Apple CEO Tim Cook has written an open letter to the world about racism, racial injustice and the death of George Floyd, which was published to Apple’s homepage.
What the letter said:
- Cook called the death of George Floyd — an unarmed black man who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck — as a “senseless” act. He said waiting for the crisis to pass was not an acceptable act.
- He wrote: “This is a moment when many people may want nothing more than a return to normalcy, or to a status quo that is only comfortable if we avert our gaze from injustice. As difficult as it may be to admit, that desire is itself a sign of privilege. George Floyd’s death is shocking and tragic proof that we must aim far higher than a “normal” future, and build one that lives up to the highest ideals of equality and justice.”
- “While our laws have changed, the reality is that their protections are still not universally applied. We’ve seen progress since the America I grew up in, but it is similarly true that communities of color continue to endure discrimination and trauma.”
- “To create change, we have to reexamine our own views and actions in light of a pain that is deeply felt but too often ignored. Issues of human dignity will not abide standing on the sidelines. To the black community — we see you. You matter and your lives matter.”
- “With every breath we take, we must commit to being that change, and to creating a better, more just world for everyone.”
- You can read the entire letter on Apple’s website.