Probably-gay Apple CEO Tim Cook popped by the Old House Chamber at the Alabama State Capitol this week, and took the opportunity to politely remind everyone that Alabama’s Governor, Robert Bentley, is part of the problem.

Cook was in town to receive an award from the Alabama Academy of Honor (he grew up in Alabama), and in his remarks, he criticized the state for its homophobia.

“As a state, we took too long to take steps toward equality,” he said. “We were too slow on equality for African-Americans. We were too slow on interracial marriage. And we are still too slow on equality for the LGBT community.”

Governor Bentley was standing nearby during the remarks. When he was campaigning for governor, Bentley said, “I will ensure that Alabama does not follow the trend of allowing gay marriages or civil unions, and I will protect our state’s right to define marriage as between one man and one woman.”

Bentley’s also done some pretty cowardly punting on the issue of marriage, saying, “The people of Alabama voted 81 percent to have the ban on same-sex marriage, and it’s in our constitution. Whatever the people vote on, I support. I believe in the people’s right to vote and this is how they feel, so I support the people.”

Oh, right, of course, it’s the people’s fault! Not the governor’s! Nothing he can do, hands are tied, has to defend a bigoted and unconstitutional law, oh well.

Cook has also pushed federal officials to pass workplace nondiscrimination laws, which should be happening aaaaaaany day now.

Bentley is currently running for re-election, and he’s pretty much guaranteed to win, so life is probably going to be continue to be difficult for Alabaman LGBTs. That is, unless some generous benefactor, someone with deep pockets and roots in the state, comes along and donates a ton of money to queer Alabama causes. But what magical fairy could possibly do that?