, race, ethnicity, economic status, or religion.”
Someone’s been reading the HR handbook.
He also makes a big point of offering “inclusive health benefit practices,” which is great but not necessary if a couple in question is, oh, say married.
And if he had it his way, the gay ones wouldn’t be.
Nowhere in the post (you can read the whole thing here) does he make explicit mention of his donation or express any change in his position that gays shouldn’t be able to get married, so it’s safe to assume his opinions haven’t shifted.
It reads like it’s been sifted over by lawyers so as not to misstep, and frankly makes me glad I ditched Firefox years ago for Chrome.
We suggest you do the same.
mingyao
“CEO’s”?
redcarpet
It really is an easy switch. And if you don’t like that Chrome is closed-source and connected to Google, just get Chromium, the open source browser that Chrome is based on.
There is Opera too, but it’s not as clean and simple as Chrome. Safari is a fine choice as well but Mac only. But what ever you do, DON’T USE INTERNET EXPLORER!
Cam
How nice that HR wrote a script for him to post.
And yet he supported stripping away civil rights from gays, and Mozilla knew it and hired him.
F-Them. IE or Chrome.
thomasjoseph158
Comments to Mr. Eich’s post are “awaiting moderation” and yet a security flaw in his blog allows others to view new posts for a short time — INCLUDING their email address which he assures “will not be published”.
As the CEO of a very powerful technology organization, one would think that he could at least properly implement security. Mr. Eich has proven himself to be an ineffective leader on multiple levels. Let’s hope that Mozilla quickly realizes their mistake.
Until then, I’m quite enjoying Chrome and probably won’t bother to ever switch back to Firefox…
Nickadoo
“Eich may have the technical chops for the job — he did invent JavaScript and help form Mozilla after all…”
The JavaScript on this page is causing Mozilla to run slowly. Would you like to abort Mozilla?
willji
@redcarpet:
Safari works on PCs, I use it as well as Chrome, I gave up on Firefox……..
Icebloo
Well the problem is Google and Facebook have both been pouring money into the extreme right wing A.L.E.C. forum which develops anti-women, anti-gay, anti-poor policies for the Republican Party so if you are boycotting Firefox you need to boycott Google, Google Chrome and Facebook too ! They are ALL doing the same thing. All they care about is MONEY. They don’t care about gay rights or women’s rights.
ACTIONS speak louder than WORDS !
jimmy10
TIME TO LEAVE FIREFOX!
EXITING TODAY.
vive
@redcarpet, what’s wrong with IE?
Merv
@vive: There’s nothing wrong with IE. I tend to use Chrome because pages become responsive more quickly on loading, but IE is perfectly acceptable. Some people are still holding a grudge based on the IE of ten years ago, but it’s much improved since then.
gatrdave
It’s not always about the gays. He and his ilk lost that battle and are losing the war. I like Firefox and I’m not going to jump on the snoopy and invasive Google bandwagon because some smart and innovative person donated to Prop 8. Live and let live.
We won California, we won Maine, we won dozens more battles. He’s on the wrong side of history. Be the bigger person and let it go.
gatrdave
Google and Facebook have the image of fun-loving all-inclusive hip and cool young people. No one is going to give that up.
As for Firefox, are we to give up the TorBrowser, too?
Desert Boy
Brendan Eich can go to hell.
newecreator
@redcarpet: Hey! I use it. At least it’s the most touch friendly browser ever!
D9W
“A mind changed against its will is of the same opinion still”
— Could Be.
Cam
@gatrdave:
And attitudes like your are one reason why people felt comfortable pushing a law like Prop 8 in the first place.
vive
@gatrdave, I though FB had become the space of your Mom and your Granny. Younger people seem to be deserting it in droves. It is so clunky and low quality anyway.
pickles
Here is Mozilla’s mission statement, right off their Facebook page:
Mozilla is a non-profit organization that believes the Web should be open, accessible, transparent, safe and—most of all—a force for the good of humanity.
That small minded, idiot who thinks he’s entitled to more rights than others is their new CEO? How the heck is that ‘for the good of humanity?’ Gross.
BrokebackBob
Here’s a what-if: What if all the CEOs of all the companies that make web browsers make anti-LGBT statements publicly? If that is the litmus
test for using a browser, that browser will gay folks use?
Cam
@BrokebackBob:
It is weird what whenever there is a suggestion of a boycott there seems to be a group of people that are all upset about the thought that gays would dare not hand money over to people that hate and are working against them.