S.F. Supervisor Wants Zuckerberg's Name Stripped From City Hospital

[appalachiablue]

Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel

By Rex Crum, 4:50 PM. When Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg donated $75 million to San Francisco General Hospital back in 2015, he probably thought he would get some good public relations out of the move, in addition to getting his last name attached to the facility.

But with the fallout from the Cambridge Analytica scandal still hanging over Facebook, along with new drama from the company’s hiring of a Republican-affiliated firm to run campaigns designed to discredit some Facebook critics and a former company employee publishing a screed claiming that Facebook is “failing its black employees and black users”, Zuckerberg’s good-PR level might right now be at an all-time low.

And if a San Francisco supervisor has his way, the Facebook boss might soon not even be able to see his name attached to S.F. General. Late Tuesday, Supervisor Aaron Peskin asked San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera to initiate a legislative process that within a few months could result in the city removing Zuckerberg’s name from S.F. General and potentially changing the process by which San Francisco accepts private donations in exchange for naming rights to public institutions. Officially, the $75 million donation was made by Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan.

In a statement given to this news organization, Peskin cited many of recent issues involving Facebook as reasons why San Francisco shouldn’t want its public institutions affiliated with the social-media company. “I really want this City to re-assess the value of giving up these naming rights and the message this sends relative to our role as stewards of the public trust,” Peskin said. “More than just about naming rights, this is about the integrity of institutions and spaces that are overwhelmingly funded by the public and which exist to serve the public.” -MORE...


Read more: https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2018/11/28/s-f-supervisor-wants-zuckerbergs-name-stripped-from-city-hospital/

---

Take Zuckerberg's Name Off Our City's Hospital, Says San Francisco Politician. City leader cites ‘continued scandals’, as others begin to question the reputational cost of taking philanthropic funds from Facebook. The Guardian, Nov. 28, 18
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/nov/28/mark-zuckerberg-hospital-san-francisco-name-removed-chan-zuckerberg-initiative
“Given the continued scandals that Facebook has been involved in, including the most recent horrendous corporate behavior around engaging in an antisemitic fashion with George Soros, it is unbecoming to have Mark Zuckerberg’s name on the hospital,” Peskin told the Guardian by phone. Peskin is also seeking to reform the process by which San Francisco gave away naming rights to a public institution in the first place. The renaming of “the General” was controversial when it was announced, but was unanimously approved by the board of supervisors at the time.

[LuckyLib]

1. Do it. This business of getting to plaster your name on institutions

by way of philanthropy is nuts. A true charitable giver leaves a legacy, but does not have to be recognized with naming rights. It is a ridiculous practice, all about "branding."

There was nothing wrong with the name SF General Hospital.
Or Washington National Airport.

[The Genealogist]

2. I've felt this for years

When I was in college for my BA and MA, you could tell when the campus buildings were built by whom they were named after. The older buildings were named after prominent professors and college presidents. The newer ones were named after people who paid to put their names on buildings. There was a dorm known as New House for well over a decade, because no rich people cared to have their name on it and wouldn't pay up.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

3. Will San Francisco General Hospital give back the $75 million?

There was probably an agreement to name the place in exchange for the donation. Plus, like a candidate giving back a donation to an unacceptable donor, this would show that SFG's ethics are up to par.

A move like this could reduce future donations from wealthy benefactors. It's a gamble.

[Power 2 the People]

4. +1

Not a fan of Zuckerberg but you make a very good point.

[displacedtexan]

5. This donation helped fund the rebuilt public safety-net hospital for the most vulnerable people.

It's a really big deal here. Here's another recent Peskin activity:

San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin was “clearly out of control” and appeared to be intoxicated the night he ripped into fire officials at the scene of a four-alarm blaze in North Beach, according to internal memos by the commanding officer and others at the scene.

On Tuesday, Peskin denied the allegation.

In a memo, Fire Department spokesman Lt. Jonathan Baxter, said “I noted that Supervisor Peskin was uneasy on his feet and I could smell the odor” of alcohol.

“He appeared intoxicated, based on his red eyes, slow responses and an uneasy stance,” the lieutenant continued. “It is my opinion, based on my training and experience, that Supervisor Peskin was intoxicated.”

Two other ranking firefighters, Assistant Deputy Chief Anthony Rivera and Capt. Sherman Tillman, stated in separate memos that they “smelled alcohol” on Peskin.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/SF-firefighters-say-Supervisor-Peskin-12803523.php