I agree with the author. The firing of the engineer has certainly put a chill on how I see Google. Claiming you are open and diverse- then directly opposing that with your actions- just makes you hypocritical. I am female and I left a lucrative career for a lower paying one to be with my children. That was my choice, and I certainly don't criticize anyone who makes a different one, but there was truth in the memo. Maybe not the whole truth or everyone's truth, but it was true enough that a debate about it woud have been more beneficial to the company than just firing the guy. Today Google looks like a left wing fascist corporation- what a shame.