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1. Actually, the pastor sounds like a fraud trying to puff up his own importance. I've made lots of Microsoft phone calls in the past week using the numbers provided here (thanks Andy) but I have a hard time believing MS would be intimidated by this pipsqueak.

   Posted by: Rob | Apr 28, 2005 12:26:20 AM

   
   

2. I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle. In the climate this country is in today, I can see Microsoft not wanting to deal with "christian" boycotts. They did pull out of support for this bill afterall...and their reasons now seem dubious. Though surely this pastor wants to think he has power over such a large corporation.

   Posted by: Patrick | Apr 28, 2005 12:29:07 AM

   
   

3. What I found particularly interesting in this article is this detail: Pastor Hutcherson is BLACK.

   Folks...THIS DETAIL IS SIGNIFICANT. This explains MUCH. Microsoft was not being threatened by a puny religious right boycott...but a BLACK CHURCH CIVIL RIGHTS boycott. Which from a public relations standpoint was a whole different sort of PR nightmare for Microsoft.

   Aha. NOW this whole story is making sense to me. I can now see the immense pressure to cave they were indeed under. I sympathize with them more now.

   It also emphasizes a point my liberal friends like to sweep under the rug...the homophobia and anti-gay bias a a HUGE segment of the mainstream black civil rights movement in this country.

   Posted by: Cassius | Apr 28, 2005 12:37:26 AM

   
   

4. http://home.comcast.net/~jlhouk/MSFT_bigotry_smaller.jpg

   Posted by: Bithysith | Apr 28, 2005 8:33:41 AM

   
   

5. Obviously, one must approach Hutcherson's claims with some skepticism, given his obvious interest in saying that he forced Microsoft's hand. But what does give this some credence, to me, is that this clown was able, simply by calling up, get a meeting with MS's general counsel on the issue. Let's face it, guys, you and I would not get that kind of access in a million years. So someone at MS was obviously concerned about this guy from the beginning.

   On the issue of black homophobia: Let's just remember that there's a hell of a lot more white homophobes out there than there are black. I agree that one would hope that people who know what it's like to be discriminated against would be more supportive of others who suffer the same burden, but I've met some awfully bigoted homos in my life, too. I don't understand that, either. Let's just be careful about turning this into a black-vs-gay thing and keep our eye on the ball: this is a massively powerful corporation caving into religious pressure to withdraw support for basic antidiscrimination protection and then lying about it repeatedly when it was exposed.

   Posted by: Glenn | Apr 28, 2005 8:53:12 AM

   
   

6. fyi - a lot of hutcherson's congregation work at Microsoft.

   in the seattle times today was a couple of quotes from hutcherson...

   on why he went into football: "it was the only sport where i could hurt white guys legally"

   and on tolerating differing views: ""join in or get run over by me"

   i see the guy around frequently - i've never seen him smile. Nice kids, tho.

   Posted by: popeye_w | May 7, 2005 7:39:18 PM

   
   

7. I don't know what this site is about. I just wanted to say something to Pastor Ken Hutcherson & his mate. I'm not gay but have many gay friends. To all the hypocritical pricks of the world who preach their ignorance by defaming gays, yet continue to protect eachother while there are so many preists (read pr*%ks) who have interfered with young boys; well, what an hypocritical position you maintain.

   Continue with your heads up your butts. It makes the rest of us look virtuous by non-conformity.

   Posted by: Rex Alfie Lee | May 16, 2005 9:29:13 PM

   
   

8. i want to contact the pastor

   Posted by: ahonsi | Jun 1, 2005 2:41:21 PM

   
   

9. The last way I ever thought anyone would describe Pastor (yes, I am a member of the congregation) Hutch is to describe him as a pipsqueak. As a Christian he protects the moral boundaries of our country and that can be frightening for any corporation supporting an unjust cause.

   Posted by: John | Oct 22, 2007 10:48:35 AM

   
   

10. I am a Christian, and I just want to say Pastor Ken Hutcherson does not hate gays at all he simply is implying that he does not agree with gays actions. You all stereotype "Blacks" and "Christians". First of all White and Black is the same thing, blacks if not better. Christians simply do not except the actions of gays, we still love them as people. We are just obeying gods word. And Gods word is against gay marriages. So stop discriminating against blacks and christians, everyone has a right to speech, everyone. Some people are for gays, some people are not. Pastor Hutcherson is just making a strong statement and trying to do what he knows is right.

    Posted by: Kyle | Jan 17, 2008 6:16:34 PM

    
    

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