Following former Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich's forced resignation last week, Faith Driven Consumer wondered who would be next. Yesterday, the Christian rights organization launched a campaign to ensure that no other Mozilla employee would be persecuted for their religious beliefs.
Eich, a Mozilla co-founder, resigned from his newly appointed CEO position after being mercilessly attacked online for supporting Proposition 8. The 2008 California ballot measure sought to reinforce the legal definition of marriage in California as being between a man and a woman. In 2012, media reports revealed that Eich donated $1,000 to the Prop 8 campign, and a firestorm erupted.
When Eich became CEO on March 24, 2014, the internet again exploded with hateful comments, threats, and calls for his resignation. Mozilla and Eich succumbed to the pressure, and his departure was announced on April 3rd.
Faith Driven Consumer is challenging the software community to apply its commitment to openness and tolerance to those who uphold the biblical view of marriage.
"In the short-term, we are concerned about the rights of employees to continue to hold to their personal biblical views on marriage without being discriminated against or bullied," Faith Driven Consumer Founder Chris Stone said in a statement.
"In the long-term, we are troubled by LGBT advocates who are calling for a 'glass ceiling' for faith-driven employees, suggesting that companies may hire such people but should not allow these employees to assume leadership roles if they hold a biblical view of marriage."
Faith Driven Consumer's #OpenZilla campaign asks Mozilla's leaders three questions:
- Will faith-driven employees be discriminated against and forced into the closet for their personal views on marriage?
- Is there a "pro-gay marriage" litmus test for working at Mozilla?
- Will the next CEO be required to openly express support for gay marriage as a condition for being hired?
The organization's website states that they contacted Mozilla directly in regards to their diversity policy, and began #OpenZilla to encourage conversation about religious discrimination.
"We launched the #OpenZilla campaign to spark a broader dialogue about the need for tolerance, true inclusiveness, and respect for diversity in the workplace. We are asking Mozilla to address our questions, and have asked the Faith Driven Consumer community to engage with the company as well."
