Roughly 90% of all high-level executives admit to never responding to cold calls or cold emails. That’s probably true in most places in the world, but in Silicon Valley, many executives of some of the largest companies in the world responded when they were approached about opposing Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
According to The New York Times, more than 140 tech executives published a letter to Donald Trump, “An Open Letter From Technology Sector Leaders on Donald Trump’s Candidacy for President.”
The letter criticized the presumptive Republican nominee because of his thoughts about the tech industry and the potential for negative effects on innovation throughout their industry and various organizations. Trump has been criticized before by those in the tech world and responded via email with: “I have great respect for Silicon Valley,” said Trump, “and all of the people in Silicon Valley.”
“We believe in an including country that fosters opportunity, creativity and a level playing field. Donald Trump does not,” read the Silicon Valley letter.
Katie Jacobs Stanton, Color Genomics executive and organizer of the group that signed the letter, said she and other tech executives worked together the last few weeks to write the letter.
“We wanted to optimize the letter and participants to show the diversity of the tech sector,” Stanton said. “From founders of the Internet to founders and CEOs of companies, from leaders of innovative social enterprises and start-ups to civil rights leaders that work on technology and social empowerment.”
Posted on Medium, Silicon Valley’s letter closed out with a final statement that addressed where the industry stands. The letter was then followed by a list of the signatures of more than 140 company executives.
“We stand against Donald Trump’s divisive candidacy and want a candidate who embraces the ideals that build America’s technology industry: freedom of expression, openness to newcomers, equality of opportunity, public investments in research and infrastructure, and respect for the rule of law. We embrace an optimistic vision for a more inclusive country, where American innovation continues to fuel opportunity, prosperity and leadership.”