VOA慢速英语--一些企业支持全国性的抗议活动

American companies are usually quiet during protests¹. Not this time.

Some technology, media, banking² and clothing companies have stated their support for protests against police treatment of black people across the country.

The protests started after a video appeared of a policeman with his knee pressed on a black man's neck during an arrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The man, George Floyd, repeatedly³ said, "I can't breathe" as the crowd asked the officer to stop. Floyd died a short time later.

Protests started in Minneapolis and quickly spread to cities in nearly 50 states and Washington D.C. Many quickly became violent and highly⁴ destructive⁵ as angry people burned buildings and attacked officers.

Kellie McElhaney is a professor at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. She said, "I am shocked by the number of executives⁶ who have spoken up for the first time."

She said the reason that company officials are giving their support to the protests is because of the brutality⁷ of the video. The companies "are run by humans," she said.

Netlfix, a service that streams movies and television on the internet, sent out a tweet saying, "To be silent is to be complicit. Black lives matter."

Google added, "We stand in support of racial equality, and all those who search for it."

Twitter changed its official webpage to include #BlackLivesMatter on it.

Microsoft chief Satya Nadella reportedly told employees to join him in calling "for change in our company, in our communities, and in society at large."

Citibank's top financial officer Mark Mason wrote in a blog, "Racism⁸ continues to be at the root of so much pain and ugliness in our society."

A large number of businesses in many cities have been attacked and damaged with goods stolen and windows broken. The Associated Press reports that Target, CVS, Apple and Walmart have closed or reduced hours in many cities for safety reasons. Target has closed or limited hours in 200 stores.

Target has its headquarters⁹ in Minneapolis. The company's chief said Floyd's death had released¹⁰ the "pent-up pain of years."

Risks of speaking or remaining silent

McElhaney said companies risk losing buyers, partners, suppliers and employees who do not agree with the position they make public. They also risk being seen as using the incident to sell their products in a way that Americans do not find honest.

But businesses also face the risk of not saying anything. Younger employees look to company leaders to take a position.

"I tend to believe that people are speaking up because there is no other option," McElhaney said. She said that is especially the case with minority employees.

In 2018, the sports product company Nike advertised its support for Colin Kaepernick. The athlete was a former professional American football player who protested¹¹ police treatment of African Americans in the United States.

Days after the violent protests started, Nike tweeted: "Let's all be part of the change."

Adidas, a competitor of Nike, retweeted it with the reply: "Together is how we move forward. Together is how we make change."

I'm Mario Ritter, Jr.

Words in This Story

brutality –n. cruel, harsh¹² and often violent treatment of another person

complicit –adj. helped others to carry out a crime or wrongdoing

pent-up –adj. held or kept inside, not released

tend –v. to be likely to do something

option –n. a choice, a possibility of become real

1 protests   

n.[体]抗议；抗议，反对( protest的名词复数 )v.声明( protest的第三人称单数 )；坚决地表示；申辩

参考例句：

• The protests have forced the government to back-pedal on the new tax. 抗议活动已迫使政府撤销新的税目。
• Plans to build a new mall were deep-sixed after protests from local residents. 修建新室内购物中心的计划由于当地居民反对而搁浅。

2 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

3 repeatedly   

adv.重复地，再三地

参考例句：

• The loudspeakers blared the speech repeatedly.扬声器里反复大声地播送那篇演讲。
• He repeatedly beat his foot upon the floor.他反复用脚敲着地板。

4 highly   

adv.高度地，极，非常；非常赞许地

参考例句：

• It is highly important to provide for the future.预先做好准备非常重要。
• The teacher speaks very highly of the boy's behaviour.老师称赞这个男孩的表现。

5 destructive   

adj.破坏（性）的，毁灭（性）的

参考例句：

• In the end,it will be destructive of our whole society.它最终会毁灭我们整个社会。
• It is the most destructive storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的一次风暴。

6 executives   

（公司或机构的）经理( executive的名词复数 )； （统称公司或机构的）行政领导； （政府的）行政部门； [the Executive][美国英语]（美国政府的）行政当局

参考例句：

• They have taken measures to equate the salaries of higher civil servants to those of business executives. 他们采取措施使高级文职人员的工资和企业管理干部的工资相等。
• He disregarded the advice of his executives. 他对主管层的建议置若罔闻。

7 brutality   

n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮

参考例句：

• The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
• a general who was infamous for his brutality 因残忍而恶名昭彰的将军

8 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

9 headquarters   

n.司令部，指挥部；总部，总店

参考例句：

• Several great guns from the headquarters are coming to see us today.总部的几个大人物今天要来看我们。
• The bank has its headquarters in Pairs.这家银行的总行在巴黎。

10 released   

v.释放( release的过去式和过去分词 )；放开；发布；发行

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• With hindsight it is easy to say they should not have released him. 事后才说他们本不应该释放他，这倒容易。

11 protested   

v.声明( protest的过去式和过去分词 )；坚决地表示；申辩

参考例句：

• He protested he was being cheated of his rightful share. 他提出抗议说他被人骗取了他依法应得的份额。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Amy protested she was being cheated of her rightful share. 艾米提出抗议，说有人骗取了她依法应得的份额。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 harsh   

adj.严厉（酷）的，刺耳的，刺目的，毛糙的

参考例句：

• The sunlight is very harsh.太阳光很刺眼。
• Although his words are harsh,there is positiveness in them.虽然他的话很苛刻，但有建设性。