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Last night, the Empire State Building was lit up in red and yellow in honor of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. However, some didn't feel very warmly about the event—protesters (numbering around 20) were outside the afternoon lighting ceremony, saying it was "outright, blatant approval for a communist totalitarian system."
Lhadon Tethong, executive director of Students for a Free Tibet, said, "It's a great public relations coup for the Chinese state. But on the other hand, it's sure to backfire because the American public and the global public will speak against it." And Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn) said that China was an "oppressive regime" with a "shameful history on human rights" and shouldn't be honored while Rep. Peter King (R-Long Island) called it a "sad day."
City Room spoke to Peng Keyu, China's counsel general who flipped the switch, who was happy, "This is really a great gesture...a symbol of unity between our countries and our peoples." Peng added that China had been opening up its policies and would continue to do so. As for the Empire State Building, its reps told City Room, that it "doesn’t discuss the intricacies of the lighting approval process."
The ESB lighting will be red-yellow-red tonight as well, and then it becomes blue-blue-white for the American Academy of Dramatic Arts' 125th Anniversary.
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The American Academy of Dramatic Arts? Damned totalitarians! I'm protesting the blue-blue-white.
Hi Folks, and welcome to "The Price Is Right".
"EMPIRE" State Building.
Red, White and Blue 24/7.
DUH.
Problem solved.
Meh. Whatever. Last time I checked it was a free country (And the US does have a communist party.) Get over it.
FYI - the Chinese communist party is responsible for killing millions of Chinese, and tens of thousands of Americans. Not to mention imprisoning and punishing people who want democracy, or more than one child, or to be gay, etc.
The owners of the building have every right to light it as they see fit, but should expect the full brunt of public objection when they honor a murderous organization.
But the United States is blameless and has never committed similar acts, right? The U.S. has never tortured prisoners at so-called "black sites", right? The U.S. has never, say, started a completely unnecessary war, leading to the deaths of perhaps hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, right?
We've committed bad shit, too. Things are never so black and white that it's a crime to have the ESB red and yellow but having it red, white, and blue is 100% peachy keen.
Every government is a murderous organization. Want to take a body count from Washington?
The Cultural Revolution was a long time ago. Let it go.
"Not to mention imprisoning and punishing people who want . . . more than one child."
Excuse me, but are you totally clueless that the country has a little population problem of a fucking billion plus people?? Everyone there knows about the one child policy yet you think those that flout the law should have a free pass and have as many kids as they want?
Yes, they should be able to choose the number of children they have. They should not be forced to have abortions. This is what communism brings about: no respect for life or liberty. In other words, they oppose everything that America stands for.
So the alternative is better? Millions of illegitimate children paid for by taxpayer dollars? Life, liberty? Gosh, ppl are so short-sighted.
How does the alternative to forced abortions become "millions of illegitimate children paid for by taxpayer dollars?" That is absurd, and I don't promote the idea of government as a "charitable" organization.
"expect the full brunt of public objection"
As long as the "full brunt" boils down to 20 protesters, they can probably weather the storm.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-03/13/content_7779839.htm
Pot, meet Kettle.
Re: GOP
While I'm not opposed to your pot-calling-kettle-calling, the article you linked to is pretty absurd.
The first page lists, under the heading of U.S. human rights abuses, the violent nature of our society in general. It lists a few crime statistics, and then goes on to posit that private gun ownership is somehow a human rights abuse. Also, the facts lack; here is a sample assertion: "Almost every American, even ex-criminals with felony records and minors, has firearms." Well, no.
You live in NY. Most Americans do have guns. Thanks for playing.
You choose to use a report out of Beijing to prove that America has "human rights" issues?! No one claims that America is perfect, but we come nowhere close to China or other totalitarian regimes in this department. You must be eltated whenever Obama apologizes for America wherever he goes.
China issued this report after the US issued a report on China's human rights violations. The point is it's easy to look from the outside and criticize a nation on its human rights record. But it's hard to look at oneself and see similar human rights violations. The US ain't blameless.
I'm not justifying anything that China has done (in fact I agree that a lot of it is "dictatorial" and not communist); but as for the "one child" rule, I cannot say that I disagree. In their tactics, yes, but not in theory. At some point, the governments of the largest nations are going to have to realize that the world's population is spinning out of control. There simply are not enough resources to sustain the population as far as it's projected to reach in just 10-15 years. I'm not advocating forced abortions, but the problem will need to be addressed eventually. I don't know what that answer would be, but China has at least tried to address the issue.
The only resource that is running out is other peoples' money. When the government treats the peoples' income as their own, the people have no incentive to work harder, therefore limiting the amount of money the government can take in. And when the government is taking care of the people "from the cradle to the grave," then it only makes economic sense to forcefully reduce the birth rate. The planets natural resources are renewable and can sustain more life than it currently holds.
When my parents answered questions to past the citizenship test, the most important was about
"I am not a communist"
What the hell is wrong with this message from this
Empire State Building?
Did China pay the building to light up this way?
Who paid the building to do this?
Shouldn't there be a fine or penalty?
Are you suggesting that was a just and appropriate thing to ask on a citizenship test?
Considering the goal of any communist coming here is to replace the US Constitution with the Communist Manifesto, to replace our unalienable rights and freedom with one-party tyranny, yes, it's an entirely appropriate question to ask.
"the goal of any communist coming here is to replace the US Constitution with the Communist Manifesto"
I'm sure some of them come just for the shopping and sightseeing. And some for business reasons, because they're making good money exporting counterfeit goods to the US.
Yeah, I heard on Fox that replacing the constitution with the Communist Manifesto is going to be Obama's next big thing.
I can't wait.
China may be an oppressive regime, but look at all the potential consumers of American fast food. :/
You mean American chicken feet.
firing a few cannons full of General Tso would have been a great complement to the commie lighting scheme.
I'm sure the communist Chinese will be more than happy to put up a large American flag in Tianannmen Square to show their appreciation.
Only because they own half or more of this country already.
Yeah, I'm sure they're working on that right away.
Guy in the 4th picture.
"Look! It's a bird! It's a plane!..."
protest signs made in china
I bet all the lights are Made in China.
its a celebration of a entire nation. just like most liberitards and conservinuts don't realize that.
china is more capitalistic in many ways than the us is now days. stop living in the cold war era. china is rule by a few million elites, the us is ruled by few corporate elites through the "two party".
same thing with the damn darfur people and other causes. yet you don't hear about real colonialism by the western powers who are still control parts of africa.
http://www.cfr.org/publication/12578/
But I see it lit red and yellow every Fall. I figured it was a seasonal thing, or at least sponsored by McDonalds. Maybe they just told the PRC it was for them, and took their magic money for the giggles.
Gee we missed such a great opputunity to light up the Empire State Building with Germany's colors during WW2 when our boys were dying daily all over Europe!
What is wrong with America that we can let something like this go by us in a free nation that exsist because of a Democracy that was earned in blood and sacrifice.
For the first time I am ashamed for America.
Really, this is the first time? You have not been paying attention.
And why hasn't it occurred to you that "we can let something like this go by" in a "free nation" precisely because we are a free nation, where people are at liberty to light up their buildings with whatever colors they want for whatever reason they want? The moment you or anyone else steps in to stop another's political expression, you are the one trampling on liberty.
Jesus!
Excuse me, but I must have missed the declaration of war against China and all the army divisions sent over there. For some reason, I had the apparently mistaken impression they were one of our biggest trading partners, if not the biggest.
That would be second biggest. Can you guess who's first?
In addition to the protests in front of the Empire State Building, there were projections on and around the building: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sfthq/sets/72157622492312926/ These photos should be included in this article.
so funny that there's still U.S. embargo on Cuba.
Yup.
The US has some nerve criticizing China for human rights violations...ask Native Americans who were slaughtered for the US to become what it is today. Regardless, the history of China is not pretty either, but at least it is their own country, and they have evolved from some really brutal, feudal lordship rule that regarded women as property. Even though their Communist rule and the dictatorships they have had are not to American taste, it is still better than what they have had in the past and WORKS FOR THEM--they have a population that is up in the billions and they need some kind of social control. They don't have the problems we face with gangs and drugs and crime--maybe we should be looking at how they make it work instead posturing with ignorant rhetoric. I like the Empire State Building and think the Chinese should be honored for how far they have come, regardless of what they have chosen for a government--their history and resiliance is remarkable and honorable. (Plus, we owe them money.)
"their history and resiliance is remarkable and honorable"
remarkable indeed: http://www.freetibet.org/
Fuck Tibet, the Dalai Lama, and their back-asswards feudal ways.
Long live the CPC!
pfft ... I've traveled through China and Asia these past few years and if anybody looks oppressed, it's when I get back to NYC with overzealous TSA agents and machine guns all over Times Sq, Wall St, and Herald Square. It's funny how the media nor pro-Tibetan activists never mention that preceding the military crackdown in Tibet in 2008, the Tibetan protestors were killing Han Chinese and Hui Muslims by beatings and burning them alive in their own businesses.
sounds dubious at best. a link to news articles with the alleged events possibly? preferably international media rather than state-run news. thnx.
Be glad that you were not forced to relocate, forced to give up your land and forced to learn Chinese culture. Were you there watching Tibetan killing Chinese Han? NO, you were not there. You only get the information from the Chinese goverment who's so good at showing people what they want you to see. I can't believe this is something coming from an American if you are one.
I just wish they'd change their holiday from National Day to "Mao Day" so we could all show up at work dressed appropriately.
How about no lights? Saves money.
Wow!
China owns us anyway,
I think they bought up Visa card and our
tresury in Washington and 100 billion dollar
investment in Iran gas and the African Sudan and .........