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News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyJanuary 7th, 2008
When last we checked in on this strange saga, Watchmen On the Walls co-founder Ken Hutcherson appeared before a Microsoft shareholders meeting threatening that if they didn’t drop their support for equal treatment of LGBT employees, he’d become their “worst nightmare.” Soon after, we learned that Hutcherson plans to pack Microsoft shareholders with like-minded investors. Today, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports that Hutcherson has a new financial venture to support this effort:
Hutcherson, joined by some of the country’s most influential Christian leaders, has created a new organization, AGN Financial Network, to finance the effort. The worldwide venture asks people to buy three shares of company stock, and donate one to AGN. Its Web site tells visitors, “You have the power to change the world,” and contains tips on how to open a brokerage account. Among the listed supporters are Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention and religious pundit Gary Bauer.
“We’re not trying to hurt Microsoft or their shareholders, nor are we calling for a boycott of their products,” volunteer spokesman Dennis Sullivan said. “We are trying to get Christians to buy their shares.”
When we first reported on this plan, we did the math on what it would require to take over a $318 billion company. Not an easy did thing to do. The Post-Intelligencer also ran the numbers:
It would be difficult to influence company direction — just to gain a 1 percent stake in Microsoft, about 31 million people would each have to spend $104 to buy three shares. Microsoft has about 9.36 billion outstanding shares, and its largest holder is Chairman Bill Gates, with 858 million shares, or 9 percent of the total. Capital Research and Management Co. follows with nearly 557 million shares, or 6 percent.
Interestingly, Hutcherson thinks that Microsoft should confine its policies to “within its four walls,” and that they should have no voice in public policy whatsoever. Hutcherson also thinks he is exempt from that same principle:
Hutcherson said it’s not Microsoft’s job to influence the public agenda, and that it should be left to others, like him.
“That’s what my job is,” he said. “I’m a pastor.”
Some people seem to think the First Amendment doesn’t apply to everyone.
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Pete
January 7th, 2008
Hey, I think, in referring to Hutchinson, you used the name “Huckabee.” Freud just rolled over in his grave.
What a silly idea and there is no way this guy will get anywhere near the number of shares necessary to pull it off.
It reminds me of when Focus on the Family fired Wells Fargo as their bank when Wells made the move to give benefits to same sex partners. What Focus didn’t realize was that, in exchange for their business, they gave Wells a fabulous PR campaign…
Jim Burroway
January 7th, 2008
Soon after, we learned that Huckabee plans to pack Microsoft shareholders…
Sure enough! Freud has had more fun watching me than you’ll know. When I wrote about Huckabee over the weekend, I kept typing “Hutcherson” — I just somehow managed to catch them all while proof-reading. I think…
Willie Hewes
January 8th, 2008
Well, it’s more original than just asking for plain old money. Donating shares is an exciting experience for people who’ve never owned any before. And his David v Goliath stick might be convincing to the mathmatically challenged.
He’s the worst kind, of course, but I have to respect this as an original marketing/fundraising scheme.
Ephilei
January 8th, 2008
I think it’s an inside job. Microsoft has gotten so desperate that they’ve hired this guy to get their stock bought up. Microsoft hit its peak and they’ve got no where to go but down.
Hutcherson should pick on Apple. They’re more LGB and even trans friendly, have less stock, and people will actually make money from it in the next few years at least.
Suricou Raven
January 8th, 2008
Hutcherson is either stupid, deluded or smart.
Stupid: He believes he can take over microsoft dispite the obvious mathematical difficulty.
Deluded: He has done the math, knows its bordering on impossible, but believes God is on his side and will make it work somehow.
Smart: He knows its impossible, but that he can resell the donated stock after the media attention is elsewhere and make a bit of money for himself.
Erica B.
January 8th, 2008
Well we’ve seen (via Huckabee) God controlling election results; it should be simpler to control share purchases, shouldn’t it? I mean, this guy IS omnipotent, right?
Also, how is supporting your LGBT employees going *outside* your four walls? (Oh, wait, I’m looking for sense in Hutcherson’s statements. Sorry! I keep forgetting!)
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