‘Racist’: Anti-Muslim Remarks by Top Tech Investor Spark Backlash in Silicon Valley
Shaun Maguire, a partner at one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent venture capital firms, posted a tweet last week about New York State Assembly member and city comptroller candidate Zohran Mamdani. In the post, Maguire wrote: “Mamdani comes from a culture that lies about everything. It's literally a virtue to lie if it advances his Islamist agenda.”
The post has since received more than 5.5 million views and sparked a wave of concern across the tech industry. Critics argue that Maguire’s remarks promote harmful stereotypes and normalize bigotry.
“Why is he saying that about any culture? That is inherently problematic,” said San Francisco-based political activist Nadia Rahman, ABC 7 News reported on Wednesday. “That is making sweeping generalizations that are incredibly biased. It's racist.”
Rahman added that statements like Maguire’s, especially when made by someone in a position of influence, help normalize prejudice. “When someone of his stature shares anti-Muslim rhetoric and faces no consequences, it signals that such views are acceptable,” she said.
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Sequoia Capital, known for backing companies like Apple, YouTube, and Nvidia, has not issued a public response. However, more than 900 tech founders have signed an open letter urging the firm to condemn Maguire’s comments.
The letter accuses him of engaging in a “documented pattern of anti-Muslim rhetoric” and states: “We cannot accept leadership from a firm whose partners engage in hate speech and spread bigotry.”
In response to the criticism, Maguire released a 30-minute video defending his stance. Maguire, who identified himself as Jewish, apologized “for offending anyone” but said he would not retract his statements.
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Dilawar Syed, a longtime Silicon Valley executive and former Biden administration official, called Maguire’s comments “Islamophobic.”
“If you’re an entrepreneur with a great idea, would you feel welcome in this environment?” Syed asked. “We need to ensure our innovation ecosystem is inclusive and free of rhetoric that denigrates entire communities.”
He added that with rapid developments in AI and tech, the focus should be on cultivating supportive environments where diverse voices are encouraged—not silenced by bigotry.
Source: Agencies
