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Empire State Building to go Red for PRC 60th Anniversary

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by rocketsjudoka, Sep 30, 2009.

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  1. rocketsjudoka

    rocketsjudoka Contributing Member
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    I was going to post this in the thread in Hangout but I get the feeling this is better here.

    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33100000/

    Empire State Building honors China in lights
    Ceremony celebrating nation's 60 years of communism riles critics

    NEW YORK - Red and yellow lights shone from the top of the Empire State Building at dusk Wednesday, a tribute to communist China's 60th anniversary that protesters labeled "blatant approval" of totalitarianism and criticized as inappropriate for an icon in the land of the free.

    The building is routinely lit with different to mark holidays and big events, but opponents questioned whether it's right to commemorate a sensitive political issue, particularly when China has such a poor human rights record.

    About 20 supporters of Tibet, which China has ruled since shortly after communists took over in 1949, protested outside the building during a ceremonial lighting of a scale model inside the lobby. They chanted "No to China's empire; free Tibet now," and held signs reading, "Empire State Building celebrating 60 years of China's oppression."

    Lhadon Tethong, executive director of Students for a Free Tibet, called the lighting "outright, blatant approval for a communist totalitarian system."

    "It's a great public relations coup for the Chinese state," Tethong said as tourists gawked at the protesters. "But on the other hand, it's sure to backfire because the American public and the global public will speak against it."

    ‘Honored and delighted’
    At the lobby ceremony, building manager Joseph Bellina called the lights a high honor and said he was proud of the relationship between "our countries and our people."

    Chinese Consul General Peng Keyu, who pulled the switch on the glass-encased model, said he was "honored and delighted."

    He said China's reforms of the past 30 years have led to greater openness and "tremendous change."

    Keyu and Bellina didn't address critics and declined to answer questions.

    Journalist and blogger Marc Masferrer questioned legitimizing a government that continues to repress its citizens' freedoms, including their access to media and the Internet.

    "I don't think one of our great landmarks should be turned into a platform to honor a regime and a system responsible for as much tragedy and all the other things that come with a repressive system," he told The Associated Press.

    Masferrer pointed out that this year is also the 20th anniversary of the violently crushed student-led movement in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. The People's Liberation Army is believed to have killed hundreds, possibly thousands, of protesters.

    Politicians united in their disdain.

    ‘Sad day for New York’
    Rep. Anthony Weiner, a New York Democrat, said the lights should not be used to pay tribute to what he called "an oppressive regime" with a "shameful history on human rights."

    Rep. Peter King, a New York Republican, said it was "a sad day for New York."

    "I am strongly opposed to it or any commemoration of the Communist Chinese revolution. It's one thing to acknowledge the government; it's totally immoral to honor it."

    The lights atop the building, which is owned by W&H Properties, are often are changed. For example, Italian colors — red, white and green — commemorate Columbus Day, while green, white and orange are displayed for the India Day parade.

    For the Chinese anniversary, the lights were to remain on through early Thursday.
     
    #1 rocketsjudoka, Sep 30, 2009
  2. vlaurelio

    vlaurelio Contributing Member

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    first

    blame Obama
     
    #2 vlaurelio, Sep 30, 2009
  3. Fatty FatBastard

    Fatty FatBastard Member

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    They own more of New York than we do.

    Seems fair...
     
    #3 Fatty FatBastard, Sep 30, 2009
  4. Depressio

    Depressio Contributing Member

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    I wish people would not waste their breath on these sorts of things. So they want to celebrate China's revolution... more power to 'em. People celebrate all sorts of things, so I don't see why it should matter to anyone else.

    Yeah, China is pretty oppressive and a lot of the things they do are head-scratchers and probably not in our best interests. But does celebrating them really hurt us? No. Stop wasting time, you idiot politicians, and focus on something that matters.
     
    #4 Depressio, Sep 30, 2009
  5. weakfromtoday

    weakfromtoday Contributing Member
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    Politics aside, it does look kinda cool.

    Now, if we can just get a big 34 up there as well...
     
    #5 weakfromtoday, Sep 30, 2009
  6. rocketsjudoka

    rocketsjudoka Contributing Member
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    That would be sweeet..
     
    #6 rocketsjudoka, Sep 30, 2009
  7. yuantian

    yuantian Contributing Member

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    isn't red and gold rockets colour already? :D
     
    #7 yuantian, Sep 30, 2009
  8. wnes

    wnes Contributing Member

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    Just finished watching the whole celebration event on CCTV4. Saw Wang Zhizhi on the parade vehicle showcasing Chinese sports and athletes. Oddly (or no), Yao Ming was obscurely absent.
     
    #8 wnes, Sep 30, 2009
  9. rocketsjudoka

    rocketsjudoka Contributing Member
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    Hopefully he's rehabilitating. I thought Wang Zhizhi was in the CNT doghouse over staying in the US instead of returning to train in the PRC.
     
    #9 rocketsjudoka, Sep 30, 2009
  10. yuantian

    yuantian Contributing Member

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    he apologized. and he is a member of PLA. he is fine now.
     
    #10 yuantian, Sep 30, 2009
  11. redao

    redao Member

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    It must be wise to feel sad for the birthday of an oldest country with 1.3 billion people. :rolleyes:

    As a Chinese , I am proud of my country from my deepest heart. :cool: China has come along from way way behind.

    I just hope Chinese government can keep their socialism promise they made today, and please make those western b****es sadder next time.
     
    #11 redao, Oct 1, 2009
  12. Mr. Clutch

    Mr. Clutch Contributing Member

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    We are Red Nation.
     
    #12 Mr. Clutch, Oct 1, 2009
  13. redao

    redao Member

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    "shameful history on human rights."

    hmm, how about America's history? How about the human rights of Iraqis right now? What did you do on July 4th, Rep. Anthony Weiner?
     
    #13 redao, Oct 1, 2009
  14. Dairy Ashford

    Dairy Ashford Member

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    China is an ally, and Empire State is a private, not public, facility; in a Global City. Although I'm sure they would never light up the building with Iranian or Palestinian colors, and I'm really not even certain why they're inclined to light it with Chinese ones, and you could probably never put a Confederate flag on top of Chase or Williams Tower, I don't have much of a problem with it.

    Will naturalized Chinese in the United States celebrate this anniversary, condemn it, or just be ambivalent?
     
    #14 Dairy Ashford, Oct 1, 2009
  15. Pest_Ctrl

    Pest_Ctrl Member

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    Masterfully done, Comrade Obama! :D
     
    #15 Pest_Ctrl, Oct 1, 2009
  16. pippendagimp

    pippendagimp Member

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    i don't see any big deal.....they do the same for probably 100 countries every year....lighting it up in the colors of the flag of the nation that happens to have a bday that day..
     
    #16 pippendagimp, Oct 1, 2009
  17. Dairy Ashford

    Dairy Ashford Member

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    I guess the facts that this is a private building and that our democratically elected President is not a communist have escaped you. D-minus.
     
    #17 Dairy Ashford, Oct 1, 2009
  18. meh

    meh Contributing Member

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    Maybe I'm wrong, but I've always thought the US had always approved of totalitarianism if such approval benefits the US? Considering how much Chinese investment there is in the Empire State Building and NY in general, isn't such non-costly ass-kissing a good thing?

    Seems to me this makes all sorts of sense.

    Actually, seems pretty appropriate that the Empire State Building celebrating an "Empire". :)

    Anyway, I can ragging on China for their poor human rights record and totalitarian style government. But isn't it a little presumptuous for Americans to denounce another country for empire building?
     
    #18 meh, Oct 1, 2009
  19. Mr. Clutch

    Mr. Clutch Contributing Member

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    What's the big deal with this?

    And what's the big deal with people protesting this?

    If we are going to ask "what's the big deal" for everything, then just shut D&D down. I mean, if you are mad about something in politics, and want to post in D&D, just ask yourself "wha'ts the big deal?" and go post in the GARM instead.
     
    #19 Mr. Clutch, Oct 1, 2009
  20. Sweet Lou 4 2

    Sweet Lou 4 2 Contributing Member
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    It's not political. It's not a gov't agency that determines what color the lights are. It's not the public. It's a private company which owns the building. For all you know, they might be trying to court rental space to a Chinese company. It's capitalism at work.

    You can't sign the praises of capitalism and then condemn it as being wrong in a political sense. Making a buck of off China is about anti-communist in your face as you can get.
     
    #20 Sweet Lou 4 2, Oct 1, 2009
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