Microsoft for gay marriage

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Their reasons are more pragmatic than idealistic, but I'm ok with that. I'm also glad to see they can recognize gay people as potentially valuable people whereas some others believe anyone gay is incapable of achieving anything of worth.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/01/20/..._marriage/

Microsoft has thrown its political weight behind a new law in its home state of Washington that would set up equal marriage rights for LGBT couples, an effort joined by local employers RealNetworks and Nike.

In a blog post, Microsoft general counsel Brad Smith said that the state needed the law so that local employers could attract the best talent to the state. LBGT people are unlikely to want to move somewhere that denies them the same rights as heterosexual staff, he argues, so the status quo makes Redmond less attractive.

“Washington’s employers are at a disadvantage if we cannot offer a similar, inclusive environment to our talented employees, our top recruits and their families,” Smith wrote. “Despite progress made in recent years with domestic partnership rights, same-sex couples in Washington still hold a different status from their neighbors. Marriage equality in Washington would put employers here on an equal footing with employers in the six other states that already recognize the committed relationships of same-sex couples.”