Empire State Building To Go Green (But Not For Those Damned Oppressed Iranians)

Supporters of Iran's seemingly sputtered Green Revolution apparently attempted to get the ESB to show green lights this week while Ahmadinejad was in town for the UN meetings — and were refused. But the WSJ notes the building will be lit in green on Thursday anyway for something much more important: the "Wizard Of Oz's 70th Anniversary Emerald Gala."

If you noticed it was green two nights ago too, for Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan. Great. So it's green Sunday, and green Thursday, but dammit, better send in the lackeys to change it back to white (which they call "ESB lighting") for the three days in between. Glad to see they've got their priorites straight over there.

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By John Kuhner in News on September 22, 2009 3:00 PM

Comments [rss]

reald26

There are close to a million Muslims in NYC who have no interest in seeing a building in their city (one in which many probably work in) knocked down. They work hard and want their families to be safe just like everyone else. The decision to light the building green for a Muslim holiday is an amazing gesture of inclusiveness by this amazing city that all are welcome here. I cannot describe the pride in being a New Yorker and a Muslim American I felt when i saw it lit green the other night for my holiday. Why you choose to interpret it instead as a "concession to the extremists" misses the point entirely.

reald26

There are close to a million Muslims in NYC who have no interest in seeing a building in their city (one in which many probably work in) knocked down. They work hard and want their families to be safe just like everyone else. The decision to light the building green for a Muslim holiday is an amazing gesture of inclusiveness by this amazing city that all are welcome here. I cannot describe the pride in being a New Yorker and a Muslim American I felt when i saw it lit green the other night for my holiday. Why you choose to interpret it instead as a "concession to the extremists" misses the point entirely

snickerdoodle

Gothamist is really stupid sometimes. Apparently they're unaware that the Empire State Building is another US landmark the fanatical hateful bigots known as Muslim terrorists would love to take down. Why would the Empire State Building put themselves in bigger jeopardy by making a political statement like that?

It's green anyway so there will be crazies out there who will think it's a political statement anyway.

Personally, I'd rather celebrate the Wizard of Oz.

matukonyc

What's with the tone? "Lackeys?" No doubt requests have to be submitted well in advance, and it certainly makes sense that the building wouldn't use lights to support a political movement or to take sides in a contemporary debate.