EA Joins Coalition to Challenge Defense of Marriage Act
By Joseph Christ on July 19th, 2012 (22 comments)
Say what you will about EA, but I chalk this one up as a winning move for them. Electronic Arts has joined a coalition, which already includes heavy hitters like Microsoft and Zynga, in filing an amicus brief to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in support of a legal challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act.
For those don't know, the Defense of Marriage Act was signed in 1996 and stated that marriage could only be between one man and one women. For years proponents of marriage equality have been fighting against the law and have recently enjoyed newfound support in both the political and social realm.
"DOMA presents a number of problems for businesses like EA," it states on the official EA release. "as it creates regulatory, tax, and discrimination complications for employers, and that’s why we’re standing against it. The underlying lawsuit impacts all employers no matter how big or small, and no matter the industry, and we encourage other business to join these efforts."
"Electronic Arts has joined with dozens of leading US employers in signing an amicus brief that opposes the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and urges the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to find portions of the Act unconstitutional."
EA joins at least 40 other companies who have come out to state their support to the challenge including Gap, Google and Starbucks.
According to Wikipedia, a June 6 CNN/ORC International poll showed that a majority of Americans support same-sex marriage being legalized at 54%, while 42% are opposed.
Joseph Christ
Joseph Christ is the Reviews Editor and a Podcast Personality at 4Player. Specializing in reviews, editorials, drinking, and saying inappropriate things about gaming franchises that are beloved by millions, his satirical and sometimes edgy style offsets a more serious and penetrating substance lurking below the surface. He is also the host of the Cocktail Time Podcast. You'll follow his Twitter if you know what's good for you.
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EA succeeds at common decency. Now just stop fucking up the Video game industry.
Link / ReplyI couldn't have said it better.
Link / ReplyThe thing is though, they're really not succeeding in the common decency department, imo. They're not against DOMA because it's the right thing to do or because they're morally against the idea of restricting marriage. They're against it because it might cost them money in taxes and regulations. I don't really think this is a news-worthy story. It just seems like EA's trying to deflect the glut of negative media attention they've received lately by buying in to a soft news story. Color me unimpressed.
Link / ReplyAs much as I think the whole marriage business is some pointless contrivance, I respect EA for sticking up for same sex marriage, afterall gay women and men should not be excluded rights because they don't follow good ol fashioned "norms" whatever that stands for now. In full support of EA's move here...now if only they could somehow step up their game videogame wise...
Link / ReplyWhat? I dont even understand this. Why would EA do anything like this? Same sex marriage should totally be legal, but isnt this like obvious damage control on EAs part? I mean they make video games...... Whatever, if they make an ad with Zevran that supports gay right, i'll take back everything i ever said bad about EA =p
Link / Replyha.....silly dell
Link / ReplyI'm all for this. What I really liked was when Nabisco or whoever owns them now made that rainbow Oreo ad. It mainly made me want a giant sextuple-stuff Oreo.
Link / ReplyIs the article off? Comments are talking about different article opinions. I don't support same sex marriage. Married couples get tax breaks, larger amounts of government financial aid, etc. The reason this aid is provided is because heterosexual married couples generally have children, or new tax payers. It's the reason the current laws are written as they are. Homosexual female couples could use artificial insemination to have children, but then it's a double standard. It's not in the best interest of businesses to support same sex marriage, because of the added cost of benefits. A government's existence uses money. Roads, schools, teachers, higher education, police, military, research centers, etc. all must have funding. Same sex marriage is a step toward a poorer, weaker government. A productive homosexual still has a lifespan. A person's freedom should only end where another person's freedom begins. I don't want to pay taxes to aid people who don't further our nations interests and ideals past their own generation.
Link / ReplyWow man, you just wrote the most nonsensical and ignorant comment I've ever had the displeasure to read on this website. Good job.
Link / ReplyI knew that when I wrote this I would get a comment that didn't agree, but I expected something supporting the reason for disagreement. The only cure for ignorants is knowledge.
Link / ReplyCine poo on you for not using a proper argument on the internet with facts to back up your statement. Jon poo on you for thinking everything should revolve around money.
Link / ReplyYes...because if we didn't allow gay people to marry they would eventually just GIVE UP and become straight, having kids to fuel the government machine.
Link / ReplyThere we go. I don't expect homosexuals to become heterosexuals. I just don't want to pay for it. There is nothing wrong with supporting a government that supports us. Moom I agree it shouldn't be about money, but much of it is. It's the reason Pepsi spent millions on ads to tell us that they cut thousands of holes in people roofs in underdeveloped countries. To put a deadly bleach/water mixture in Pepsi bottles to place into said holes, then seal them with unreliable contact cement. All for the sake of home lighting. They could've built schools and supported micro transaction banks. That targets the problem, excluding the poor government.
Link / ReplyHypothetical situation. Money was not an issue, ever. Now what?
Link / ReplyMoon, it's not a hypothetical situation. Google 'Pepsi Bottle Light'
Link / ReplyI'm of the mind that marriage is a religious institution to begin with, and the government shouldn't regulate, benefit, or reward it. Because of government benefits for marriages etc, we've gotten into this whole mess. Should someone's religious commitment and practice be legally defined? That's a rather slippery slope. I'm curious as to why you think that allowing homosexuals - a very small percentage of the population - is going to destroy the government. There are so many more issues to worry about other than getting teh gheys in the system.
Link / ReplyKewl, now about all of that online pass nonsense....
Link / ReplyIt's actually Zynga, not Zygna. Otherwise, great article and I respect EA more now.
Link / ReplyIs DOMA a national thing? It's unconstitutional then, matters regulating marriage are reserved to the states, not the federal government.
Link / ReplyPeople might prod and joke at EA for approaching this from a financial standpoint, but I feel that's the biggest issue with all of these "Defense of Marriage" movements and arguments. The "sanctity" of marriage, if it ever existed, disappeared the instant our government began to provide financial benefits to married couples. By denying marriage to a group of citizens based on their natural lifestyles, you are denying financial benefits. That's discrimination. Take away all of the emotionally-charged religious fervor, and everything becomes pretty simple when you look at it.
Link / ReplyRegardless of their motives, this decision is wonderful.
Link / ReplyWith ideas running short and revolving around what is most popular amongst facebook junkies I think we should expect to see more and more gaming companies chasing after copyright infringments. Nothing is original anymore. This also happened to STEAM over their game torchlight.
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