Should Mozilla’s ‘anti-gay marriage’ CEO resign?

Mr Eich was appointed chief executive of Mozilla – an open source, not for profit organisation – this month, but the appointment provoked controversy because in 2012 it was revealed he had donated $1,000 to a campaign supporting a ban on gay marriage in California.

His anti-gay marriage stance is perhaps even more alarming for Mozilla employees, considering that the company is to some extent aligned with the libertarian, open-source movement.

In response, Chris McAvoy, a product lead on Mozilla’s badges project, tweeted on Thursday a call for the Mr Eich to step down.

I’m an employee of @mozilla and I’m asking @brendaneich to step down as CEO.

— Chris McAvoy (@chmcavoy) March 27, 2014

Mr McAvoy’s tweet sparked further calls for resignation from Mozilla employees.

Have waited too long to say this. I’m an employee of @mozilla and I’m asking @brendaneich to step down as CEO.

— Chloe Varelidi (@varelidi) March 27, 2014

I’m an employee of @mozilla and I’m asking @BrendanEich to step down as CEO.

— John Bevan (@bevangelist) March 27, 2014

Have waited too long to say this. I’m an employee of @mozilla and I’m asking @brendaneich to step down as CEO. https://t.co/K3OqeImUnU

— iamjessklein (@iamjessklein) March 27, 2014

I’m an employee of @mozilla and cannot reconcile having @BrendanEich as CEO with our org’s culture & mission. Brendan, please step down.

— Sydney Moyer (@sydneymoyer) March 27, 2014

I’m an employee of @mozilla and I cannot reconcile @BrendanEich as CEO with our culture & mission. I cannot support @BrendanEich as CEO.

— Sunny Lee (@soletelee) March 27, 2014

People who do not work at Mozilla got involved.

I’m not an employee of @mozilla and I’m asking @brendaneich to step down as CEO

— Nicola Mastrandrea (@nick88msn) March 27, 2014

I’m not an employee of @mozilla but I’m still asking @brendaneich to step down as CEO. @varelidi @bevangelist @iamjessklein @sydneymoyer

— Kevin Redfern (@kevred10) March 27, 2014

And then other Mozilla employees began tweeting their support for Mr Eich.

I’m a bisexual employee of @mozilla and one donation to a personal cause is NOT reason enough for @brendaneich to step down. Please stay!

— Sheeri K. Cabral (@sheeri) March 27, 2014

I’m an employee of @mozilla and a supporter of LGBT rights and I ask @BrendanEich to keep being a great leader and step up as CEO.

— Zibi Braniecki (@zbraniecki) March 27, 2014

The one person who has remained quiet on Twitter since the furore began is Mr Eich himself. His last tweet, sent on Wednesday, pointed to a blog in which he sought to “lay concerns to rest” over his appointment.

In the blog, Mr Eich wrote: “I know some will be skeptical about this, and that words alone will not change anything. I can only ask for your support to have the time to ‘show, not tell’; and in the meantime express my sorrow at having caused pain.”

Do you think Brendan Eich should resign as Mozilla chief executive? Tell Channel 4 News below.

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