Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich is in a bit of a pickle right now as several company employees have taken to Twitter, demanding his resignation over his support for an anti-gay marriage campaign.
It wasn't long ago that Brendan Eich took up the position as CEO at Mozilla, and now he's in a position where he could lose his job if the employees get what they want.
Back in April of 2012, it was reported that Eich donated $1,000 to Proposition 8, a California ballot that was designed to block same sex marriages in 2008. As it stands, Eich actions have returned to haunt him in a way where he could lose his job and might never get the chance to work in the technology industry again.
Here's what Mozilla employees are saying on Twitter:
Chris McAvoy - I'm an employee of @mozilla and I'm asking @brendaneich to step down as CEO.
Kat Braybrooke - Like many @Mozilla staff, I'm taking a stand. I do not support the Board's appointment of @BrendanEich as CEO. #Prop8 https://bit.ly/1jS479A
iamjessklein - Have waited too long to say this. I'm an employee of @mozilla and I'm asking @brendaneich to step down as CEO.
John Bevan - I'm an employee of @mozilla and I'm asking @BrendanEich to step down as CEO.
The backlash does not end there, as Christie Koehler, Mozilla's head of Education, laid down her views on Eich appointment as CEO via her blog. Koehler stated she was very disappointed to find out what Eich had done, but she did not go as far as to call for his head.
"Like a lot of people, I was disappointed when I found out that Brendan had donated to the anti-marriage equality Prop. 8 campaign in California. It's hard for me to think of a scenario where someone could donate to that campaign without feeling that queer folks are less deserving of basic rights," says Koehler. "It frustrates me when people use their economic power to further enshrine and institutionalize discrimination."
Eich, however, has come out to defend his actions and his position as CEO of Mozilla.
"Many Mozillians and others know me as a colleague or a friend. They know that I take people as they come and work with anyone willing to contribute. At the same time, I don't ask for trust free of context, or without a solid structure to support accountability," Brendan Eich said on his blog. "No leader or person who has a privileged position should. I want to be held accountable for what I do as CEO. I fully expect you all to do so.
"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," he said.
The big question is, though, does Eich deserve to be removed from his position as CEO of Mozilla due to what he did six years ago? Probably not.
We should all accept that some people have different beliefs, and allow them their freedom to express themselves without coming under attack, even if what they deem as right is not of your own belief. As long as Eich is not trying to bring forth his personal feelings on the anti-gay matter to his employees or to refuse to work with LGBT as equals in the work place, then he should be looked down on for his leadership qualities, instead of his personal feelings towards a certain matter.
Remember, we all have freedom of speech and expression, and these things should never be the reason person's lose their jobs.
