January 9, 2008
Fundie bigots attempt to force beliefs down Microsoft’s throat.
Ken Hutcherson and his AGN thugs are now attempting to bully Microsoft into submission via a stock purchasing campaign. This follows a failed attempt in November to get the computer giant to revoke it’s benefits for LGBT employees.
AGN this week launched its “Buy Three, Donate One” campaign where supporters are urged to buy three Microsoft shares and donate one to AGN.
The shareholders would then be able to vote at Microsoft annual meetings. AGN hopes to have enough shares of its own through donations to force votes on what it sees as issues of faith.
Now this is a standard tactic of the RRRW. They don’t like other people having the same civil rights they do, so they engage in subterfuge and coercion to get what they want.
In a statement AGN said “that corporations are donating close to $1 Billion every year to promote the dissolution of family values in our society.” Microsoft is the first corporation to be targeted but if the campaign is successful other companies will be added.
Of course they get to define what a family is, what family values are and–therefore– what Microsoft and other corporations can provide with regard to their employee benefits and policies. Or at least that’s what they believe, and what they’re trying so very hard to make every one else accept one way or another.
The shareholders would then be able to vote at Microsoft annual meetings. AGN hopes to have enough shares of its own through donations to force votes on what it sees as issues of faith.
“We are not trying to hurt Microsoft or their shareholders nor are we calling for a boycott of their products or services. We are trying to help them,” Hutcherson said in the statement.
At least they admit they’re trying to force votes. It’s not often bullies are so open about their agenda. But it’s interesting that they claim they aren’t trying to hurt Microsoft or their shareholders. If a group were striving to pressure Microsoft into yanking benefits for Christian employees the howls of protest would be heard from coast to coast. Methinks Hutcherson and friends are being quite disengenous. In fact, I’d go as far as to say they’re full of….baloney.
Hutcherson said this week that he hopes AGN Financial with the support of conservative church groups across the country will be able to muster enough shares to bring the issue to a vote this year.
Now Seattlepi.com calculated the figures and determined that:
It’s unclear what effect, if any, the initiative could have on the stock price. It would be difficult to influence company direction — just to gain a 1 percent stake in Microsoft, about 31 million people would each have to spend $104 to buy three shares. Microsoft has about 9.36 billion outstanding shares, and its largest holder is Chairman Bill Gates, with 858 million shares, or 9 percent of the total. Capital Research and Management Co. follows with nearly 557 million shares, or 6 percent.
Can Hutcherson attract 31 million homophobic wingnuts to his current cause-du-jour? Only time will tell.
Filed under: Free Speech, Homophobia, Radical Religious Right
