Though boys throw stones at frogs in sport, yet the frogs do not die in sport but in earnest. – Plutarch
To those treating advocating discrimination as a matter of opinion – like preferring chocale to vanilla, or Kirk to Picard, or even advocating equality – please consider it a little more carefully. Support for gay rights might be a matter of opinion to you, but for some people Proposition 8 was a serious attempt to upset their position in the world.
Eich’s donation was not just a personal thought, but an action that could have harmed real people. If you feel bad for the upset to his life, do you feel bad for them? Because those potential victims don’t exist in the case of someone who lost their job for promoting equality; the form is similar but the content is not.
And while that might not make a difference in his business ability, Mozilla purports itself to be more than that; it’s an organization whose manifesto all about enriching a public resource for everyone. I think it’s pretty clear his action was at odds with what they stand for, and they’ve agreed.
I’m a bit sorry for Eich if he has tried to correct his mistake since. I give some kudos to him for stepping aside, and to Mozilla staff for a proper apology and reaffirming their principles.
