Campos wants Harvey Milk's name on SFO

[brooklynite]

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

A San Francisco supervisor wants to rename the city's airport in honor of civil rights leader Harvey Milk, a change supporters said would send a global message about the importance and struggles of gays and lesbians for equality.

Supervisor David Campos will introduce legislation Tuesday that would place the proposal to rename San Francisco International Airport as Harvey Milk San Francisco International Airport before voters in November. To send the name change to voters, Campos needs the support of five other supervisors, and Monday he already had four co-sponsors.

Campos said about 80 other U.S. airports are already named for individuals, none of whom are gay, and that SFO - which moves 40 million passengers annually, including 9 million international travelers - has a particularly high profile. He believes it would cost between $50,000 and $250,000 to implement, citing the cost other cities have incurred to do the same, but said he hopes to attract private donations to fund the change.

Milk was a San Francisco supervisor when he and Mayor George Moscone were shot and killed by Dan White, a former supervisor, at City Hall on Nov. 27, 1978. He was one of the first openly gay people elected in the United States, and "has become an international symbol of civil rights, not just LGBT rights," Campos said.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Campos-wants-Harvey-Milk-s-name-on-SFO-4194091.php

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I'm happy with the change; just don't join in the recent habit of "appending" the new name onto the old one.

[southernyankeebelle]

1. Gosh we are landing at Milk Airport. Na doesn't sound right.

[brooklynite]

2. Probably "Milk International"

[southernyankeebelle]

4. No offense to Mr Milk I just don't think they should name it Milk.

[Bluenorthwest]

8. How about Harvey International?

Milk sound better for landing than Deadhorse Airport, Eek Airport, or Ronald Reagan or John Wayne Airports.
They are not suggesting naming the airport simply 'Milk' if you read the OP the name would be Harvey Milk San Francisco International Airport.
What are you specific complaints about that?

[southernyankeebelle]

18. I just don't like the name. It has nothing to do with the person who I think was a very

honorable man who lost his life way to early. I don't like naming airports after people anyway. If they want to name an airport name it after the state the airport is in.

[dbackjon]

13. Why not? Do think he is worthy of the honor?

[southernyankeebelle]

17. Oh no I think he deserves many honors but I just think Milk is odd to name an airport.

[dbackjon]

22. And Bush is? Or Reagan?

Stupid and silly reason to oppose this.

[southernyankeebelle]

23. I wish they wouldn't name any airport after politicans, period. Name them the state they are in.

No I don't like Bush or Reagan either.

[LeftyMom]

53. Name them for the state? There would be half a dozen "California Airport"s within driving distance.

Think, then post.

[southernyankeebelle]

55. The city within the state. Such as Nashville Airport,Baltimore Airport or the city capital of the

state. Those are just two but I guess you get my point.

[Bluenorthwest]

9. It is right there in the OP-Harvey Milk San Francisco International Airport

Geez.

[CreekDog]

38. not to me it doesn't

and i'm in the area.

[southernyankeebelle]

48. When I think Milk I think of drinking it, not an airport. But name it what you want.

It's your airport. Like I said I don't want any airport named after any politician.

[Gormy Cuss]

3. I detest the "naming" of airports

but as long as National is named Reagan, I'm good with SFO be named for Milk.

[Smarmie Doofus]

6. I don't mind airports. There aren't that many of them. But...

... I detest the short-sidedness and plain stupidity behind the serial renaming of bridges, tunnels and streets.

New York is the worst offender. One now travels from NJ to BKLYN by using the Joe Dimaggio Hiway ( West Side Hiway) to the Robert F Kennedy ( Triborough) Bridge and come back thru the Hugh Carey (Brooklyn- Battery) Tunnel.

It's not confusing enough traveling around this town.

[brooklynite]

21. When was the last time you really complained about the Major Deegan Expressway?

It wasn't even named for a war hero (he was in the Army Corps of Engineers).

How about the Holland Tunnel (named for the project engineer)?

Or the Outerbridge Crossing (named for the Port Authority Chairman)?

Only difference is that you're used to them.

[The Second Stone]

31. I don't know about Deegan

but military engineers are definitely capable of being heroes. They build stuff that gets wars won, while under fire.

[brooklynite]

49. He was a Brooklyn Party boss...

[Smarmie Doofus]

35. Deegan is a CLASSIC example. THREE names for one hiway.

1. Deegan; 2. NYS Thruway; 3. Interstate 87.

Completely idiotic. I thought so thirty years ago when I was driving a cab and I think so now. Only politicians could think this is a good idea.

Name a *statue* after him, ferchrissakes.

Holland Tunnel has ONE name.

We had a Port Authority Chairman named "Outerbridge Crossing"? ( Just kidding; Bronx humor. )

[brooklynite]

50. In fairness...

...it's only the Deegan up to the Westchester County line, and the Thruway north of there.

[pangaia]

52. And who in the world EVER thought

of naming a bridge after a Revolutionary War General who cut down cherry trees and crossed a river standing up in an open boat..in the middle of winter...without earmuffs?

(PS we always just call it-- The Bridge)

[Smarmie Doofus]

54. Point is it was *always* the GWB. If someone tells you to go over the GWB...

.... you know what to do.

If you *rename* it in 2013... or decide to give it multiple names for some idiotic political reason.... you create a needlessly confusing situation. Do this with *every* bridge, tunnel, bypass and thoroughfare ( not to mention the crazy-quilt of renamed streets and squares all over Manhattan and the Bronx; e.g. Father Duffy Square) and you create a traffic hazard rivaling DUI or texting while driving.

The difference is that this one is very easy to avoid.

[Gormy Cuss]

46. What I don't like is when an airport is already known by its location and a name gets attached

Like Norman Mineta San Jose airport, or Ronald Reagan National airport. Dulles,Logan,LaGuardia & others that are known principally by such names rather than location are okay IMO, it's the trend to hybridize the name to include location that creates unwieldy names and makes the change mostly symbolic. In Boston everyone calls the airport "Logan." In San Jose hardly anyone calls it "Mineta San Jose".
No one calls it "Mineta."

Harvey Milk should have prominent things in this city named for him -- no question that Milk was a giant of his era and had a lasting effect on the city. If people would actually call the airport "Milk" or "Harvey Milk" it'd be one thing, but most people will continue to call it SFO.

[Victor_c3]

5. I cringe of the name, but I'll go for it

Milk international airport just sounds strange.

Harvey Milk had a major impact on the civil (gay) rights fight in our country and I can't think of a better person for San Francisco to name its airport after. I'm looking forward to seeing this take place.

[putitinD]

7. I welcome the new name, should have been changed years ago

[alcibiades_mystery]

10. Is SFO actually in San Francisco

I made so many trips back and forth when I lived there. Isn't it south of Daly City?

Does San Francisco municipal government run SFO?

[dbackjon]

14. Why don't you like it?

[Bluenorthwest]

15. None of the people who are against the name will say why. Of course.

Perhaps we should just name it El Gay X to really get their goats. Interesting that so many had the need to say 'it sounds odd' and such but none of them can offer specifics nor discuss their objections. Seen it and seen it.

[dbackjon]

16. yup!

[dbackjon]

29. Really? this is the SHIT you come up with?

If this is what you think of Harvey Milk, then why the fuck on you on this site?

[dbackjon]

39. So fucking what if he sponsored a pooper scooper law

Harvey Milk was a pioneer - helping lead a movement to stand up for gay rights.


Yet you keep briinging it up - you are a fucking pathetic, sad person.

[CreekDog]

47. and they are actually wrong about Milk too

before they self deleted...their statement that all Milk did was pass the pooper scooper law is factually wrong.

even though Milk only had 11 months as supervisor, he did get the anti-discrimination ordinance passed, with almost universal support among his colleagues, as well as a supportive mayor.

and he was a supervisor who cared about the everyday concerns of his neighborhood district, and as mundane as the dog law might seem, it's exactly what supervisors do, necessary even.

while he was a groundbreaking supervisor for what he represented and was, it was also groundbreaking that his neighborhood, a place with many gays in it, was a neighborhood with regular, mundane concerns and a supervisor who was attentive to them --just like Anyplace, USA.

i was too young to remember clearly any details about when Milk was killed, but in the years that followed, i can assure you that the people that mentioned his name around me didn't think that's all he did.

[KamaAina]

32. Well, Mayor Moscone already has the convention center

has since it was built, a few years after his death.

[CreekDog]

45. you have no more character assassination of Harvey Milk to do?

and no, I'm a native of San Francisco, and NO, Milk is known for far more among locals than the Pooper Scooper law.

and in fact, if you asked younger people what he's known for, they won't mention that law, they will mention the things he did and stood for.

the things that you have ignorantly omitted here.

[CreekDog]

42. You are a disgrace to San Francisco and an ignorant one as well

Harvey Milk wasn't even supervisor for a full year before he was assassinated and among his work passing a non discrimination ordinance in San Francisco that was a landmark by any measure.

at the same time, his efforts in defeating the Briggs' initiative was instrumental in its defeat.

AND AND...that pooper scooper law was actually an important quality of life measure aimed at making parks and dog walking more sanitary than it used to be.

How dare you lie about Milk in this thread.

I don't love renaming the airport, but if anybody deserves it, it is someone who gave his life to end discrimination as he did.

[CreekDog]

43. the airport isn't in South San Francisco

get it right, but judging by posts down below, you have no interest in getting it right.

[CreekDog]

40. SFO is run by San Francisco, although it's in San Mateo County

the police at SFO are San Francisco police and sheriff staff.

the Airport Commission is a City and County of SF operation.

the airport borders three cities: South San Francisco (different city and county than San Francisco), San Bruno, and Millbrae.

[olddad56]

12. That is better than selling corporate naming rights. Like maybe the Samsung International Airport

[DryRain]

19. Funny how I don't remember people finding "John Wayne" a strange name for

an airport.

Which guy did more for the advancement of human rights? Which one got rich by making movies demonizing native Americans?

[HughBeaumont]

20. Or "Reagan National" . . .

Of course, no one actually CALLS it "Reagan National" . . .

[DryRain]

24. Just wondering, were Reagan and John Wayne ever in a movie together?

Just wondering if killing off a few hundred native Americans on the big screen is a ticket to getting an airport named after you.

[RexDart]

26. I'm ok with the name change.

However "Harvey Milk San Francisco Interantion Airport" doesn't flow very well.

Anyway, everybody I know will still call it SFO. Except for my grandmother who always refered to it as Mills field.

[olddad56]

25. Or even worse, Dulles International. named after John Foster Dulles.

A partner in crime of Prescott Bush.

[KamaAina]

33. Or Bob Hope or Louis Armstrong

Burbank and New Orleans, respectively.

[SCVDem]

27. Not the entire airport.

I think a terminal, like the Bradley terminal at LAX, where there can be a proper display honoring Harvey Milks life.

[KamaAina]

34. Why the airport? Turns out there's a very good reason.

"To be clear, there are other people who (also) merit consideration," he added. "San Francisco has always been at the forefront of the fight for LGBT equality, and so people come here from around the country and around the world because of that, and for 40 million people a year to land at Harvey Milk International Airport sends an incredible message to the world."...

"When you think of the 9 million international visitors, coming from many of the 77 countries where it's still illegal to be LGBT - people forget that there are still 77 countries where it's criminal to be who you are," he said. "To be in Dubai, and see on the board a flight that ends at Harvey Milk San Francisco International Airport, or to be a young Pakistani, in a country where it is illegal to be gay, look up and see the name of a gay icon and feel, 'I am not alone' - it resonates back to my uncle and the calls he got from places like Altoona, Pa., when he was elected."

Flights from (Harvey Milk) SFO serve 68 of those 77 countries.

[Stringfellow Hawke]

37. That, I approve. Much better selection then say, Ronald Reagan Airport

otherwise known as National Airport.

[Xithras]

44. It will be appended. They are proposing "Harvey Milk San Francisco International Airport "

Of course, to those of us who fly through it, it'll keep the existing FAA LID and simply remain "SFO".

[Politicub]

51. I. Love. This!

Hope this comes to pass.