Microsoft fires engineers who protested during anniversary celebration (CNBC, 2025-04-07)
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/07/microsoft-fires-engineers-who-protested-during-anniversary-celebration.html
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“The first interruption Friday came from [Ibtihal] Aboussad, who stood up during #Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman’s speech.”
“Shortly after the interruption, Aboussad sent an email, … to Suleyman and other Microsoft executives”
“[quote] ‘I did not sign up to write code that violates human rights’”
“At a separate Microsoft event with executives Friday, [Vaniya] Agrawal interrupted a speech by [CEO Satya] Nadella with a similar protest and also sent an email to executives afterward.”
“A Microsoft spokesperson said Friday that the company is committed to adhering to the highest standards of business practices.
“‘We provide many avenues for all voices to be heard. Importantly, we ask that this be done in a way that does not cause a business disruption. If that happens, we ask participants to relocate,’ the spokesperson said.”
@[email protected] @[email protected]
> cont. “Resisting Submission” by Jan Komárek
“[Anna] Dumont’s essay is entitled ‘What Autocrats Want from Academics: Servility’. And that is exactly what I refuse to give them, even in my small, insignificant way.”
“Let me say this publicly:
“Donald Trump and his minions are destroying democracy, fundamental freedoms, and the Constitution on which these values are based.
“By supporting Israel’s disproportionate response to the Hamas terrorist attacks of October 2023, the United States is complicit in the crimes against the Palestinian people in Gaza, which should be properly investigated by the International Criminal Court.
“Punishing people for saying these two things violates the U.S. Constitution and the value of which Americans have always prided themselves: the freedom of speech.
“We, in the free world, will keep reminding of these truths, that ‘we hold to be self-evident’”
#USPol #AcademicFreedom #Verfassungsblog
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