Corporate vision, and its absence

Via AMERICAblog and its wall-to-wall coverage of l’affair Microsoft (for those who came in late, that would be Microsoft’s withdrawal of support for a Washington bill that would have outlawed discrimination against gays and lesbians, and that measure’s subsequent one-vote defeat), we have a new development. For Microsoft officials who may have hoped that things would just blow over, this press release from the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center falls squarely in the category of bad news:

In response to Microsoft’s withdrawal of support for legislation that would have outlawed discrimination against gay and lesbian people in Washington, the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, which presented Microsoft with its Corporate Vision Award in 2001, is asking the company to return the award.

“We honor companies that, among other things, set a high standard for others by exhibiting leadership in advancing the cause of lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual equality,” said L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center Chief of Staff Darrel Cummings. “Because of Microsoft’s apparent capitulation to the demands of anti-gay extremists and withdrawal of support for a bill that would do nothing more than protect gay and lesbian people from discrimination, we believe it’s no longer worthy of our highest corporate honor.”

At the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center’s 30th Anniversary Gala in 2001, Microsoft was honored because the company had been a leader in opposing anti-gay initiatives, was one of the first companies to offer domestic partnership benefits and include sexual orientation in its corporate non-discrimination policy, and has supported AIDS and GLBT organizations across the country. Center leaders are concerned about the company’s apparent shift in its support of civil rights legislation for the GLBT community. Phone calls from the Center to Microsoft have not been returned.

“One of the most basic civil rights is protection from discrimination,” said Cummings. “By withdrawing support for legislation that would protect the GLBT community from discrimination — especially in its home state — we’re very concerned about the direction Microsoft is headed. It sends a dangerous message to the rest of corporate America, and to society in general, and may be cause for our community to evaluate its support of Microsoft.”

Such are the consequences of occluded corporate vision. Guess this means that Microsoft will have to edit their boast of having received the award. Either that, or remove it altogether and hope nobody notices.

(Thanks much to Shakespeare’s Sister for the relay.)