In the wake of Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration, some companies have publicly stated their support of immigrants and refugees. Now people are calling for some of country’s biggest business leaders to disavow Trump completely.
SumOfUs, a group “committed to curbing the growing power of corporations,” has launched a petition asking the 19 business executives who joined Trump’s economic advisory group to disavow Trump’s “Muslim ban.” As of press time, the petition has received more than 97,000 signatures.
While many business leaders might not privately support Trump’s ban or may have employees affected by it, SumOfUs argues that by advising Trump they’re contributing to his agenda—and keeping silent is as good as supporting it.
“There is no neutral,” the petition asserts. “Either CEO advisors must speak out against the Trump Administration’s travel ban and step off of his committee, or they are complicit in the violence his administration is creating.”
Disney CEO Bob Iger is among the corporate chiefs who have yet to address the targeted travel ban. He was also criticized in December for stating that Rogue One wasn’t political, despite it taking place in a universe where the heroes fight against fascism.
Only two of the 19 members of the board have spoken out, including Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, who donated $3 million to the ACLU and pledged legal support to drivers who may be affected. He called the executive order an “unjust immigration and travel ban,” but his statement arrived after users deleted Uber in droves after it appeared that Uber was breaking a taxi drivers’ strike in protest of the ban.
According to Variety, some have contemplated boycotting Disney if Iger doesn’t disavow Trump’s statement; however, the boycott wouldn’t encompass just Disney itself. To truly cut Disney out you would also have to boycott Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, Pixar, everything on ABC, ESPN, and a multiple other companies.
H/T Variety