Black lives matter: How Amazon's Jeff Bezos schooled an angry customer

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on Friday (June 5) schooled an angry customer of the online retailing giant who had mailed him saying she was not pleased with the ‘Black Lives Matter’ banner on the Amazon website, following the custodial death of George Floyd in the United States.

Responding to the customer, whose first name was Macy and the last name was omitted in the screenshot shared on Instagram, Bezos said that he doesn’t worry that his son might be choked to death while being detained, but “black parents can’t say the same.”

The custodial death of Floyd, a black man, had triggered widespread protests in the US last week. In the incident that had occurred in May, the victim was seen pinned to the ground gasping for breath while a white police officer knelt on his neck.

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“It’s quite disturbing to get on the AMAZON website and see ‘BLACK LIVES MATTER’,” Macy wrote in her mail. A ‘Black Lives Matter’ banner has been put on the Amazon website that links to a blog post on what the firm is doing to support the black community.

“I am for everyone voicing their opinions and standing up for what you believe in, but for your company to blast this on your website is very offensive to me and I’m sure you’ll be hearing from others. ALL LIVES MATTER!” wrote the customer.

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“And if it wasn’t for all these lives providing their service to your and your company, where would Amazon be today?” Macy asked.

“No, Macy, I have to disagree with you. ‘Black lives matter’ doesn’t mean other lives don’t matter,” Bezos wrote. “I have a 20-year-old son, and I simply don’t worry that he might be choked to death while being detained one day. It’s not something I worry about. Black parents can’t say the same,” he added.

“None of this is intended to dismiss or minimize the very real worries you or anyone else might have in their own life, but I want you to know I support this movement… and my stance won’t change,” said the Amazon CEO.