Google, as a company, tends not to take sides on matters not concerning their domain; i.e. issues other than those related to information access, technology and energy. However, they made an exception to this rule and have spoken out against the constitutional amendment banning the marriage between individuals of the same sex.
The reason for their normally hands-off approach could be that Google has a great variety of people in its work force, and they would obviously not like to have to take sides on social issues such as political alignment and religion, as making a stand could disturb the equilibrium in the workplace.
Any form of discrimination, especially against their employees, is something Google will not stand for, and the company has therefore decided to take a stance on this issue and oppose it.
Proposition 8 is an amendment to the California constitution that will take away the right of gays and lesbians to marry. The bill will be up for ballot in November this year.
If this amendment is passed, it will tantamount to discrimination against gay individuals. Google has a number of gays and lesbians in its work force whom they wish to protect from discrimination. As one individual rightly said, “It is the duty of the majority to protect the rights of the minority”.
While the founders did not wish to hurt the feelings of people on either side of the fence, they believe that it is the fundamental right of people to decide whom they wish to marry, irrespective of whether it is a person of the same or opposite sex. Co-founder Sergey Brin said, “it is the chilling and discriminatory effect of the proposition on many of our employees that brings Google to publicly oppose Proposition 8.”
Hopefully the electorate in California will prove that they are a cut above the uneducated rednecks that form the majority in the socially backward nation that is the U.S.A.
