A while back I was impressed by a few people supporting gay rights.  When Westboro Baptist decided to picket a concert shortly after their leader’s death, some people staged a counter-protest with a sign saying “Sorry for your loss.”  I’m not sure the Westboro folks noticed the burning coals on their heads (thick skulls, perhaps), but lots of people like me took notice.

And I thought, “Class act, folks.  What a great way to support your cause.”  They took the high road, and I think I’m not the only one to be impressed.  Much better than suing bakers and florists for not providing wedding services, that’s for sure.

Then Mozilla urges its CEO to step down because he didn’t (doesn’t isn’t proven, though likely) agree with gay marriage and gave money to support that opinion politically.  Thud – we’re back at ground level.

I get that OkCupid pushed the campaign to unseat Mr. Eich: it makes perfect marketing sense.  Somebody in their PR department realized that OkCupid could look both daring and righteous at very little risk and very little cost, and impress a valuable constituency in the process.  Well played, Cupid – what’s one person’s job when the payoff is viral publicity?

I don’t get that individuals within Mozilla pushed for it.  Did he ever act out of line with company policy?  Would he have made a capable CEO?  It seems the answers are “no” and “yes” – which makes me think a wise employee would have wanted Eich in that position, whether he agreed with him or not.

What I get, but deplore most of all, is that all reactions to this situation are either drenched in sarcasm or smugness.  “Let’s go purge all the others that supported Prop. 8!”  “Nobody can be a good CEO and hold Eich’s opinion on gay marriage.”  “Conservatives are so hypocritical.”  “Liberals are so hypocritical.”

Nobody seems to address the question that gives me pause: who benefits from this (aside from OkCupid, of course)?  Will I get a better browser, now that Eich has stepped down?  Will homosexual employees do better at Mozilla, now that Eich has stepped down?  Have gay rights advanced, now that Eich has stepped down?  Has the public perception of homosexuals and their supporters improved, now that Eich has stepped down?  Has understanding of the other side been furthered, now that Eich has stepped down?

I see nobody gaining appreciably from the situation.  My impression is that Mozilla lost an eminently qualified man, and the gay community lost a chance to be magnanimous.  How unfortunate.