Readers React: If Zuckerberg wants to be more charitable, he could start with his employees

To the editor: To all the Mark Zuckerbergs, Sergey Brins and Larry Pages of the world: I applaud your charitable giving. However, before you give to the world and reap all the fame, goodwill and admiration for your generosity, think back for a moment. (“Critics say Mark Zuckerberg isn’t quite ‘giving’ away his wealth,” Dec. 4)

On whose backs was your vast fortune created?

What would make you men great would be to acknowledge the ones who made you all this wealth in the first place: your employees. How about half a million dollars to each of your several thousand workers?

Then everybody who works for you can actually buy a house, albeit a small one, in Silicon Valley. Sure, it would be taxable, the Internal Revenue Service would love it, and we all would theoretically benefit from it.

Take care of those on whose backs you rode to Olympus. You will have plenty left and a whole lot to give away to the world, where it is desperately needed.

Mathew Kundinger, Long Beach

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To the editor: Kudos to Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, for their pledge to donate 99% of their Facebook shares to charity.

Obviously, no good deed goes unpunished, but those who tarnish motives for their generosity should be disregarded. Charitable giving is what makes America unique and exceptional.

Great good will result from Zuckerberg’s and Chan’s gift, and if there is an appropriate tax accommodation, all the better. It may encourage others to do likewise.

Rachel Druten, Palm Desert

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To the editor: I was critical of Zuckerberg until I read this article.

I find him to be a true philanthropist because he is not looking for the charitable tax deduction. His method — setting up a limited liability company — is novel, but it is very effective in carrying out his plan and intentions. So many foundations are egotistical in nature and sacrifice control and goals for tax deductions.

Leonard Kolod, Los Angeles

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