Canadian tech worker refuses to help Trump build a Muslim registry — and he's not alone
CBC Radio | Posted: December 16, 2016 9:57 PM | Last Updated: December 19, 2016
When it comes to policy, Donald Trump is not big on detail. So when the President-elect said repeatedly that he wanted to build a "Muslim registry," he didn't say much else.
We've seen [atrocities] happen in history and we don't want people to think that this just might never happen. - Ka-Ping Yee, Canadian tech worker
Now, a growing list of tech employees are speaking out. They say they will refuse to participate in the creation of a so-called 'Muslim registry' of any sort. And they're signing a pledge online. As of Monday, there were over 2,200 signatories.
Engineer Ka-Ping Yee is a Winnipeg native who works at the company Wave. He spoke to Carol from San Francisco. Here is an edited version of their conversation:
Carol Off: Why do you feel it's necessary to create this online pledge against a Muslim registry?
Ka-Ping Yee: We think it's easy to lose sight of how much power we have as individuals. So, for me, what this pledge is about and why it's important is that it reminds us that, if we are asked to do something that is against our principles, we can chose not to do it. Even if our institutions or our companies are not willing to take a stand publicly, as individuals we can still do that.
CO: But Mr. Trump is President-elect. He hasn't taken office yet. We haven't been told what he's going to do. Why do you suspect or why are you concerned that he might go ahead with a Muslim registry?
KY: Well, he's made multiple statements about this. In particular, I find it concerning that he didn't just do this while campaigning, but he's also continued to talk about this after the election and so I think there is a real reason for concern.
CO: What exactly would people who sign onto this pledge, what are they agreeing to?
KY: So, the pledge, which is at neveragain.tech, has a list of commitments that people are making ... They include not just refusing to participate in creating these databases, but also working within their companies and organizations if they discover that unethical misuse of data is happening. And people are pledging to work within their companies to stop it from happening. If they can't stop it from happening, to engage in responsible whistle-blowing and to speak publicly about it. And, as a last resort, if they are forced to engage in it, to resign, rather than comply.
CO: You mention various atrocities and holocausts and genocides in your pledge. What are you trying to accomplish there? What do you want people to be thinking when they sign onto this pledge?
KY: We want people to understand that there is a connection between targeting and these atrocities. There's a connection between mass deportation and genocide. You know, we've seen this happen in history and we don't want people to think that this just might never happen. They can actually make decisions that affect whether or not these things happen.
For more on this story, listen to our full interview with Ka-Ping Yee.