Microsoft’s CEO, Steve Ballmer, has changed his mind on the issue of Microsoft supporting diversity in legislation instead of staying neutral. This was a real hot button issue that flared up on Scoble’s blog when he took the position against Microsoft’s decision to stay neutral.

I stayed out of that political discussion because two subjects of which I’ve learned are extremely caustic are religion and politics and I’m neither well-versed nor learned in either department. Yes, this blog has a politics category, but history will clearly show that I very rarely post anything to it.

This is not to say that I don’t think discussing politics and religion are important because I do. Rather, I don’t feel educated enough about those two topics to speak intelligently about them and would rather listen than speak on these topics — most of the time.

With that said, I agree with Mr. Ballmer’s change of heart and the new Microsoft’s principles for public policy engagement that Channel 9 posted:

Accordingly, Microsoft will continue to join other leading companies in supporting federal legislation that would prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation – adding sexual orientation to the existing law that already covers race, sex, national origin, religion, age and disability. Given the importance of diversity to our business, it is appropriate for the company to endorse legislation that prohibits employment discrimination on all of these grounds. Obviously, the Washington State legislative session has concluded for this year, but if legislation similar to HB 1515 is introduced in future sessions, we will support it.

I do not believe in anybody being discriminated against based on sexual orientation, sex, race, age, disability and it makes me smile knowing that the software company that I use and powers most of our computers in business and home will support legislation to maintain diversity.

It was a flood of emails — and blogs too, I’m sure — that helped to change Mr. Balmer’s opinion.

Did this post make you go hmm?

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