Apple voices opposition to Prop 8

It’s one thing for the Cupertino, CA-based computer and widget maker to take a public position on this extremely polarizing issue and it’s quite another for it to back that position with shareholder money.

Yesterday, Apple has announced in a short How News piece that not only is the company taking a public stance against California’s Marriage Protection Act, which posits that marriage should be defined as the the union of a woman and man, but is also giving $100,000 of shareholder money to defeat the measure.

Here’s what the mothership has to say on the subject:

Apple is publicly opposing Proposition 8 and making a donation of $100,000 to the No on 8 campaign. Apple was among the first California companies to offer equal rights and benefits to our employees’ same-sex partners, and we strongly believe that a person’s fundamental rights—including the right to marry—should not be affected by their sexual orientation. Apple views this as a civil rights issue, rather than just a political issue, and is therefore speaking out publicly against Proposition 8.

That said, it bears mentioning that California Attorney General Jerry Brown has renamed the ballot initiative the “Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry.”

This is highly emotional issue has been used by right wing religious types as a mobilize-the-base, make a stand for God rallying cry. Likewise, left wing radicals use the issue in the much the same way, tarring anyone opposed as people who hate.

Whatever the case, Apple’s donation of $100,000 to fund the defeat of a public ballot measure is perhaps their first public indication of what they’re going to do with at least some of the $25-billion they have in the bank.

There’s no doubt that Apple will be sued for this misuse of shareholder money. Further, I’d be greatly surprised if Apple’s gift of $100,000 doesn’t require millions in lawyer’s fees to defend.

Honestly, in a world where every bible-thumping moron has at least one lawyer (and more than likely has a well-funded and highly motivated team of legal terrorists, publicists and professional agitators), what Apple has done is frankly stupid and not in the interests of the shareholders or employees.

Apple is a company that makes products which it sells to make profits in the name of its shareholders and employees and, as noted above, the company already offers all of its employees full equality vis-à-vis the privileges and benefits offered by the company. How will taking this stand, right or wrong, put more food on the plates of shareholders or employees? Bottom line is that it won’t…

What’s your take?

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