From: ckmerril@athena.mit.edu (Christopher K Merrill)
Subject: Colorado Amendment 2: business response
Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 19:39:05 GMT

	Due to popular demand, I'm posting the Thistle article that I wrote to
you about a few days ago.  This appeared in the December 16th, 1992 issue of the
Thistle, an MIT student run newspaper.  Volume 6, #18.  The letter was sent
to the editor and published shortly thereafter

	"COMPUTER EXEC BACKS COLORADO BOYCOTT"

	"Greetings.  My name is Tim Gill.  I am the Chairman, Founder, and
Senior Vice President of Research and Development at Quark, Inc.  For those of
you who may be unfamiliar with Quark, we are a publisher of one of the leading
page layout programs for Macintosh called QuarkXPress.  We employ about 375 people
worldwide and have headquarters in Colorado where we employ about 280 people. 
Unfortunately, on November 3rd Colorado voters decided to revoke the rights of
its gay, lesbian, and bisexual citizens.  Amendment 2 prohibits the enactment of
any laws or ordinances protecting lesbians and gays and repeals all such laws
that are currently in effect.  There are many states where gays and lesbians don't
have rights.  Colorado is now the only state where they CAN'T have rights. 
Amendment 2 must go away.  We must all use every reasonable means to achieve this
end.  For this reason, Quark has changed its business practices to show that
discrimination against ANYONE is wrong.  Quark has always had a policy of
non-discrimination based upon sexual orientation.  We also have a spousal rights
policy which allows unmarried persons irrespective of gender to utilize Quark's
health insurance.  Effective immediately, Quark is determining whether its vendors
have a written non-discrimination policy based upon sexual orientation.  Those 
vendors who do not have such a policy will receive no further business from Quark.
	A similar policy applies to all banks and other financial institutions.
It is likely that  much of our business will, therefore, leave Colorado.  These 
policy changes have been reported in the Colorado press.  Additionally, we have
a twice yearly conference in the state which brings in 100-150 of the top
publishing companies in the world.  The next such conference is in Denver and
Vail during the week of December 7-12.  At that time our customers will vote on
whether to move the conference out of state.  I am confident that the conference
will move.  The press has already been informed that this vote will take place. 
They will be informed about the results.  [Apple people will be attending.  Please
encourage them to vote properly.]  Had the conference been scheduled for January,
I would have moved it.  We are still determining what other measures Quark can
reasonably take.  I am open to suggestions.  I'm sure you've all heard talk about
a boycott of Colorado.  Quark is taking no OFFICIAL position on the boycott. 
However, a company called XChange, with revenues of $5M with which we work
closely, recently decided to cancel its move to Colorado based on the passage of
Amendment 2.  I support their decision.  Solving this problem requires a shared
sacrifice.  A simplistic estimate of the cost to Quark because of our actions
is $250,000/ year.  It will probably go higher before this is over.  It is not
too much to pay for our rights.  A legal challenge is underway, but it will get
appealed all the way to the Supreme Court.  That will take 4 to 6 years minimum.
We can't wait that long.  There are many different methods we must use to solve
this problem.  Education is certainly a part.
	Persuasion based upon emotional appeals is certainly a part.  I'm afraid,
however, that boycotts are also a part.  Not everyone responds to the same thing.
We must persuade as many people as possible.  When you boycott, both friends and
enemies are hurt.  No one is going to go out of business because of a boycott,
but if we fail to show our power here we have no power.  I have cancelled my
reservations for Aspen Gay Ski Week.  I have been an avid skier for 25 years. I
did this with great regret.  I am terrified of what Colorado Family Values(CFV)
(who sponsored Amendment 2) will say if we go.  If I were their publicist, I would
write something like "See, gays continue to come to Colorado. Amendment 2 is not
anti-gay.  They realize that they were asking for special rights."  There are
many variations on this that I can imagine. I don't want them to be able to right
any of them.  The religious right has targeted 6 states with amendments like
Colorado's in the next year and many more the following year.  We must be able to
show those states that discrimination is wrong.  We must be able to point to
Colorado and say "Look what this did to Colorado.  Do you want it to happen here?"
This is not just a Colorado issue.  It is a national issue.  It is not just a gay
issue, it is a human rights issue.  If we let it start here, it will eventually
invade the rights of other communities.  I hope we can get Amendment 2 repealed.
We need your help.  We are fighting for the soul of our state.  Please let 
Coloradoans understand that you will not tolerate discrimination.  Don't spend
your money here.  BUT, when it's over and we have won, come back and say thank
you.  Retribution must be swift, but forgiveness must be equally swift.  We must
let Coloradoans know that gays and lesbians are part of their community, and if
they accept us we can help make Colorado a truly great place to live.

	Regards, Tim Gill
	Chairman, Quark, Inc."

I wouldn't have considered marching in Washington on April 25th before reading
this again, but it seems a real possibility that I may end up there.  The right
wing isn't going to let this one drop and if those who don't agree with them
don't speak up, who knows who they might go after next?
Could someone send me the info. about that march?
Thanks, Chris Merrill
Newsgroups: alt.homosexual