Today gives us the ying and yang of American’s businesses channeling money into gay-related causes. While Microsoft continues to help fund the path of gay equality, recent numbers have shown Chick-fil-A continues its anti-gay donation agenda.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and current CEO Steve Ballmer each donated $100,000 to defend Washington State’s marriage equality law against Referendum 74, an initiative on the ballot for November.
That’s not enough to make us give up our iPhone and Mac, but we’ll gratefully and proudly acknowledge we were PC people for many years.
On the other end lies Chick-fil-A, the notorious anti-gay fast food chicken chain. The Christian company is reported to have donated a whopping $2 million in 2010 to virulently anti-gay hate groups like the Marriage and Family Foundation, the Family Research Council and conversion therapy-spouting Exodus International.
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.
The company’s donations have steadily increased over the past decade: From 2003 to 2008, it only gave $1.1 million annually to anti-gay groups.
We liked Chick-fil-a when we were younger, but now their food leaves a bad taste in our mouth.
cam
With all the different places out there, there should be no reason to ever go to this place again.
Carl 1
Micro$oft may make grade A crappy operating systems, but give them credit – they put their money where their mouth is. hey’ve been one of strongest corporate allies of LGBT people for a long time. Good to see them carrying on the tradition. Still a long way to go until they reach Apple’s level though.
Daez
@Carl 1: Actually, Windows 7 is a pretty stable and decent OS. Vista sucked, and apparently Windows 8 is going to suck as well. But, they actually did well with 7 and for that matter with XP.
The only real other option is MACOS and that requires you to pay 2-3x more for a computer than the computer is actually worth and then still has plenty of issues including the lack of any decent software designed specifically for that computer since all software is designed for the PC and then ported to MAC.
randy
People defend Chikfila as tasty. I don’t get it — it really sucks. It’s the cheapest of fast food, is more salt and fat than anything else. People! Please! Junk food is okay once in a while, but consider your health and waistline, and the fact that these junk food places are bad for the environment and for animal well-being.
There are much better options out there.
Carl 1
@Daez: Oh, don’t get me wrong, I use a pc and windows, because as you point out macs are stupidly expensive, hard to upgrade and hardly any decent software is available for them. Just wish there was a better pc OS that was still windows games compatible (without a lot of mucking about).
RedRooster
That’s why I always eat at chick-fil-a!!!
Bipolar Bear
I think if you’re a PC user, it’s worth flicking an email or a letter to Microsoft to thank them for their support. On the smaller scale, social media can allow us to make a big difference when homophobia surfaces at smaller businesses. I offer this little tale as proof:
http://bipolarbear.co.nz/2012/03/06/when-homophobia-doesnt-pay/
OrnaMint
Chick-fil-A? Pro or anti-gay, no one in his right mind would eat their shitty food anyway.
The headline is wrong
Microsoft didn’t donate money. Ballmer and Gates, as individuals, did.
That is more impressive, in my book. While Apple and Google and Microsoft are all pro-LGBT, Gates and Ballmer set a new benchmark in the industry through personal donations.
And all the Applefolk slamming Microsoft products need to stop living in 2005. MS stuff these days is awesome. Windows Phone is easily the best smartphone OS, and Windows 8 Consumer Preview on my touchscreen PC is much, much better than pokey old OS X Lion on my MacBook Pro 13″.
jeff4justice
Bill Gates seems to be a very disturbed person.
Bill Gates: Eugenicist Extraordinaire
http://occupycorporatism.com/bill-gates-eugenicist-extraordinaire/
Bill Gates, Monsanto, and eugenics: How one of the world’s wealthiest men is actively promoting a corporate takeover of global agriculture
http://www.naturalnews.com/035105_Bill_Gates_Monsanto_eugenics.html#ixzz1zal6FBMy
Bill Gates Favors Death Panel and Vaccines To Decrease World’s Population
http://www.infowars.com/bill-gates-favors-death-panel-and-vaccines-to-decrease-world%E2%80%99s-population/
The Real Story Behind Bill Gates And “Death Panels”
http://www.prisonplanet.com/the-real-story-behind-bill-gates-and-death-panels.html
Mike in London UK
go on (allegedly) Million Moms.
Try getting out of using M$oft ‘ware.
David
@Carl 1:
Not to start this age old debate, but each OS has its up and downs. There is not a true “Better” OS
MAC has good video/audio software, plus is a lot easier to code on.
PC exels is buisness programs, as well as gaming applications.
Both browse the internet pretty much the same.
Chuck
I have never eaten Chik-fil-a (nor even know how to pronounce its name) and I never will.
Palto
RedRooster – glad to hear you always eat there! Hope you drop dead from a heart attack.
RedRooster
@Palto: Haha I hope you get HIV
Hyhybt
@randy: Nobody is saying Chick-fil-A isn’t junk food. But *as that type of junk food goes* it’s the best around. And I like their closed on Sundays policy; turning down money for principle is something most companies aren’t willing to do, and a side effect is that it gets them a better pick of employees than other chains: one day you can count on *always* to be off, every week, no matter what? A *weekend* day, no less? Otherwise unheard of in fast food.
None of which justifies sending a penny to the likes of FRC. But the bad outweighing the good is not a valid reason to deny the good points exist at all.
Carl 1
@The headline is wrong: Actually, android is easily the best mobile OS, I know because I’ve had both windows mobile and android. WM’s main problem at the moment is its cosmetic limitations, but ones that are valued by consumers – no custom message alerts, no custom alarms, custom ringtones have to be edited on a pc, tagged as ‘ringtone’, the phone connected to the PC and transferred over using the Zune software. Chosen wallpapers only appear on the lock screen, not as a backdrop. Android is far easier (just for the transfer of files) and supports a great deal of customisation. I’ve also found WM to be a tad unstable – its crashed twice in the month I’ve had the phone.
In this day and age, customisation matters a great deal to consumers, especially with the sheer number of mobile phones in circulation. Everyone wants theirs to be unique to them. To be fair, iOS didn’t offer these things at launch, they came later. One can only hope that WM goes down the same route, adding these cosmetic features over time.
Carl 1
@The headline is wrong: Actually, android is easily the best mobile OS, I know because I’ve had both windows mobile and android. WM’s main problem at the moment is its cosmetic limitations, but ones that are valued by consumers – no custom message alerts, no custom alarms, custom ringtones have to be edited on a pc, tagged as ‘ringtone’, the phone connected to the PC and transferred over using the Zune software. Chosen wallpapers only appear on the lock screen, not as a backdrop. Android is far easier (just for the transfer of files) and supports a great deal of customisation. I’ve also found WM to be a tad unstable – its crashed twice in the month I’ve had the phone.
In this day and age, customisation matters a great deal to consumers, especially with the sheer number of mobile phones in circulation. Everyone wants theirs to be unique to them. To be fair, iOS didn’t offer these things at launch, they came later. One can only hope that WM goes down the same route, adding these cosmetic features over time.
EatMoreChicken
Mmmm, Waffle Fries, Spicy Chicken Sandwhich, Grilled Chicken. Love that place.
Christopher Olson
Hate groups? Sounds like you hate them too…. virulently even. (And I’m not sure they actually *hate* you, either…)
Does that make you a hate group?