[rdb3]

My point exactly. Many on this site equate the left with Satan.

Well, that's using hyperbole, but...

Then what is your point about Gates being a leftist and more people needing to be aware of this, and how does that relate to the main topic of this thread?

It relates because his private foundation funds issues that I find repulsive.

I don't compartmentalize. I can not, in good conscience, defend Gates because he funds things that I as a conservative activist loathe. Same goes for Jackson. He stands for what I can't stand. Sure, they have this right. But that doesn't mean I will defend them under any circumstance because I won't.

Yet "conservatives" here do. Why? It's inexcusable.

No mercy.

[danneskjold]

Well, that's using hyperbole, but...

Maybe, but you got my point, right?

I don't compartmentalize. I can not, in good conscience, defend Gates because he funds things that I as a conservative activist loathe. Same goes for Jackson. He stands for what I can't stand. Sure, they have this right. But that doesn't mean I will defend them under any circumstance because I won't.

I haven't seen one person here defend Gates personal choices with his own money. This is about MicroSoft. And yes, there is a difference.

[oc-flyfish]

I don't believe anyone is defending Bill but instead defending Microsoft. The company will continue when Bill finally kicks the bucket.

[hchutch]

For me it was simple:

Microsoft was NOT a threat. Heck, there's no evidence of any economic harm to the nation or consumers because it had a monopoly. Yet, the Clinton-Gore-Reno DOJ decided to pursue it, and as a result, did a fair bit of damage to the tech sector.

The government should not be screwing anyone over, as they tried to do to Microsoft. I don't care what agency it is, be it ATF, IRS, EPA, Fish and Wildlife Service, INS, or the Anti-Trust Division of the DOJ.

This case was more about screwing over a guy who made it without paying out to the DNC or the other groups while his comptetitors did. Furthermore, after his competitors had LOST, they then tried to litigate to turn thier fortunes around. Just like Gore did in Florida.

That was why I was defending Gates to the hilt.