The popularity of Google has made it into a tremendously successful business with a stock price that, even in this bear market, is still above $300. And with that kind of success comes a certain power, even in areas outside of business.
Recently, Google decided to exercise that power by taking a position on Proposition 8, a ballot initiative that will be placed before voters in California on November 4. In a nutshell, Proposition 8 would amend the California state constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman, thus eliminating homosexual marriage, which is currently legal in California.
Sergey Brin, cofounder of Google, acknowledged that Proposition 8 is "an unlikely question for Google to take an official company position on," yet he states that Google regards it "fundamentally as an issue of equality." To that end, Brin writes, "We hope that California voters will vote no on Proposition 8--we should not eliminate anyone's fundamental rights, whatever their sexuality, to marry the person they love."
Of course, the Catholic Church teaches that marriage is always between one man and one woman, and therefore (in the eyes of the Church) homosexual marriage is a contradiction in terms. But the fact that such unions cannot be considered marriages according to the Church does not mean that political redefinitions of the term are unimportant. As we have seen with abortion and Roe v. Wade, many people equate legality with morality.
What do you think? Should companies such as Google take positions on controversial political issues like gay marriage? When they do so, does it affect your decision to use their services? Leave your thoughts in the comments!
I wish Americans didn’t equate legality with morality.
You ask: Should companies such as Google take positions on controversial political issues like gay marriage? When they do so, does it affect your decision to use their services?
To the first question, I don’t have an answer. I guess by now I expect it. Any time there is a big issue — like the presidential race, the war, gay marriage, the Wall Street bail out — lots of people believe that their position is the only legitimate one. When they’re very vocal or visible and in the majority, it’s hard to be in the minority. There’s a sense of being bullied, so standing up for one’s position can be more trouble than it’s worth, leading to apathy. If I didn’t hold those majority positions I wouldn’t want to have to work in a company that endorsed them.
To the second question, my answer is “yes,” regardless of what I might think of gay marriage. (I don’t think the government should be in the legalizing of marriages-business in the first place.) However, when I look at a newspaper or an online newspaper I do understand its bias and take it into account. Instead of Google, there’s always About.com, which to my knowledge does not take positions as a company, or even Wikipedia, which is increasingly useful as a search engine.
The fact that Google is taking a position suggests to me that Google is trying to morph into something new and powerful.
Well, I am glad there are alternative search engines out there. I will be using them in the future. Good bye Google!
If homosexual marriage is legal, what about plural marriage? Shouldn’t they have legal rights too? When that becomes legal, what about other group marriages? What becomes the real purpose of marriage when it’s diluted like this?
Should a company take any sort of moral or ethical positions? One can only hope so! The fact that it’s political and divisive is irrelevant as to whether or not it’s right or wrong. Personally I’m all for legalizing gay marriage as I do see it as a fundamental issue of equality. (If marriage wasn’t administered by the government, but by churches only then it’d be the individual church’s disgression and I’d be fine with that. But alas.)
Though you should also ask yourself, if you’re so quick to condemn Google for taking a stance; are you doing so because they took one in the first place, or simply because you happen to disagree with it?
As minor I.T. person and general “computer guy” for the people in my own little world, this information on Google’s position regarding homosexual marriage it truly disappointing. Google has a lot of the best stuff out there: it magnificent and super efficient search engine, Google Maps, Google Earth, Blogger, YouTube and its latest product, the Google Chrome internet browser.
A lot of the Googlers were raised in a time in which the philosophy of relativism was just about starting to take-off. So, by the time these youngsters reached adulthood – the “whatever you believe” is just as valid as “what I believe” way of seeing the world IS the way the Googlers and their peers think.
To them sex with its pleasure and reproduction have been separated by the use of contraceptives and its fail-safe, abortion.
So, one should really not be too surprised that the Googlers have taken a stand on this – after all probably a lot of the men and women working for Google, Inc. probably live together and are having children without benefit of marriage and homosexual couples are seen as being no different. Therefore, in the Googlers’ eyes these folks have a ‘right’ to get “married”.
I have noticed that almost anything negative about the physical expression of homosexuality seems to disappear of the Net – sometimes within days; more often within hours. Somebody out there, with sympathy for the homosexual rights movement, is censoring information it seems. There’s no way to prove it – it’s just my observation.
Now the big question for me as an I.T. person: do I dump out of the best Net and Web Stuff out there and settle for lesser engines like webcrawler.com, about.com, altavista.com or my one time favorite, mamma.com? Do I dump out of Blogger? Do I stop using Google Maps or Google Earth? Do I stop watching YouTube? Do I uninstall Google Chrome?
I don’t have an answer for that yet. But will be awful hard to drop the Googlers and use sub-standard stuff when I am not just the garden variety computer user who could care less what he/she is using just as long as it works.
On the same note, I hate Microsoft and deeply dislike Bill Gates whom I consider a major thief. Yet, I’m still using his fancy O.S. which he stole years ago.
I will be reflecting on all this for sure . . .
I think that the American Family Association has the right approach of banding people together. They initiated a boycott of Ford Motor Company and it worked. More recently we boycotted McDonalds because they joined the Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and in four short months, McDonalds withdrew the person that was sitting on the board and will not renew their membership. It’s amazing what we can do when we stand together!
In response to the original question, no, even though, in my opinion, Google is the best and offers some amazing tools (and fun stuff) if they are indeed “endorsing gay marriage” I can muddle through with the other search engines.
“Should companies such as Google take positions on controversial political issues like gay marriage?” For some reason I doubt the question wouldn’t have been asked, if Google didn’t support equal opportunity in the pursuit of happiness. Why don’t all these marriage “protection” issue prohibit divorce and so one? Because they would fail if they did so, right? The moral ambiguity is getting wearisome anymore.
I hesitate to say say they shouldn’t take a position. If their position was against gay marriage, I would like it, but it’s not. I think speech needs to be as free as possible, which means the opposing views need to have a strong response. The lord gives us all free will, lets hope in the end, good and right prevail. as you alluded to, much in society that is legal, is thought to be right. Not so!
Had Google and other corporations come out against Proposition8, this same group would have been the first to applaud such actions and criticize others who do otherwise. It is absolutely fine that Google participates openly in a discussion regarding issues that affect the society of which it is a member. For one, the Church itself has found no fault in engaging virtually every socio-political debate covered by the mainstream media. Why, then can’t corporations have the same freedom?
Furthermore, Google’s stand on a social issue has no bearing on the quality of the services it provides. Afterall, can anyone say with all seriousness that using a search engine somehow convey the message, “I support/don’t support gay marriage” ? It’s absolutely ignorant to think it would. I for one will continue to use Google’s services.
Come on, guys, let’s get back to logic before we attempt to tackle the intricacies of moral and theological philosophies.
Bye bye google, welcome about.com
Google has one less user now. Ignorance is tolerable, but a deliberate support for what even science cannot prove is innate, and centuries of humanity has told us is an abomination is a travesty. As Harry Truman said, “The only thing new is the history you don’t know”. This may be new to Google but they may want to research dinosaurs, as in that is where backwards ideas always end up, extinct!
I guesss I will need to look for another search engine. It is very sad to see their support of perversion and immorality. They are contributing to downfall of this country. Our country to slowly going down the toilet and anyone in support of these immoralites is proudly exacerbating this process. Please tell me and anyone else who dares to support good morals; what will be the next perversion to be supported? Maybe murder, rape or incest? These perversions make the person that commits them “feel good”, just like homosexuals feel when they are practicing their perversions. If they are allowed to do what they want then it is only fair that any other perversions should also be OK. All I can say to this is “God Help Us” !!!