'Let’s not let fear defeat our values' - Google CEO calls for tolerance in face of Trump's call for Muslim ban
Google chief Sundar Pichai has penned an open letter calling for tolerance, adding to a chorus of leading tech execs calling for acceptance in American society in the wake of leading Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump calling for a ban on Muslims entering the country.
In a Medium post entitled "Let’s not let fear defeat our values", Pichai described the US as a "land of opportunity" for immigrants, adding that "open-mindedness, tolerance, and acceptance of new Americans is one of the country’s greatest strengths and most defining characteristics."
Pichai, himself a native of India who moved to the US 22 years ago, did not openly reference Trump's recent controversial remarks, but his piece did go on to specifically voice support for "Muslim and other minority communities in the US and around the world", and further iterated Google's attempts to increase the diversity within its own ranks.
His post goes on to state: "open-mindedness, tolerance, and acceptance of new Americans is one of the country’s greatest strengths and most defining characteristics."
He adds: "I feel we must speak out — particularly those of us who are not under attack. Everyone has the right to their views, but it’s also important that those who are less represented know that those are not the views of all."
Pichai is the latest leading Silicon Valley personality to voice support for the Muslim community in the wake of Trump's call for a blanket ban on Muslims entering the US, with Facebook's CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon chief Jeff Bezos making similar statements earlier this week.