Aside from managing the wealthiest company on Earth, Apple CEO Tim Cook also takes the time to call for support for LGBT rights and other minority groups.
Tim Cook flew to his home state Alabama on Tuesday for his induction into the Alabama Academy of Honor, a body that recognizes Alabama natives for their achievements and contributions to society. Speaking during his acceptance speech, Cook criticized the Yellowhammer state for being "too slow" in addressing the rights of the LGBT community, comparing it to Alabama's response to recognize equality for African-Americans.
"As a state, we took too long to take steps towards equality. And once we began, our progress was too slow," Cook said. "Too slow on equality for African-Americans. Too slow on interracial marriage, which was only legalized 14 years ago. And still too slow on equality for the LGBT community."
Cook went on to say that in Alabama, state law still allows employers to discriminate based on applicants' sexual preferences and fire employees based on this criterion alone.
"I could never understand why some within our state and nation resisted basic principles of human dignity that were so opposite to the values I had learned growing up in Robertsdale, Alabama in a family that was rich in love and respect," Cook said.
Cook is known as a staunch supporter of the LGBT group. Earlier this year, Cook and thousands of other Apple employees and their families marched in San Francisco's Gay Pride Parade in June.
Congrats to 5000 Apple employees/families who attended today’s Pride parade.Inclusion inspires innovation.#applepride pic.twitter.com/4DncX8F6fO
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) June 29, 2014
Last year, the Apple head honcho also wrote an opinion piece published on The Wall Street Journal calling on Congress to pass into law the Employment Non-discrimination Act, which seeks to protect employees from being discriminated upon based on their sexual preference and gender identity. The article, titled "Workplace Equality is Good for Business," showed how Apple's own anti-discrimination policy goes above and beyond existing anti-discrimination legislation in place.
"Those who have suffered discrimination have paid the greatest price for this lack of legal protection. But ultimately we all pay a price," Cook writes. "If our coworkers cannot be themselves in the workplace, they certainly cannot be their best selves. When that happens, we undermine people's potential and deny ourselves and our society the full benefits of those individuals' talents."
Cook also spoke about the value of education; the lack of which he says is "one of the greatest civil rights issues of our time." He said that access to education is "fundamental human right for everyone" and that communities without access to knowledge and technology are affected negatively. Earlier this year, Apple pledged $100 million for President Barack Obama's ConnectED program, which aims to bring high-speed broadband to 99 percent of schools in America.
