Should Mozilla’s ‘anti-gay marriage’ CEO resign?
Employees of software company Mozilla, best known for its Firefox internet browser, launch a Twitter campaign asking new chief executive Brendan Eich to step down over his stance on gay marriage.
Mr Eich was appointed chief executive of Mozilla – an open source, not for profit organisation – this month, but the appointment provoked controversy because in 2012 it was revealed he had donated $1,000 to a campaign supporting a ban on gay marriage in California.
His anti-gay marriage stance is perhaps even more alarming for Mozilla employees, considering that the company is to some extent aligned with the libertarian, open-source movement.
In response, Chris McAvoy, a product lead on Mozilla’s badges project, tweeted on Thursday a call for the Mr Eich to step down.
I’m an employee of @mozilla and I’m asking @brendaneich to step down as CEO.
— Chris McAvoy (@chmcavoy) March 27, 2014
Mr McAvoy’s tweet sparked further calls for resignation from Mozilla employees.
Have waited too long to say this. I’m an employee of @mozilla and I’m asking @brendaneich to step down as CEO.
— Chloe Varelidi (@varelidi) March 27, 2014
I’m an employee of @mozilla and I’m asking @BrendanEich to step down as CEO.
— John Bevan (@bevangelist) March 27, 2014
Have waited too long to say this. I’m an employee of @mozilla and I’m asking @brendaneich to step down as CEO. https://t.co/K3OqeImUnU
— iamjessklein (@iamjessklein) March 27, 2014
I’m an employee of @mozilla and cannot reconcile having @BrendanEich as CEO with our org’s culture & mission. Brendan, please step down.
— Sydney Moyer (@sydneymoyer) March 27, 2014
I’m an employee of @mozilla and I cannot reconcile @BrendanEich as CEO with our culture & mission. I cannot support @BrendanEich as CEO.
— Sunny Lee (@soletelee) March 27, 2014
People who do not work at Mozilla got involved.
I’m not an employee of @mozilla and I’m asking @brendaneich to step down as CEO
— Nicola Mastrandrea (@nick88msn) March 27, 2014
I’m not an employee of @mozilla but I’m still asking @brendaneich to step down as CEO. @varelidi @bevangelist @iamjessklein @sydneymoyer
— Kevin Redfern (@kevred10) March 27, 2014
And then other Mozilla employees began tweeting their support for Mr Eich.
I’m a bisexual employee of @mozilla and one donation to a personal cause is NOT reason enough for @brendaneich to step down. Please stay!
— Sheeri K. Cabral (@sheeri) March 27, 2014
I’m an employee of @mozilla and a supporter of LGBT rights and I ask @BrendanEich to keep being a great leader and step up as CEO.
— Zibi Braniecki (@zbraniecki) March 27, 2014
The one person who has remained quiet on Twitter since the furore began is Mr Eich himself. His last tweet, sent on Wednesday, pointed to a blog in which he sought to “lay concerns to rest” over his appointment.
In the blog, Mr Eich wrote: “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.”
Do you think Brendan Eich should resign as Mozilla chief executive? Tell Channel 4 News below.
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