Boycott Firefox?

This is a hard one to decide if a boycott is justifiable. If you haven’t heard Mozilla Foundation picked for their CEO a person who is against marriage equality.

Firefox Users Boycott Browser Over New Anti-Gay CEO
New Civil Rights
by David Badash
March 25, 2014

Some Firefox users are furious over yesterday’s promotion to CEO of Brendan Eich to lead Mozilla, the company that makes the world’s second-most popular internet desktop browser, Firefox. Eich actually co-founded Mozilla, but made headlines when it was reported he had donated $1000 to support California’s anti-gay Prop 8 in 2008.

Eich is the Javascript creator so he has a strong background in web development and he made this statement about Mozilla,

I am deeply honored and humbled by the CEO role. I’m also grateful for the messages of support. At the same time, I know there are concerns about my commitment to fostering equality and welcome for LGBT individuals at Mozilla. I hope to lay those concerns to rest, first by making a set of commitments to you. More important, I want to lay them to rest by actions and results.

A number of Mozillians, including LGBT individuals and allies, have stepped forward to offer guidance and assistance in this. I cannot thank you enough, and I ask for your ongoing help to make Mozilla a place of equality and welcome for all. Here are my commitments, and here’s what you can expect:

• Active commitment to equality in everything we do, from employment to events to community-building.
• Working with LGBT communities and allies, to listen and learn what does and doesn’t make Mozilla supportive and welcoming.
• My ongoing commitment to our Community Participation Guidelines, our inclusive health benefits, our anti-discrimination policies, and the spirit that underlies all of these.
•  My personal commitment to work on new initiatives to reach out to those who feel excluded or who have been marginalized in ways that makes their contributing to Mozilla and to open source difficult. More on this last item below.

I know some will be skeptical about this, and that words alone will not change anything. I can only ask for your support to have the time to “show, not tell”; and in the meantime express my sorrow at having caused pain.

Mozilla is a movement composed of different people around the world, working productively together on a common mission. This is important to our ability to work and grow around the world.

Many Mozillians and others know me as a colleague or a friend. They know that I take people as they come and work with anyone willing to contribute. At the same time, I don’t ask for trust free of context, or without a solid structure to support accountability. No leader or person who has a privileged position should. I want to be held accountable for what I do as CEO. I fully expect you all to do so.

I am committed to 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.

You will see exemplary behavior from me toward everyone in our community, no matter who they are; and the same toward all those whom we hope will join, and for those who use our products. Mozilla’s inclusive health benefits policies will not regress in any way. And I will not tolerate behavior among community members that violates our Community Participation Guidelines or (for employees) our inclusive and non-discriminatory employment policies.

You’ll also see more from Mozilla under my leadership in the way of efforts to include potential contributors, especially those who lack privilege. This entails several projects, starting with Project Ascend, which is being developed by Lukas Blakk. I intend to demonstrate with meaningful action my commitment to a Mozilla that lives up to its ideals, including that of being an open and inclusive community.

Many of those calling for a boycott say that this is not good enough, they want an apology. But I think his views and how he runs the company are two different things. I believe that if you truly believe in diversity you have respect all people views as long as they are not hateful. I believe that Mr. Eich didn’t call for violence or were they hateful, he just doesn’t believe in marriage equality. If we boycott everyone who disagrees with us there would be very few companies that you shop or use their products. Additional, he gave a $1000 which in no way makes him a major contributor to the anti-marriage campaign; I think it would make a difference if he gave $10,000 or $100,000 to the anti-marriage side.

Do you think a boycott is justified?