Mozilla employees demand newly appointed CEO resign over anti-gay marriage views

This week Mozilla named Brendan Eich successor to Gary Kovacs as the company’s CEO.

But employees are demanding that Eich, previously Mozilla’s Chief Technology Officer, who has been with the company since its formation, resign as CEO because of financial contributions Eich made to support California’s anti-gay marriage bill, proposition 8, back in 2008.

The donation, which was listed in a public database and named Eich’s employer as Mozilla, caused controversy in the tech industry in 2012.

Hampton Caitlin, an independent developer, announced on his blog that the company he and his husband founded would boycott Mozilla to protest Eich’s appointment to CEO. “As a gay couple who were unable to get married in California until recently, we morally cannot support a Foundation that would not only leave someone with hateful views in power, but will give them a promotion and put them in charge of the entire organization.”

Caitlin writes, “By the very bones in our body, we cannot dare use our creativity, experience, knowledge, and passion to further the career of a man who has to this day not apologized for his support. I can’t spend hours and days and years polishing, building, and upgrading applications that make him richer than he is."

Mozilla employees have taken to social media to demand Eich’s resignation as CEO:

I'm an employee of @mozilla and I'm asking @brendaneich to step down as CEO.

— Chris McAvoy (@chmcavoy) March 27, 2014

Have waited too long to say this. I'm an employee of @mozilla and I'm asking @brendaneich to step down as CEO.

— Chloe Varelidi (@varelidi) March 27, 2014

I'm an employee of @mozilla and cannot reconcile having @BrendanEich as CEO with our org's culture & mission. Brendan, please step down.

— Sydney Moyer (@sydneymoyer) March 27, 2014

Moyer is quick to point out that Eich’s views do not represent the company’s:

To be clear, @mozilla's culture of openness and inclusion is nothing short of amazing. I just feel that this CEO appt does not match that.

— Sydney Moyer (@sydneymoyer) March 27, 2014

In a post on his blog, Eich writes, “I am committed to ensuring that Mozilla is, and will remain, a place that includes and supports everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, age, race, ethnicity, economic status, or religion.”

Whether his employees will give him the chance to prove it is another matter.

[Eich's Blog] [Hampton Caitlin]