[cluthe]

The problem is that he donated money to support a law that discriminates against people. It's not a private personal opinion that isn't harming anyone, his personal belief has directly contributed to discrimination. Beliefs are never truly personal and private, what people believe affects their behavior and interaction with others.

[paulhauggis]

"Beliefs are never truly personal and private, what people believe affects their behavior and interaction with others."

It's true. If I find out that a CEO is an atheist and voted on laws that went against the rights of Christians, I would probably want him fired too.

[cluthe]

Sure, if a CEO supported and donated money to a law that would stop Christians from being able to get married like everyone else then i would hope they are publicly criticized and pressured to defend their beliefs and the actions they have taken as a result of those beliefs. I wouldn't say they should be fired but they should be made to feel that actions taken to discriminate against others can have social consequences in both your personal and professional life.

[paulhauggis]

"I wouldn't say they should be fired but they should be made to feel that actions taken to discriminate against others can have social consequences in both your personal and professional life."

Well, it worked. The CEO has resigned today.

I would like to see one instance of the HN (or should I say, the US left) community going on the side against discrimination but regarding something against their personal beliefs.

I won't hold my breath.....

Why should I respect your freedom of choice..when you can't respect mine? We live in a world now where if I say or do something that is against the US left, I have a chance of getting fired and or having my livelihood or career ruined.

This is evil.

[cluthe]

Discrimination isn't subjective, either something is discrimination or it isn't. It would require cognitive dissonance to be someone who is opposed to discrimination while holding a personal belief that supports discrimination.

There is a difference between respecting your freedom of choice and respecting your actual choice. If your belief is repulsive to your peers and discriminatory then you need to realize there are going to be consequences for holding that belief and acting on that belief when it comes time to try to fit in with society. Your freedom of choice does not give you freedom from all consequences of that choice. On the other hand LGBT people are NOT free to choose to marry the person they wish if laws like the one Mr Eich supported exist.

If you stand against discrimination and apply social pressure to the people who choose to continue to support discrimination then you are, in fact, on the side AGAINST discrimination.

[lukifer]

It is a curious characteristic of the philosophy of tolerance that only one thing may not be tolerated: intolerance.

In general, I don't like a sociocultural norm that punishes people solely for taboo or unpopular beliefs; while I'm pro-gay-marriage, I hold other opinions which are even more controversial. Yet if the issue was a more extreme one (say, if Eich was a Holocaust denier), very few people would be comfortable with having him in a position of power, and the implicit legitimization of that political opinion.

I'm not sure it was right for the left to call for his resignation; however, in terms of what's best for Mozilla and the open web, I think it was the right move for Eich to step down.