Global Tech Leaders Acknowledge Racism in US after George Floyd Killing

The US is  burning in the fire of racism today.

There is curfew across more than 51 cities of the US, but  hundreds of thousands of people have broken the curfew barriers, have flooded the streets and there is violence going on in the American streets , fire gutting buildings right next to the White House. Donald Trump was taken to an underground chamber because of violent protests next to the White House.

It all began with an George Floyd, an African American buying a cigarettes and paying with a counterfeit $20/- currency. Instead of asking him to pay with another currency, the employee at the store called the police. The policemen  arrested him and in scuffle that ensued, George Floyd fell on the ground. One of the policeman pressed on his neck and he began to suffocate. He pleaded to be allowed to breathe, but the policeman kept on stifling him till he died.

Perhaps there had been a lot of frustration pent up in the society because of the oncoming economic downslide because of Corona. Perhaps there had always been dissatisfaction among the  African American community in the US. Perhaps the youth - of all races - had already become disillusioned about their future careers. This incident acted as the fuel to the smouldering flames. Anti-racism protests broke out against the police. Violence began and incidents of looting the businesses occurred. Curfew was imposed but the people broke the curfew, came out in hundreds of thousands and now the anti-racism protest is out of hand.

Donald Trump was taken to an underground chamber for safety. When he emerged from there, he held a video conference with the States' Governors. Instead of reassuring the people with words of solace, he called the Governors weak and urged them to take strict measures and  crack down on the protesters.  Racism is still alive in the US, even after centuries of struggle.

In contrast to  Trump's attitude, the  tech leaders have issued statements to acknowledge that racism was   still present in the US and there was a need to fight it.

Tim Cook, CEO, Apple, described Floyd's death as "shocking" and "senseless" while pointing to "a deeply rooted discrimination" in the US justice system. He said, "Right now, there is a pain deeply etched in the soul of our nation and in the hearts of millions. To stand together, we must stand up for one another, and recognise the fear, hurt, and outrage rightly provoked by the senseless killing of George Floyd and a much longer history of racism," the memo reads."

Chuck Robbins, CEO, Cisco,  said he was frustrated by the lack of action or change in the US system.  He said, "what is happening in the United States is absolutely abhorrent. It is far overdue for all of us – governments, businesses and communities – to take action to eradicate the systemic racism, xenophobia, inequality and all forms of bigotry in America. How we respond will be an important moment in our nation’s history. We at Cisco will lead in these efforts. Here is a message I sent today to our teams around the world."

Andy Jassy, CEO, AWS, criticised the US justice system and the government.  He said, ""What will it take for us to refuse to accept these unjust killings of black people? How many people must die, how many generations must endure, how much eyewitness video is required? What else do we need? We need better than what we're getting from courts and political leaders."

Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft, said that  every-day racism, bias and hatred in the news today was not new and we must have empathy for those who are scared and uncertain. He said, "I know it's not enough to just have empathy for those impacted, for the communities who are experiencing this hate, firsthand, who are scared for their safety, and for their loved ones,"

Sundar Pichai, CEO, Google, said, "For those feeling grief, anger, sadness & fear, you are not alone." Google and YouTube have displayed a black ribbon on its home page in the US, showing solidarity for protests against the death of Floyd, an unarmed black man, in police custody.

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO, Facebook said, "We stand with the Black community - and all those working towards justice in honor of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and far too many others whose names will not be forgotten."

He said Facebook will commit $10 million to organisations working on racism and justice against it.

Evan Spiegel , CEO, Snapchat,   appealed for comprehensive tax reforms in the country, with corporations paying a higher tax rate. He said, "We cannot end systemic racism without simultaneously creating an opportunity for all people, regardless of their background."

The Indian counterparts  should also imbibe these ideas in their daily work culture to make India progress along a democratic path.