Why is separate-yet-equal acceptable for any human being?
It's a disgusting, ignorant attitude. Society needs to grow up.
Do detractors think there should be separate water fountains for gays at work too?
The difference is this time at least people aren't being beaten and killed over this (at least not in mass).
But it does not help at all when the President of the United States says that gay rights are okay when they need fresh bodies for the wars to kill and be killed but on gay marriage "well he's still not convinced". It boggles my mind.
No, not in mass. Still lots of people bullied into suicide though.
No it doesn't. You just showed that on the one hand he gets "fresh bodies for the wars to kill and be killed" and on the other he doesn't lose votes.
Plus Microsoft would probably be sued by its shareholders if they didn't give a good, strategic decision for taking an overtly political position.
If Microsoft were to say "we support gay marriage just because", politicians on the other side could just shrug and not take a risky stand for their re-election. By saying that they are having issues hiring top talent Microsoft is hinting that maybe, possibly not allowing gay marriage would mean that they'll be less competitive, thus less money for the state, less jobs, less economic activity, etc. which politicians respond to. Plus it gives politicians arguments to justify themselves: they don't have to then say "well, it's the right thing" and upset some people, but instead "I'm doing it for the economy".