Comments on: Google opposes anti-gay marriage measure

Search giant decides to take a public stand against Proposition 8, which is on the November ballot in California.

[SleeStaK911]

Unless it has to do with finding stuff in the internet, I really do not care one way or the other what Google's stand is on anything, really.
These guys are taking themselves WAY too seriously.

[anythingbutmicrosoft]

Homosexuality should not be discriminated against just as any other medical disability. But to allow the benefits of marriage just because you are defective? I think not.

[sfspurs]

I rather be "defective" than a complete moron.

[eltoro2827]

you go shim!

[mattumanu]

I'm all for Gay divorce, so yeah, go ahead Google. I'm sure Google wants their tax burden increased as well, but that's another story altogether.

Our society, right this very minute, impedes the "rights" of it's citizens by popular vote. Once upon a time in the United States it was against various state laws to break the marriage contract by adultery, but that was let go in favor of individual rights to pork anything one wants. The rise of single motherhood, absentee fathers, abandoned families, all have a massive impact on our society today. In every case, individual rights has been trumping the rights of society to enforce basic morals for the common good of the people. Individual rights stands in the way of us abolishing smoking, even though we know specifically that smoking causes cancer and entire host of other maladies. As a society we give so much individual freedoms, but that freedom comes at great cost to the whole of society in increased taxes, lost productivity, and the like.

We don't know what effects Gay marriage will have on our society, so when someone says "as long as it does no one any harm" they are making some rather gross assumptions. I would hope that society could mitigate any bad effects, but I have sincere doubts about that prospect. Thus far, the burden of individual rights always winds up on the shoulders of people those rights were never intended to burden.

If you are Gay and you want to get married, go for it. But don't cry to me when someone responds to your future desires for divorce are running up our tax burdens with increased judicial expenditures and government subsidized intitlements that force the rest of us to shoulder the burdens of your new "rights". I'm only scratching the surface, I'm sure, but I do know that I'm not willing to shoulder the burden of someone else's "rights" any longer.

[treester13]

You do realize that gays also pay taxes, right? Right now, all divorce "judicial expenditures" are being subsidized not only by straight people but also gay ones. So isn't straight society "forcing" gays to carry some of the burden of divorces, which are running at successfully low 50%? Don't all those who get taxed also have the right to "burden" the system just like you?

Gays aren't allowed to visit their loved ones in ICU or make life and death decisions about loved ones they're committed to (even thought gay divorce is just around the corner for them, I'm sure) but somehow, they seem to pay the same price for that hospital stay. Committed gay couples (with or without children) don't get the same tax benefits but seem to pay the same amount of taxes -- probably more because they are taxed at individual rates.

So who exactly is benefitting from entitlements here?

[fsclconsv]

What do you mean 'running up our tax burdens'? Gay people are already subsidizing these 'tax burdens' for everyone else. Do you think gay people don't pay taxes, insurance, etc? Don't you realize the people you're referring to are your neighbors and co-workers? Gays pay legal fees and subsize your family health insurance rates. Perhaps it would be more just if gay people were exempted from these costs...

[mattumanu]

I have another problem with this. Isn't the implication of a large company coming out in against the propostion that said company is informing their employees that they need tow the company line? For instance, say your an employee for google, and google comes out against Prop 8, and you have reservations about Gay marriage, isn't it true that your employer is now putting pressure on you to vote they way they demand you vote?

I find this to be very disturbing. All extremism aside, there are people on both sides of the issue who have perfectly legit reasons to be for or against the proposal, but in a society such as our own we're supposed to be free to make up our own minds without the influence those who employ us influencing us.

Google should not have done this. I can imagine that right now there people employed by Google who are now having to rethink their employment because they are being pressured by their supervisors to vote a certain way.

[merelogic]

I guess the next move would be to support marriages between us and animals.

[treester13]

Well, not until animals pay the same taxes we do. And I'm sure many animals would object to marrying you.

[faust]

As soon as animals can consent to enter a contract wake me up.

wow, the brain dead are really out in full force

[jimonlinedotcom]

Google needs to stick to dominating the tech world and leave the social issues alone. They're wrong for siding against nature and God.

[fsclconsv]

Check your facts. There is plenty of homosexuality in nature. As for God, whose god are you taling about? I can only assume you are opposed to the separation of Church and State, which would make you against our Founding Fathers. A proponent of making the US an evangelical Christian State? Rather scary...

[alan_06]

There'll always be some group which supports and opposes on social behaviours. I think Corp companies should keep mouth shut and concentrate on their business. Irrespective of whether they get support for this voice or not, I think Google has earned some non-supporters now and it's going to impact their business, which is a fact.

[treester13]

Kind of like when many companies, including Swiss banks, helped run the Nazi murder machine by providing guns and money - some even coming from the very gold fillings of murdered Jews?

Yeah, I guess companies should just turn a blind eye and mind their own business. And Oskar Schindler was just a meddling fool. What's saving so many lives when he dies broke? A fool, clearly.

[sfspurs]

Thanks Google for your courage in fighting for basic equality.

[GrampaG]

There is no reason for marriage to be anything other than between a man and woman. It has worked fine for ages. It has added order to society and our culture. If gays want to be bonded/joined some way call it something else.
Some homosexuals pose a threat to our children and our grandchildren. I know by experience having been abused by same. Their lifestyle is perverse and goes against nature. All of the evidence pertaining to these personality types is not reported by the pro-gay media. Society should not support moral depravity but attempt to prevent it and help those so engaged to find alternate ways.

[american_professional]

awwww google! What are you doing? looks like a big "rookie business" mistake. Using your business name to oppose a piece of legislation that has nothing to do with your industry at all. wow.

I don't remember the large Fortune 100 companies (including GE, GM, MS, AT&T, etc) ever weighing in on homosexual legislation and making a public statement that represents a single view that represents their entire company, shareholders, and its employee population.

really, does every google employee believe this way, or is this really just Sergey's personal crusade?

Maybe Sergey just should have made his own voice public, and not spoken for the entire employee population of Google - which is made up of "Democrats and Republicans, conservatives and liberals, all religions and no religion, straight and gay".

yikes - i hope that the employees at google (that don't agree with this legislation stand) don't start their own lawsuit against sergey for representing them in this manner. (because in California - they would likely win such a lawsuit)

[acgy]

I do not believe that Google should get involve in these social issues because it will have a negative effect from either side of the issue.

Some people feel strongly that gay should not be married and they are passionate about it.
On the other hand gays believe they should be allowed to be married and they are passsionate about it.

Either way it would be better if Companies stay away from taking sides.

[acgy]

Where will it stop? Things that were unlawful years ago are now being legalized. The rebellion in some people is causing them to want to go against the norm. They want to go against nature... People if we don't follow the laws that govern society and nature we will Destroy ourselves. ...Don't we have enough woes ...HIV, etc..to deal with?

let us correct our ways and think right!

[davidwillisw]

so sad that everytime there is an issue about gays or gay life style thr "r" word is brought in to play.sad,but then it's not surprising considering how many people there be that need that crutch.and as marrige being to have children,i thought they were having children long before the word marrige was even around ? sad that you have to equate one with the other.i was taught to believe that religion was a personal choice,why one keep it at home,not all of us are intrested enough in it to have to listen to the tripe about it! well done google.i'm not overly thrilled with your total dominance of the net but in this instance,well done!!

[treester13]

Oskar Schindler used his company to save Jews and he wound up broke by the time of his death.

Many Swiss banks during the war focused solely on their business and profited greatly from bankrolling the Nazi war machine. They made out like bandits, complete with collections of gold fillings from murdered Jews.

Yeah, I guess businesses shouldn't get into social issues because profits just aren't as good in doing what's right.

[Nickcompoop]

With all the crazy stuff going on these days, like potential economic collapse, war in the middle east, South Korea starting it's nuclear program again, global warming, enormous deficit, and the dollar going down almost constantly, you go and pick gays. Are you kidding me?! I take comfort that most likely, most of you don't live in California. I will be voting to keep gay marriage, because everyone deserves equal rights, and I dont see the difference if it's a man and a woman, a man and a man, or a woman and a woman. Either way it's two people who love each other.

Also, comparing gay rights to right for pedophiles, necrophiliacs and bank robbers is absurd. Young children can't consent, and might be harmed, dead bodies being desecrated is kinda creepy, but if it was a loved one while living I can understand., and bank robberies take money away from people and the act could result in injury or death. HOW IS GAY MARRIAGE LIKE ANY OF THOSE? IT'S NOT! IT HARMS NO ONE! I have yet to see the headline "Gay Couples Goes on Killing Spree After Wedding Ceremony"

Good for you Google, I'm glad there is a company these days who stands up for moral values, not religious values.

[sfspurs]

Google: You are leaders with courage. You support your gay employees that speaks volumes about the great company you are. Good job!

[cheroke55]

Why must others get in the way of love?
Because they are gay is against their constitutional right.
Why do you think the Supreme Court turned it over to the states?
Because the Supreme Court could not rule against a HUMAN BEINGS right to get married.
It's discrimination. The declaration of independence and the bill of rights gurantees
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. To ALL not just straight people
Stop butting into others business and their hapineess, Unless GOD said "Go out and hate gays"
Which I highly doubt

[KommonCents]

Tell you what. Let the state allow unions between people based on a contract with the state. This is all that is at question. But, marriage is and has been a religious contract. So, allow the churches to deny the religious ceremony if they wish. There is no freedom to a religious ceremony. The state can not prevent them, but, neither should the be able to force a church to allow them.

[nomoregoog]

Lets STOP using google. It is getting dangerous for our kids. Rome was not destroyed by outsiders, but by insiders who propagated immoral values. Google is trying to destroy the moral fabric of our Country and degrade our values, which translates to weakening USA. At this rate, Google may well become a threat to national security.

[Michichael]

Um, actually Rome was destroyed by years of lead poisoning with lead water pipes, inflicting mass lethargy, hallucinations, infertility, birth defects, and insanity. Nice try though!

[treester13]

Google, last time I checked, isn't prowling outside elementary schools trying to lure kids into unwanted searches.

Perhaps parents should take more responsibility in watching what their kids do. Morality starts at home and properly taught kids will ignore what they don't think is moral. Of course, that all depends on whether parents decide to spread ignorance and hate under the guise of morality.

Galileo was deemed immoral for revealing that Earth orbited the sun and put under house arrest by the Church. The danger I see is when people see themselves as the final arbiter of moral authority because they never see themselves as wrong. History often proves otherwise. Just take a look at Savonarola, Hitler and Lenin.

Morality is not as black and white as people believe it to be. Many considered make-up immoral or skirts above the knee. Not anymore. Morality need not lack compassion and intelligence.