There are a lot of computers and software customers out in those Republican-leaning states. In the inner sanctum of Bill Gates' Redmond campus, I picture number crunchers trying to figure out whether all of that money is worth losing over a gay rights bill in a state divided on the issue.

Judging by their response, they said heck no.

Theirs was a business decision. Faced with offending right-wing conservatives who could boycott en masse or gays and lesbians in Washington state who were far too meek as the bill came under fire in Olympia, Microsoft punted.

The African American minister sounds too comfortable using the Bible to justify discrimination. Shame, shame on this soul brother. He quickly forgets the day when racial prejudice prohibited his forebears from sitting at cafe counters -- and before that, when the Bible was used to justify slavery.

As the minister roils, Microsoft recoils, saying the whole blowup is a misunderstanding. Microsoft really loves gay folk, truly it does, but company officials say they had "other" pressing legislative issues that shoved gay rights to the back of its agenda.