Empire State Building to honor China in lights ("to go red for China")

[underpants]

Source: MSNBC

Headline on MSN front page reads "Empire State Building to go red for China"

Ceremony planned to celebrate nation's 60 years of communism riles critics

NEW YORK - Critics of China's communist government are protesting plans to light the top of New York's Empire State Building red and yellow to honor that nation's 60th anniversary.

Several supporters of Tibet protested Wednesday outside the iconic building, where a lighting ceremony is planned. The building often changes its lighting colors to mark holidays and big events.

Democratic Congressman Anthony Weiner of New York says the lights should not be used to pay tribute to what he called "a nation with a shameful history on human rights."



Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33100000/ns/us_news-life

[onehandle]

1. Red for the running blood of China's slave laborers and conquered peoples. nt

[unkachuck]

10. or maybe....

Red for the running of blood of United States slave laborers and conquered peoples.

[onehandle]

41. America, Love it or Leave it!

Pinko hippie.

;-)

[NYC Liberal]

2. Er...why are we doing this again?

This seems very odd to me. It should definitely not happen.

[David__77]

15. "We?" Who is "we?" This is a private building.

If they want to honor China, it's not a decision for the US government.

[NYC Liberal]

I realize that, so I'll rephrase: Why are THEY doing this?

The question is still the same.

[David__77]

22. Probably to foster good feelings with Chinese and Chinese-Americans.

It is seen as a goodwill gesture. We need to move past Cold War mentality. Some of the progressives are as bad toward China as Reagan was with regard to the Soviet Union.

[Romulox]

26. Why would you assume that Chinese Americans have an affinity for the Chinese government?

It's a strange assumption to make. :shrug:

[David__77]

31. Many do, some do not identify with the Chinese state. Same with all countries/peoples.

Many French-Americans would not like the French flag or French state, but many would think it a nice gesture.

Certainly French nationality is not synonymous with the French republic, but people usually link the two. Similarly, the Chinese state and its flag are linked with the nationalities of China.

[Romulox]

36. French Americans haven't left a country that denies freedom of movement.

The parallel is imprecise.

"the Chinese state and its flag are linked with the nationalities of China."

You mentioned "Chinese-Americans", whose nationality is self-evidently American, not Chinese. :hi:

[David__77]

43. I don't understand your point.

If they lacked freedom of movement, how would they come to the US? And why is China a destination for many immigrants from neighboring countries?

All I was saying is that the Chinese flag may be similar to Chinese-Americans as the French flag is to French-Americans.

[Romulox]

44. Of course not.

"If they lacked freedom of movement, how would they come to the US?"

Is this a serious question? Did you see my reference to Hong Kong, for example? I'm not qualified to teach you the history of HK if you are not aware of it. :shrug:

"All I was saying is that the Chinese flag may be similar to Chinese-Americans as the French flag is to French-Americans."

It may, but it may not. I'm certainly not convinced.

[David__77]

32. Kind of like an Irish flag for Irish-Americans.

Is it really all that strange?

[Romulox]

34. Do you have any evidence of this, or are you just assuming?

"Is it really all that strange?"

It's strange inasmuch as it is something I've never seen personally or documented in any form. For example, I've never seen the flag of the PRC on display at any Chinese American establishment.

[David__77]

37. You haven't? I have.

I live in a Chinatown, and there certainly are some Chinese flags in local stores: specifically, the corner store around the corner, a flower shop, and a even a hair salon. They sell publications from China as well. Most Chinese immigrants, in my town at least, have state patriotism toward the PRC. There are some much older KMT/Taiwan types, but they are a minority these days. I have plenty of Chinese-born friends living in the area, both citizens and not.

[Romulox]

39. If you visit LA, Seattle, SF, Vancouver, you'll meet a lot of Hong Kong expats

and their children. No PRC flags with them.

[David__77]

42. OK, I'll keep my eyes open.

I'm in Sacramento.

[JVS]

50. Probably to foster good feelings with Chinese companies and their $$$$$

[Dennis Donovan]

3. Don't they already own it?

:D

[durablend]

6. What? The United States?

Soon enough, if not already

[tomm2thumbs]

24. check any item you purchase - betcha it ain't made in the USA

you've got that right

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

30. I wonder that to.

Empire State Building that is..

[KansDem]

4. But let's maintain the economic blockade against Cuba.

:eyes:

[Pirate Smile]

5. Why?

Bizarre.

[randr]

7. And they refused to light it up green for the Iranian resistance?

Who the hell runs that place? Do the Chinese own it?

[izquierdista]

8. Well, (lead) paint the town red!

Are they going to serve melamine cookies and arsenic punch too?

[emilyg]

9. Why in the heck for?

[Suji to Seoul]

11. Weiner, I love you, but let's not use the human rights argument

Japanese internment
Slaughter native Americans
Stealing their land
Dual wage system for Mexican AMericans
Glass Ceiling
Refusing to let women vote
Jim Crow
Lynching
Segregation
Slavery
Destroying native American culture
Immgration quotas
Aggressive war with Mexico (Mexican AMerican War)
Aggressive war with Spain (Spanish-American War)
Aggressive war with Iraq (The quagmire)
Torturing POWs
Denial of habeus corpus
indefinite detention

We have just as many human rights issues as China.

As for me, I live in China. I'll be out with my boss and other professors on National Day.

[Confusious]

13. Some of those things you bring up

Took place in times that had no "Human rights"

You can't compare apples and oranges, china today vs the United States in the 19th century.


Immgration quotas - Every other motherFing country on this planet has immigration quotas. You have to have a bachelors to get into Australia for f**ks sake.

The great leap forward, how many did that kill?

I also like how you forget what we did right, such as the defeat of Japan and Germany, or how many people died to bring an end to slavery. The United states was the 30th country to give women the right to vote, and that happened only 2 years after the first major country did it.

[ronnie624]

51. Yep. Apples and oranges.

We only slaughter people in other countries.

[Chulanowa]

58. There have ALWAYS been human rights

They have not always been enumerated by law, but they've always there. For you to suggest that the genocide against my ancestors was, if not acceptable, at least forgivable "becuase there were no human rights" is the crowning heights of douchebaggery

[Romulox]

28. We don't trust the Chinese government enough to return its citizens (Uighurs).

Let's not use "the human rights argument" though! There's money to be made!

[proteus_lives]

59. Chairman Mao.

He beats them all.

Killed 50-60 million of own his people with his state famine.

[davidpdx]

12. I agree given China's human rights record

it's egregious, but the building is privately owned.

[David__77]

14. I think it's a great thing.

China is one fifth of humanity and deserves recognition on this occasion.

[Brickbat]

16. Well, they'll own that building pretty soon anyway, the way things are going. Made in China FTW!

Labor and environmental regulations WHATEVS! Wooooo!

[justabob]

17. that is a little surreal

This is a story that kind of stops me in my tracks because it is so unexpected and odd. Why would we celebrate Chinese communism, 60 years or not? Surreal.

[billh58]

18. There is a

major difference between "celebration" and recognition. When Time magazine puts Glenn Beck on their cover, they are not "celebrating" him, but recognizing that he exists as a person of national interest.

Recognizing the 60-year anniversary of Communist China is different from celebrating that fact. China is, after all, a major world power, as well as a trading partner, and creditor of the US.

[justabob]

19. true, poor word choice on my part

I thought about editing, but was lazy.

... but it is still surreal to me, especially with all the wailing we hear about socialism, communism, ad nauseum.

[NYC Liberal]

20. According to the building manager, they are honoring China not just recognizing it

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."

[billh58]

21. A private company

does not respresent our government, so I have no problem if they want to "honor" a milestone in China's development. Dispensing an "honor" is still very different from a celebration.

[David__77]

35. Mr. Bellina sounds wise.

I wish we could foster goodwill and good relations all peoples.

[NYC Liberal]

46. I look forward to the fireworks and red-white-and-blue lighting of the the Shanghai WFC

in China on July 4th next year. I'm sure it'll happen.

[David__77]

48. Actually there are plenty of pro-US displays in China.

I wouldn't be surprised at all. When a US head of state comes, there is a lot of US flag waving and wall to wall coverage, for instance.

[ronnie624]

52. "our countries and our people."

Nothing about communism.

[NYC Liberal]

53. I didn't mention communism.

I said they were "honoring" China, not simply "recognizing" its anniversary.

[ronnie624]

56. But the poster to which you responded

was responding to someone who did mention communism - "Why would we celebrate Chinese communism" - leaving the impression that you agreed with her statement.

In truth, the only people quoted in the article who mentioned communism, were the critics.

[TygrBright]

23. Wait, what? Lemme get this straight... a CAPITALIST building, in a CAPITALIST country...

...that a) fought a long and bitter Cold War with Communism; and b) is currently undergoing a hysterical panic about "Socialism," is gonna... WHAT?!?

So, um... when did "The Thoughts of Chairman Mao" become the latest corporate management book?

Does it now appear next to "Who Moved My Cheese" and "Seven Habits of Highly Effective Etcetera" on CEO bookshelves?

What?

I'm just... so confused.

bewilderedly,
Bright

[Romulox]

29. "The Capitalists will sell us the rope..." nt

[David__77]

33. Isn't it good that the Cold War thinking is breaking down?

Hopefully we won't have another 80's style confrontation against China.

[w4rma]

25. Didn't China buy the Empire State Building not too long ago?

Or maybe it was a Chinese nationalist? I can't remember.

[shadowknows69]

27. Wrong on so many levels. I hate my state.

[Psephos]

38. Don't be ridiculous. The red lights stand for the oceans of red ink drowning the US budget. n/t

[AsahinaKimi]

40. Just a question...

Who came up with this idea?

[Mithreal]

45. I, for one, welcome our new masters and rulers of the world.

They may be communist but they are the good ones.

[frog92969]

47. Red for the tyranny, but no green for freedom??

This is truly sickening!

[ronnie624]

54. Red because that is the color of the Chinese flag.

From the opening article:

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.

[frog92969]

57. That's what I said.

And before you call me a racist let me say that I've always had a deep fondness for the citizens of China. Often using their culture and history to educate myself from a very young age.

I also have a new found fondness and respect for the citizens of Iran, that our propaganda machine won't destroy. And who the idiot that made this decision recently insulted.

[xc8mip]

49. Empire state building celebrates 60 years of red regime

Something is really wrong here .Chinese communism is one of the most bloodthirsty regimes set on Carl Marx and Engels vomit .Chinese Americans who speak positively about these bastards are most likely illiterate bums smuggled in containers and sold to work at Chinatown sweatshops

[Mari333]

55. perhaps they can throw dogs and cats off the building

to commemorate Melamine poisoning

[fujiyama]

62. Or lead based toys

or fermaldahyde based house materials or cartons of milk (wasn't it the milk that had the melamine)? Either way...this whole thing is just plain weird. The idea of a major symbol and the tallest building in NYC celebrating or even comemerating the PRC is just plain bizarre.

[proteus_lives]

60. Fuck this.

A better ceremony would be honoring the victims of the 60 year regime.

[JonQ]

61. I have no problem with honoring the chinese

big problem with honoring their current government that has presided over quite a bit of oppression and blood letting.

I guess if it's a privately owned property they have the right.

But I don't have to approve.